Samson Overcoming The Philistines

Samson, Overcoming The Philistines

Our Text: Book of Judges 13-16

Our Focus: Chapters 13:5,24-25; 15:14-15; 16:4-5,16-24, 28-30

As we look at Samson, we need to remember one main thing.

*****If God had chosen us for our works, or for our own goodness, we may fear that He would one day cast us away. BUT He chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, and for His Own names sake, HE CANNOT LOSE US!

1Sa 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: ]because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people].

Samson was unpredictable and undependable because he was a double-minded man and the Bible teaches us that a double-minded man is unstable.

Jas 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Samson was bold and mighty before men but we must be honest, Samson was a wimp when it came to women!

He could not keep any secret from the women he ran with!

Samson was to be a Judge of Israel and to begin the deliverance of them from the Philistines, yet he spent more time with the enemy than with his own people.

The name Samson means "Sunny" but in the end Samson was blinded by the enemy he was to conquer and he could no longer see the Sun.

There are 4 chapters in the Book of Judges devoted to Samson but we will see only a few of these verses.

So, let us begin:

*****Jdg 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and [he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines].

Again we see that God has a plan for each of us even before we are born. Samson had not even been born and it would be many years before he would be of age enough to begin this work God had chosen for him.

We also see that the parents of Samson were to be involved in the life of Samson. When we are given children from the Lord, we are to see that they raised in a godly manner.

One of the most important verses in the Bible about children is this one:

Pro 22:6 Train up a child [in the way he should go]: and when he is old, [he will not depart from it].

We should also keep in mind that if we do not train them in the way they they should go, then whatever way they are taught they may not depart from that way either.

Samson was to have the vow of the Nazarite from his birth.

The Bible teaches us this vow:

Num 6:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:

Num 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

Num 6:4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

Num 6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

Num 6:6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.

Num 6:7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

Num 6:8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.

1.) He was not to touch strong drink or use grapes in any form.

**Wine is a "symbol" of earthly joy.

Do we ever see a commercial on our TV"s that show alcoholic beverages with people that are shown to be unhappy.

**Wine is a symbol of a merry heart. Sadly neither of these things are true!

Samson was to find his joy in the Lord:

Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

What is the fruit of God's Spirit:

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Those that say they are saved and do not show the fruit of the Holy Spirit need to be heavy in prayer to see what is wrong for they are still blind.

2.) The Nazarite of this day was not to cut his hair.

BUT, This is no an excuse to look like a hippie.

The Bible says:

1Co 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, [that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him]?

IN other words Samson was to bear this as a shameful thing all the days of his life!

In other words Samson's long hair was to be "the symbol" that he followed The Lord and all His commandments. When someone saw Samson, his long hair was the symbol that he belonged to God by a vow.

A Christian makes a vow when we pray the sinners prayer and the evidence of that vow is our noticeably changed life. We are to be like Christ! We are not to start allowing our hair to grow long.

3.) The Nazarite was not to approach any dead thing.

He was to put the Lord ahead of all things even his family and his loved ones:

Luk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

We should see how we match up to these requirements!

*****Jdg 13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

Samson differed from all the other judges by the fact that he was to have the Nazarite vow but he also was born of a miracle birth. His mother had been barren until the time of Samson's birth.

Again the name Samson means "Sunny".

You know, Samson probably was not much bigger or stronger than the average man. The only thing that distinguished Samson from most other men was his hair.

Samson was only strong when the Holy Spirit came upon him and when the Holy Spirit moved him.

BUT, Samson was one of the weakest men in the Bible in his ways.

AND, Samson did not take the work of God seriously!

We are wrong when we do not take the "work" of God seriously, it means we do not take the "Word" of God seriously!

*****Jdg 13:25 [And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him] at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

As we go forward we will see that Samson used his strength as one would use a toy or a plaything. We will also see that Samson was a loner and never showed any signs of leadership. Samson never tried to unite Israel behind him.

Samson was never much of a Judge!

The Holy Spirit is not given to us for our enjoyment but only for our employment!

We cannot do anything for God without the Holy Spirit guiding our way!

To the Church we know that the Holy Spirit teaches us!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Holy Spirit does not just come and go like He did with Samson but lives inside every believer and will never leave him.

This where our strength will be until we pass on to Heaven if we do not "grieve Him".

It is through the Holy Spirit we can see our future and know the truth of God!

Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

There is no hope without the Holy Spirit!

*****Jdg 15:14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: [and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him], and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

Here again we see that Samson had no power until the Holy Spirit came mightily upon him!

And to the Church God says.

Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, [through the power of the Holy Ghost].

The power of the Church comes through the Holy Spirit.

The Church is weak in America now because we have "grieved" the Holy Spirit and "lack" Holy Ghost Power.

Act_1:8 But ye shall receive power, ]after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:] and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

*****Jdg 15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

There were 3000 Jews that had delivered Samson to these Philistines. There is always a reason God does what He does!

Not only did Samson kill 1000 Philistines and witnessed by the Philistines, God also showed these 3000 of Israel what could happen if they placed their "faith in Him".

These men of Israel had said to Samson "that it was the Philistine who ruled Israel" but God was showing Israel that it was He, Jehovah who ruled Israel and all the World and All His Creation.

God also showed everybody that Samson was just a man, when He had to provide him some water just to stay alive!

God answered Samson's prayer, but we never read where Samson sought the guidance of Our Lord.

*****Jdg 15:20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

This verse is not part of our lesson but we can see that after this battle, Samson judged Israel for 20 years.

*****Jdg 16:1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.

We see that for twenty years Samson and the Philistine stayed away from each other but now we see how Samson backslides all the way to his death and Israel will again be ruled by the Philistine.

Just like Eve, we see that Samson "saw with his eyes".

In fact the Bible teaches us how we all fail:

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, [the lust of the flesh], and [the lust of the eyes], and [the pride of life], is not of the Father, [but is of the world].

We lust and we covet.

We look and we covet.

Then our covetous turns to pride for what we think is right in our own eyes and we fail and backslide.

Back to our lesson.

*****Jdg 16:4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

Now it was not like Samson traveled deep into the land of the Philistines because this valley of Sorek was on the border between Judah and Philistia. Samson actually found a woman that was not too far from his home.

BUT as we shall see it is a dangerous thing to linger too close to the enemy. This will become the biggest failure in the life of Samson.

Samson had a weakness for women and most men have this same weakness.

This Delilah was not an ordinary woman. She could not only entice a man, she could maneuver a man to do her will.

The Bible teaches us:

Ecc 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: [whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her]; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

The Bible also teaches us that Satan knows our every weakness:

2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of [the snare of the devil], who are taken captive by him at his will.

*****Jdg 16:5 And the [lords of the Philistines] came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

We also see that Satan knew the weakness of Delilah.

Once the Philistines knew Samson had eyes again for their women they made a new plan.

Notice the this plan was put in place by the ruling government of the Philistines. There were five divisions of the Philistines and each one ruled from a different city and each one was a lord. We always find these evil men in one accord.

These lords of the Philistines did not believe in Jehovah, God of Israel, so we can just imagine that if Samson had some kind of secret to his strength, they wanted to know it themselves.

When these lords presented their plan to Delilah, they bought her trust with a great deal of money. Something Samson could not provide for her.

5,500 pieces of silver was a great amount of money at this time.

*****Jdg 16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;

Jdg 16:17 That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.

Delilah was relentless and finally found the secret of Samson's strength. Samson's strength was not in his long hair.

Samson's strength was in his vow!

Delilah has shown us how easy it is to defeat the child of God:

And, Jesus warned us of this in one of His parables:

Luk 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: [for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light].

The Holy Spirit departed from Samson and he had no power at all.

He had trusted in himself:

Again the Bible teaches us.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and [lean not unto thine own understanding].

*****Jdg 16:18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

The man God had chosen to liberate Israel from her enemies had lost another battle with his own self.

Samson never raised an army, Samson never won a battle, Samson never rallied Israel.

Samson allowed the lust of his flesh to rule his life.

*****Jdg 16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

Samson went to sleep in his confidence that nothing could take his strength from him.

Samson had not up untill this time, realized that he actually had no strength.

It had been the gift of God through the Holy Spirit!

*****Jdg 16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

The Philistine easily overpowered Samson and now could have their way with him!

*****Jdg 16:21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.

They took him: They had never been able to lay hold on Samson all his life.

They put out his eyes: This was common to do to prisoners at this time.

They would scoop out the eyeballs.

Or they would just pierce the eyes.

Or they would sometimes just hold a red hot poker near enough to the eye to cause blindness.

They did not trust ropes to secure him so they bound him in brass fetters. Fetters were for the feet so Samson could not run away.

Samson was then treated like an animal.

*****Jdg 16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.

Jdg 16:23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

Jdg 16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

Samson had yielded to his flesh most of his life. We see that his hair begin to grow while he was in prison, which means Samson had taken this time to renew his relationship with Jehovah.

Instead of seeing Samson as one who was in judgment of his own God, these Philistines gave the credit of Samson's defeat to their false god Dagon.

Many false religions see how Jehovah may judge His people and claim that He has never existed.

This is the means of most all false religion to try to give some credit, or some reality to false gods.

To many in the Arab world they use "oil" as a means of giving credit to their false deities not realizing the God gave this "oil" to them to rise out of poverty but evil men took control of all of it..

These 5 lords of the Philistines held a national festival to honor their god "Dagon" and as we can see they used this false deity also as a means to stay in power.

These people had many false gods but Dagon was their chief god.

I am so glad I don't have to pick and choose from multiple gods to see who might have the greatest power on certain days!

Samson was used for their amusement!

It is a tragic thing when the children of God are nothing more than a thing of amusement to this world. In fact in the eyes of most of this world we live in the "Body of Christ", the Church, is no more than a nuisance.

They consider the Church to be blind to progress and blind to the modern ways of the world and harmless just as Samson was this day to these Philistines.

*****Jdg 16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

Jdg 16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.

Jdg 16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

But when God's people call on Him humbly and with a repentant heart, they find that God has not ever forgotten them and He never will!

Samson had only began to be a deliverer. He had not completed the work God had given him to do.

Samson played with sin "instead of hating sin" as the Bible instructs us to do.

Samson's great strength was in the Holy Spirit and had nothing to do with His hair nor the length of his hair.

Let's look at a parallel to Our Lord Jesus:

1.) Both births were foretold by an angel.

2.) Both were separated to God from their time of birth.

3.) Both were Nazarites.

Samson because of the vow of the Nazarite.

Jesus because He had a residence in Nazareth.

4.) Both moved in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

5.) Both were rejected by their own people.

6.) Both were to destroy their enemies.

Now let's contrast them both:

1.) Samson lived a life in sin------Jesus lived a sinless life.

2.) At his death Samson prayed that he could be avenged of the Philistines-------Jesus prayed for God to forgive those that would persecute Him.

3.) In death Samson's arms were out stretched in wrath-----On the Cross,Jesus's arms were stretched out in love.

4.) Samson died!

But the Lord Jesus Christ walked out of that grave and is alive today!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Gideon, Defeating The Midianite

Gideon, Defeating The Midianite

Book of Judges 6:1, 11-16, 24, 34; 7:2-7, 16-22

We have seen war and rumors of war for several years now and it does not seem that things will ever be better.

In fact God says things are only going to get worse.

One of the main things we need to learn from this lesson is that when we see and hear of these wars we need to go in prayer to the God of Peace or "Jehovah-Shalom".

Who is our peace?

Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, [The Prince of Peace].

Heb 13:20 [Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus], (that great shepherd of the sheep), through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

There is only one way for true peace to come.

Col 1:20 [And, having made peace through the blood of his cross], by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Let's begin:

*****Jdg 6:1 And "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD": and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

3 times the Bible uses this same phrase in the Book of Judges.

3 other times the word "again" is added to this phrase in the Book of Judges.

We know that 6 is the number of man. And 666 is the number of the Beast.

These Midianite were the wandering herdsman of the Eastern desert. They were somewhat like the Bedouin Arabs that are seen in the Middle East today.

Many of the Midianite were probably descendants of Abraham and Keturah after the death of Sarah.

But they were also intermingled with the Ishmaelites and the Amalekites.

It was because of these wandering nomad that the children of Israel had to move into caves and strong holds during the harvest seasons for about seven years.

Though these Nomad traveled in search of grasslands for their flocks continuously it was an intentional act allowed by God in His judgment of Israel, to destroy their crops.

We might say this was harsh but God does what He says He will do.

Lev 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:

Lev 26:16 I also will do this unto you; [I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it].

How can we say God is harsh if we will not obey Him. The problem is not in God's Judgment. The problem is in our obedience!

*****Jdg 6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.

Here again we get to meet a Theophany of The Lord. The angel of the Lord came as a wayfaring man and sat under an oak of Ophrah.

This city of Ophrah belonged to Joash, of the tribe of Manasseh.

The winepresses of that day were normally at the bottom of the hills but the threshing normally took place at the top of the hills so it is evident that Gideon was hiding the work he was doing.

This would be a terrible job if you could not take advantage of the wind to help blow away the husk.

*****Jdg 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

We will soon see what kind of man Gideon was and again we will wonder why he was chosen by God for this task.

But it is the Bible that tells the story:

1Co 1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Notice the Lord immediately offers encouragement to Gideon. ("mighty man of valor")

*****Jdg 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, [why then is all this befallen us?] and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.

How many of us have asked this same question?

(Why have these things happened to us, if the Lord says He is always with us?)

Gideon believed the Lord had forsaken Israel and we should know for sure that all the others of Gideon's family worshipped Baal, though Gideon was an outcast at this time, which could mean that he did not.

We can be sure that Gideon did not believe that the Lord was with Israel at this time and surely not with some one as he was, which could be said "as a coward".

We can see that Gideon was suffering from a lack of "faith".

*****Jdg 6:14 [And the LORD looked upon him], and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

If this verse were in the New Testament it would be written in Red Letters. We find out again that this angel of the Lord is actually God in the flesh.

Gideon is still uncertain about this angel. Gideon's first response had been to question God's concern for His people BUT now He questioned God's wisdom in choosing him to deliver his nation.

What we should learn as believers is that once God has called and commissioned us, all we need do is obey Him in "faith" and Our Lord will do the rest!

"Faith" is believing God no matter what we see!

Our God cannot lie but more to the point He Cannot Fail!

The world we live in laughs at "faith" but the reality is, that whether we are believers or not, "we cannot live in this world without faith".

***** Jdg 6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.

Gideon now questions the omnipotence of the Lord. Gideon was not sure this angel understood that Israel lived in fear of these Midianites.

Israel was hiding in caves!

This half tribe of Manasseh is not mentioned as ever having valiant men SO, "Again" we see that God will take a nobody and make a somebody out of them!

This is another example to the Body of Christ.

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

*****Jdg 6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

It is obvious that the Lord is telling Gideon that the number of these Midianites are not important. It did not matter how many they were.

They would fall as if there were only one man!

Although Gideon was a weak individual, God told him that he was the one that was chosen to deliver Israel.

BUT, Gideon must first be trained to overcome his own fear.

*****Jdg 6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.

Jdg 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

Why is it that the fear of death keeps us from doing a work for God. We don't want to be missionaries because we are afraid God will send us to some foreign land so we will not even do what God ask us, which is to be a missionary where God has placed us!

God told Gideon that he would not die in this thing God had asked him to do. Only then did Gideon have no fear!

Every Born Again child of God is promised "eternal life" in a much better place than anywhere here on this Earth, yet we still cling to life in this flesh than can only last such a few years.

Jehovah-Shalom means the God of Peace.

Unless we are at peace with God, we simply will not be able to face the enemy with confidence and fight the Lord's battles.

The Hebrew word "Shalom" not only means "peace" but also well-being, good health, and prosperity!

Remember what the Bible teaches:

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

*****Jdg 6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

In verse 33 it said that these invaders were pitching in the Valley of Jezreel and this valley may have been the most fertile valley in all of Canaan Land.

It was now time for Gideon to act.

Gideon blew the "shophar". A "shophar" is made from the horn of a Ram.

The town of Abiezer gathered with him and he sent messengers to Manasseh, Asher, Zebulaun, and Naphtali because these are the tribes that were closest to this valley.

32,000 men gathered to Gideon but there was 135,000 man army gathered in the Valley of Jezreel.

This was not only an army but also a calvary riding on camels.

This enemy army was very mobile and could move on an enemy in almost any terrain.

*****Jdg 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, [lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me].

Though Gideon's army was outnumbered 4 to 1 God said his army was just too large but let's look at the reason that was given.

A couple of things we need to always remember about the Lord.

1.) No flesh is going to get the "glory" while in God's presence!

2.) AND, A "faith" that is not tested cannot be trusted!

God will test our "faith"!

WHY?

1.) So we can know if our "faith" is real, God already knows the outcome of every test!

2.) So our "faith" will increase for something that is coming in the future!

The promises of God must shine through our tribulations in this world.

*****Jdg 7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, [Whosoever is fearful and afraid], let him return and depart early from mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

If we are afraid to get into the battle then we will not be of any use to the Lord.

There were 22,000 who wanted no part of this war and thus would rather just serve them or continue to hide from this invading army.

There are so many of our young people today that have just given in to Satan and have chosen to serve him.

Just so we have a clear understanding of the significance of this let's see what the Bible says:

Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Gideon was also being obedient to Laws of Moses by sending these men back home.

Deu 20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Deu 20:8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? [let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart].

Any kind of fear is contagious!

If we compare to God's army, whom He will bring with Him at His second coming we can see the difference:

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: [and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

*****Jdg 7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, [The people are yet too many]; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall not go with thee, the same shall not go.

Jdg 7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down upon his knees to drink.

Jdg 7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

Some times, in fact most of the time, we may never realize we are being tested by the Lord until the test is over.

Notice the rejection of the remaining soldiers was not based on physique, or experience, or age, or military knowledge, but only on how they drank their water.

It could be said that those that brought the water to their mouths with their cupped hand could be more alert to their surroundings but whether this is true or not there were only 300 that drank the water this way and these are the ones that God chose for the battle.

Now Gideon's army was outnumbered 45 t0 1.

*****Jdg 7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

We should notice that there is nothing on this planet that can restrict the power of God.

In the modern day church we should clearly understand the if we count the strength of the church by it's numbers then we do not understand the power of God!

In fact a small congregation will many times do more for the Lord than a large congregation and this is a shame to that larger congregation.

BUT, statistics are not important to God!



God told Gideon that by these 300 chosen men Israel could be saved!

When all those other men left for home those 300 that remained each had a torch, a trumpet, and an empty pitcher.

Just the weapons God needed for this battle!

That empty pitcher, an earthen vessel represents the believer:

2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

That torch represents the Word of God:

Psa 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

That trumpet represents the coming of the Lord.

Joe 2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;

That enemy of 135,000 never had a chance against God's chosen army of 300!

*****Jdg 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

Jdg 7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do.

When I was in Vietnam and were on search and destroy missions in the far north, we would split up in 3 man killer teams to cover our area. We would try to keep each team within eye range but this was hard to do most times because of the jungle growth.

We set certain signals but each team also had a radio and Each team carried the LAWS antitank weapon that could fire only one time, not because we were expecting to see tanks because tanks could not operate in the far north without roads. We did know that the enemy may have elephants. Each team had a M60 machine gun and every team member totted an extra case of ammo for that gun and an extra battery for the radio man.

If we came under attack that person who carried that LAWS rocket launcher would make sure his area was clear and if he could get some idea where the enemy had fired from they directed that rocket to that area, but if they did not know where the enemy was they were to fire anyway.

It was not that we could win a battle with those weapons but we wanted to make the enemy believed we had more firepower than they did and we did not want them to know we were such a small group.

My team was only 18 men at full strength.

Gideon used this same tactic which of course came from the Lord.

Gideon divided his team into three groups but they tried to keep everyone in sight and each team knew exactly what to do when the signal was given.

*****Jdg 7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

Jdg 7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands.

Jdg 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

There were normally three watches of 4 hours each. The beginning of the middle watch would be about 10 o'clock at night.

As Gideon gave the signal an over confident army did not realize the actual strength of Gideon's army and they panicked.

All they thought was that they were surrounded by a mighty army.

Suddenly the darkness and quietness of the night exploded into sudden light all around them, noise that they were not familiar with and three hundred trumpets blowing the attack signal.

*****Jdg 7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp: and all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, [and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host]: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

There was nothing also for Gideon's army to do at this time except to wait on the Lord.

As these soldiers panicked they fought with each other in the darkness and they fled in the direction they had come toward the Jordan.

Now look at what the Lord did to ensure the victory.

The Lord sent the Spirit of Confusion into this army and these enemies fled before God's people.

So what can we learn from this?

1.) God's Church does not need overwhelming numbers to defeat our enemies. It is "faith" that must rule in the Church.

2.) God does not need especially gifted leaders to accomplish His will on this Earth. All our leaders cannot depend on their own skills nor on their education or experience. Every leader must depend of the Lord God Almighty in order to succeed.

3.) The best thing we can do to help Our Lord is to give Him a willing servant. We may not fully understand God's plan but it is His plan And He Wants Us To Be A Part Of It!

God wants us to give ourselves to Him completely:

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

After all we are His earthen vessels and until we have broken our ties to this world we can never shine as the lights of The Lord.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

After these things we listen for the trumpet to sound:

1Co 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

When we give our testimony to the world, it must be certain and it must be clear.

1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Only after these things will we ever hear the true trumpet of victory!

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

He is coming!

Are we going with Him should be our only concern in this world we live in!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Judges, Delivering God's People

Judges, Delivering God's People

Judges 2:7-23

We are taught much about the History of the World we live in. We here in America are also taught the history of our Great Nation.

BUT, we should ask ourselves one question. Does History Repeat Itself?

What are the 3 steps throughout history that have caused the downfall of every nation that has fallen?

1.) They suffer through spiritual apostasy!

2.) They suffer through moral awfulness!

3.) They suffer through political anarchy!

The History of this world we live in does not record one single time of any nation that was subject to moral decay that have not passed into political and economic decline.

These are the signs of a nation that is about to cease being a nation!

The Book of Judges marks a transition period in the history and the government of Israel. Because they had failed to follow the Word of God they had also failed to drive out the people of Canaan land. They settled among these people and it was not long before they inter-married, began following their idolatrous practices, and then became degenerate!

The Bible uses this time period to point out to the "Body of Christ" the results of apostasy but more important the work of those that had "faith" and what "faith" can accomplish.

Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

There are two things that we know for sure that happened:

1.) The generation of Joshua had been so busy in trying to gain physical possessions that they forgot to teach their children the Word Of God.

2.) The new generation had refused to submit to the Word of God and the Ways of God.

SO, The nation of Israel quickly decayed once the new generation took over.

"The whole fight for salvation must be fought over and over from start to finish with each incoming soul and with each new generation".

Let's begin:

*****Jdg 2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

When Joshua was Israel's leader, all the tribes worked together in obeying God's Word.

BUT, What we will not find in the Book of Judges is a nation that is working together as a unit.

We will see that just as God had called out Moses, when God needs someone to deliver His people, He will call one from the tribes of Israel.

God had called Moses, Joshua had been appointed to follow Moses but no successor was named after Joshua to lead the nation.

Israel was to follow the Word of God and Jehovah God was to be the leader of this nation.

Just as in the Church, the Body of Christ, when Jesus returned to the throne room in Heaven, He did not appoint a successor on Earth.

We are all to follow the Word of God!

In fact in this time we live in we are all to follow the Words of His Son!

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 [Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son], whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Jehovah God has exalted His Word even above His name:

Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: [for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name].

We also know that in these last days we are to follow the Word of Jesus as commanded:

And it is Jesus Christ Our Lord who the world is to follow:

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Php 2:10 [That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow], of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

The world is in turmoil because the World has tossed out "THE ONLY" Savior and Redeemer and is suffering for this reason.

*****Jdg 2:8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

Jdg 2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.

Joshua could probably have taken any place he wanted to be his inheritance but he was given this place by the children of Israel.

Jos 19:49 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:

This is a lesson that all leaders, including our own presidents should learn from.

Joshua was the last of the great men of Israel until the Kings. Yet he chose to to honor the Word of God and live in a place decided by his nation.

Men in great public places should learn to prefer a common welfare "afforded to all people" before their own private satisfaction!

The whole land had been given to Joshua, Eleazar, and the princes as joint trustees. They were to act for the good of the people, so Joshua could take nothing but their gift to him!

*****Jdg 2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: [and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel].

If there was a verse that describes this America we live in, this is one of them!

The death of Joshua marked a perilous time for the nation of Israel. This new generation refused to have an intimate relationship with the Lord.

They had forgotten what their elders had done and seen. They had forgotten Moses and Joshua. They had forgotten the miracles that had gained them ownership of the land.

They had ignored the Word of God!

BUT, They had the five Books of Moses.

Joshua had written everything down since Moses for them to read and study but they were to busy enjoying the pleasures of their new world.

History was repeating it self again!

*****Jdg 2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:

Jdg 2:12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

Jdg 2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

The children of Israel had done evil before the Lord on many occasions but this was even more evil.

What or who is this Baalim?

Baalim is the plural form of Baal. Baal means "lord".

Baal is the name of the Sun god worshipped by the people of Canaan Land. By using the name Baalim in this verse, it means this false deity had other names but all referred to the Sun god.

A form of this name appears 81 times in the Bible.

Some titles that we may know are, Jupiter, Hercules and others.

Who or what is this Ashtaroth? Ashtaroth means "the blessed ones".

This title is referring to the Moon god. In a lot of cases it represents the female god of fertility but it can be a male deity as that one still worshipped by the Muslim.

To the Greeks it was Astarte, who drove the "moon chariot".

As Baalim means there were many by different names, so Ashtaroth means there were many by different names. This false thing is referred to many times as the "groves" or a "grove".

Not wooden trees but wooden images. The images of Baal were for the most part made from stone but some were possibly made of metal as Chemosh or Moloch.

Some titles of Ashtaroth that we may know are, Juno, Venus, Diana.

Since these also relate to "Idols", this is why so many false religions will go into a riot when some movie, or some cartoon, or some depiction that places their god in a bad way, as we have just witnessed throughout the Arab world and other places.

When we forget the Word of God and do not teach it to our children, we are in danger of forsaking the "God Of The Word".

This why people turn to false gods and false worship!

*****Jdg 2:14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, [so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies].

The reason Israel could never drive out the remaining Canaanites was because they fought their battles without Jehovah.

And without the Lord we can do nothing!

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

*****Jdg 2:15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.

The enemies of Israel from time to time became their "masters".

There lives in the new land became miserable!

Ecc 8:6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him.

Ecc 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; [neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it].

*****Jdg 2:16 [Nevertheless] the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

In other words because Jehovah is full of mercy, He will raise up a deliverer!

But, Israel is still under judgment rather than "Grace"!

To spoil means they were being destroyed and robbed.

This is exactly what Satan does to everyone he makes contact with!

God explains this to us in this way:

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, [knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world].

Satan will use every means given to him to complete this task and fulfill "his" agenda.

This is the thought behind every ungodly national leader!

*****Jdg 2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: [they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in], obeying the commandments of the LORD; [but they did not so].

In other words Israel again and again would commit spiritual adultery and again and again, would break their covenant with God.

But we know the Lord never changes and He will continue to save His people:

Joe 2:18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

Over and over again these people wasted their suffering. We can be so foolish, when we are suffering and Our Lord provides that relief and we go again against His Word and welcome that suffering back into our lives.

It is no wonder God refers to us a sheep.

Sheep are the dumbest animals in the world. They are always in need of a shepherd!

I have great concern for my nation as I study these things of the Book of Judges. I know America has fallen away from the Lord.

It is also evident that the evil in this world is loosing it's fear of our nation and we are becoming a laughing stock to the world!

Psa 106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.

Psa 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

We should be returning to the Lord just as Israel must do!

Psa 106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

The Bible teaches us that Israel will return to The Lord but only a remnant of all other nations will be a part of this salvation after the time of "Grace", which is this Church Age we are now living in.

*****Jdg 2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, [then the LORD was with the judge], and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

That word "judge" can be used in other ways beside to sit in judgment. There were a select group of men in this Book of Judges that were handpicked of God to be leaders, somewhat like a king but not exactly as they did not have very much authority.

The Hebrew word translated as "judge" also means "to save, or to rescue".

These judges were great deliverers who won military victories, but only with the help of the Lord.

They also had the function of settling disputes between the people of Israel.

Most all these judges came from different tribes and functioned more on a local level than on a national level.

*****Jdg 2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, [that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way].

Israel continued in a cycle of disobedience, discipline, despair, and deliverance. Sadly we still see this same cycle in the Body of Christ today.

The Bible teaches us:

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Right now in America there is a generation that was raised under the schooling of evolution.

They have not been taught the things of Jehovah! They hear the word "god" used worldwide not understanding that this word is a generic word for most any deity.

It is [Jehovah our Holy Trinity] that is the God of the Bible and this is the God who will sit in judgment and that judgment by His Word given to us.

This the same one that will chastise all His children to keep us all on the right track.

Hebrews 12:8 tells the whole story. "If you can live in sin, without chastisement than you are not a child of God"!

But a "bastard" son of the devil!

Jeremiah wrote of the children of Israel:

Jer 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

This can also be said of some of the Church!

*****Jdg 2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, [Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice];

Jdg 2:21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

Why could Israel not drive out the rest of the people of Canaan Land? Why does Israel sit in the middle of such turmoil even in our day?

It is because they have transgressed the covenant they had with the Lord!

It is because they refuse to listen to the Word of God!

How could they ever be witnesses for Jehovah if they became like the people of Canaan Land.

How can God's people be witnesses to the Almighty Jehovah Our Holy Trinity, when we get more and more like the world everyday?

God tells the Church:

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

When we refuse to do this it will cause Anger in The Lord Our God!

Again God tells us if we are not obedient to His Word then we have never accepted Him as Our Savior:

1Jn 2:19 They went out from us, [but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us]: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

*****Jdg 2:22 [That through them I may prove Israel], whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

Jdg 2:23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

There can be no Testimony unless there has first been a real test.

Israel until this day has "no testimony" for the Lord God of the Bible.

The Book of Judges is the inspired record of the failures of Israel and of God's "faithfulness".

This book is much more than a past history!

THIS BOOK IS ABOUT GOD'S PEOPLE OF TODAY!

Do we want to know how God feels about disobedience in His Children?

Psa 106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

Psa 106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; [and they that hated them ruled over them.]

We of the Church have allowed the Church, The Body of Christ, to sink so low in disobedience to Our Father in Heaven, that because of His anger, He is allowing the world to rule over the Church.

We have only one option left:

Psa 106:47 [Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen], to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

It is called prayer!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Joshua, Warning Future Generations

Joshua---Warning Future Generations

Text: Chapter 24

"If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord"

Sometimes we just do not take enough time in our lessons to cover the Books of the Bible. It seems that some one else decides what we need to learn. We do have some good manuals to learn by but we should also take the time to study on our own.

After all God does not ask us to study His Word, He actually commands us to study His Word and we are better for that reason.

And in our best interest it is best to have a Bible that is translated from the original text and not some Bible translated from scriptures passed down through the Catholic system!

The Apostle Paul said:

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, [but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling].

We know that Jesus is our example to learn by. Jesus taught the disciples the entire Word of God and wrote the New Testament with every word He spoke.

Jesus Christ is our pattern for humility.

Jesus Christ is our example of love.

Jesus Christ is our example of service to our brothers and sisters and to fellow man.

Jesus Christ is also our example of suffering.

Our lives must resemble Our Lord and Savior and if not how can we claim to be Christian?

Jesus Christ took on the form of a servant for our sake!

All our failures can be traced back to a lack of devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Joh 14:24 [He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings]: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Jesus Christ is the truth, the light, and He is life because Jesus Christ is the ONLY way!

Jesus is life, and He is the source of Spiritual life until He comes back and to me and the signs we see daily, that will not be very much longer.

Joshua knew all these things in his day and Joshua was setting the example till the day He died. Joshua had met the Captain of the Hosts before the first battle at Jericho.

Joshua knew his life was coming to an end and he wanted to warn Israel to follow in his footsteps.

The Apostle Peter wrote:

2Pe 3:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

So let's begin:

*****Jos 24:1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and [for their judges], and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Shechem had already been the place of religious transactions in the history of their forefathers. It is at Shechem where Our Lord first appeared to Abraham.

It is at Shechem where Abraham built the first altar to the Lord.

It is at Shechem where Jacob built an altar on his return from Mesopotamia.

It is at Shechem where Jacob had had these words:

Gen 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, [Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments]:

It was at Shechem which is the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim where Israel were told of the Curses and the Blessings.

Shechem would soon be one of the cities of refuge.

We will see it was at Shechem where the Bones of Joseph would be buried.

AND, It is at a well near this city where Jesus had a conversation with a woman of Samaria.

Since the meaning of the word Shechem means "to rise up early and bear the load on our shoulders" these words are reflected in the Words of Jesus.

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, "let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me".

*****Jos 24:11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; [and I delivered them into your hand].

We may not know who wrote this last chapter of Joshua but we know who is speaking, it is Our Lord!

In these passages we will see reference to the Lord at least 20 times and to the word "serve" also many times. This is the lesson we need to learn!

The most important thing we can learn from our Lord is the fact that [He has chosen each believer]. God does not choose who will remain lost and who will be saved "but He knows".

God will give everyone on this planet space to repent!

BUT, God did choose every believer to have a purpose "after salvation"!

Jesus said:

Joh 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, [but I have chosen you], and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

God will not refuse the things that are used to bring forth fruit for His Kingdom!

The same God who took Israel through the Red Sea also took them through the River Jordan and into their inheritance.

This is the same God that will take us through the wilderness of this life into our own inheritance!

The message Joshua had for Israel was this:

"If there was ever a nation in this world that should be obligated to keep the Laws of God, then that nation should be Israel for all He had done for them".

And Spiritually speaking if there was ever a people that should be obligated to be obedient to the Word of God, it is all those that have been saved in this time of "Grace".

We are certainly undeserving of these free gifts of God!

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

*****Jos 24:12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

Joshua had to remind this people that even though they had some small part in the defeat of all those enemies, "It was God who had won the victory for them".

The hornet of the Bible was a vicious stinging wasp!

BUT the reference here is the absolute fear and terror of the Lord!

We are reminded of what Rahab said:

Jos 2:11 And [as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man], because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

God had promised this to Moses and had fulfilled it with Joshua.

Exo 23:27 [I will send my fear before thee], and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.

Exo 23:28 And [I will send hornets before thee], which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

Did God send hornets, sure He did, but most all invading armies are compared to bees:

Deu 1:44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, [as bees do,] and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.

Either way we see again that God always keeps His promises!

*****Jos 24:13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

Here again we see the goodness of God. God provides for His people. But we should also remember in God's plan this was exactly what He had done when He first created this earth.

Gen 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

God will always provide for His children:

David said:

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, [and verily thou shalt be fed].

The Jews took these things for granted and we can see this same thing happening to the Church.

The Jews drifted away from true worship and the Church is doing the same thing.

The truth is that "a grateful heart is a strong defence against the temptation's of the devil".

To the believer there is an even greater inheritance and it too comes by the "Grace of God".

Jesus Himself has gone to prepare us a place:

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

*****Jos 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and [serve him] in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

Therefore: Since God had done all these things mentioned from verse 1-13, they should love God enough to serve Him.

We find that word "serve" more than a dozen times in these passages.

To "serve" means to obey and then to be a doer of God's Word. Let's not miss the fact that this is a volunteering decision. God will never force anyone to be a servant. Nor will He force anyone to be obedient.

God just explains the consequences of our decisions!

If we serve Him we will have eternal life "but the wages of serving sin are death".

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We might not accept what The Lord says "but it is still the truth".

Joshua made it very clear that we all must make a choice in life and the sooner the better off we are!

There is no middle ground!

In fact The Lord says that anyone that tries to be neutral makes Him sick.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, [I will spue thee out of my mouth].

Though they disagree, even the Atheist serve a master!

Everyone on the face of this Earth worship something. If it is not the God of the Bible, Jehovah, "it is a false religion"!

Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

We can see the truth of this verse in the world we live in today.

We can see how this world we live in hates and despises the Lord Jesus Christ and that hatred is growing. Even the democrats "booed" God at their national convention and these are the people who think we should vote for

If I was even thinking of voting for one of them, this changed everything. I stand with Jehovah God, you boo Him you are my enemy!

Shame again on America!

*****Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: [but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD].

God has made His choice of what He will do in every situation! He has caused it to be written down for us! He has given us many great examples to see the truth of His Word!

This is the same choice that everyone from the time of Adam has had to make.

We are all presented with this choice!

We can serve the God of Creation and Our Redeemer, who is revealed to be Jesus Christ "or we can choose from the multiple choices that this world offers".

Some have always tried to do both which is impossible!

That phrase "on the other side of the flood" means the false religions that came about since the time of Nimrod.

There are many today who still serve the false deities of Nimrod, including the Muslim who serve the Old Moon God they call Allah, so well depicted on their flags and other things.

But there are shrines built to many other false things by many peoples.

Joshua had already made his choice!

National leaders have an obligation to be the example for the people that have placed them in such positions.

As the leaders make wrong choices, the nations they rule will always suffer.

We see this every day in America! To be quiet honest I don't know how anyone who votes for such men can call themselves Christian and be obedient to the Word of God.

*****Jos 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

When we forsake the Law of God which is to love Him with "all" our heart, body, mind and soul, [we are actually giving praise to Satan and his evil].

When we obey the Law of God then we will be made aware that we have enemies!

Pro 28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

Pro 28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things

We can see the truth in this scripture that evil men do not fear the judgment of God!

Man will always find something to worship but to ignore Jehovah, Our Lord, will bring destruction!

Pro 10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

It is God's will that every living soul make serious choices about religion. Religion will send you to hell! To know the God of the Bible is to be free from religion and become a child of God.

World history proves over and over that sin has been the downfall of every nation!

*****Jos 24:17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

Jos 24:18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore [will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God].

When Our Lord accepts us into His family, our past sinful life is not remembered by Him.

Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

BUT, we need to take a look at where we came from. We need to look back on occasion to see what God has done in our lives.

Joshua was reminding the children of Israel of these things now.

We are still sinners that are saved by the "Grace of God" and we must accept the fact that it is not always easy to be righteous in the eyes of The Lord.

Our righteousness is still as filthy rags. We exist as the children of God based on the righteousness of Christ Jesus.

We must realize the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and just commit ourselves to Him!

God has proven who He is and all we need do is believe and then repent!

Today is the best day to accept the Savior for who He is!

*****Jos 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

When the parents of these that stood before Joshua this day had stood before Moses many years earlier they had said:

Exo 19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, [All that the LORD hath spoken we will do]. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.

It was only a few weeks from this that they talked Aaron into making that golden calf.

Joshua knew it was easy to make promises but it was something else to keep them!

When we make commitments to the Lord, He does not forget so easily.

Deu 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; [and it would be sin in thee].

Again we can see that as these passages were a warning for Israel, they were also an example to the early church.

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven

*****Jos 24:20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, [then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you], after that he hath done you good.

It should not be strange to us that many say they have come to the Lord and then think they can do exactly as they please.

God warns us all that even though He is a God of "Mercy", a God of "Love", and a God of "Comfort", He Is Also A God Of "Judgment"!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

*****Jos 24:21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.

It is important to make a public announcement of our "Faith".

It is the will of God that all of us take our "faith" serious. It should be a deliberate choice and we should then live godly lives based on the Word of God.

*****Jos 24:22 And Joshua said unto the people, [Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD], to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.

As Christians we must remain steadfast in the Lord.

James wrote to the early church:

Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

But when we look to the Word of God:

Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

*****Jos 24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

There is no doubt that in a short time some of these of Israel had obtained some of the Idols of Canaan Land.

They had witnessed the power of God at the Jordan River and in many battles [but they still clung to false things].

Elijah asked them this same question:

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, [How long halt ye between two opinions]? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

This has been a continuing thing throughout time. People say they believe then they return back to their old ways.

The Bible says:

Pro 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

This sounds harsh but it is the truth.

There is no neutral ground for the Christian.

But this is a sign of the end times. We can see the truth of God's judgment throughout the Old Testament and Our God does not change.

*****Jos 24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

Again this must come from the heart:

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

*****Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Jos 24:26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

It is always good to remember what God has already done in our lives.

I don't do it but I should keep a prayer journal but just as important we need to record the good things that God has done in our lives so we can look back on them in time of doubts.

It is good to remember the things the Lord has done and how we have responded to Him.

God will never leave us, [it is always us that moves away from Him].

The Holy Ghost made sure that we can read these things that happened to Israel.

God named Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt.

God named Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land.

God did not name anyone to succeed Joshua because "He would lead them the rest of the way if only they would follow"!

We already know that Israel did not follow and they are being judged for that now but this same Bible says that Jehovah the God of the Bible will regather them and reestablish them in their land!

Eze 36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

*****Jos 24:29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

Jos 24:30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.

Jos 24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.

No doubt Israel had a great respect for Joshua.

But is the Lord [not Joshua] who is the key person in this Book of Joshua.

No doubt God has a special relationship with Israel but we must remember God used Israel to bring a blessing to all the nations on this Earth.

Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed".

I don't know about the rest of the world but I do know the leaders of America have forgotten this promise of God and we suffer in America today because of it.

The basis of our "faith" is on our God who keeps His promises and He will keep this one too!

The Lord our God we serve will not tolerate sin which is why He sent the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is a foolish church that wanders in unbelief.

Our faith is based on the truth of the Gospel and the Words of Jesus should ring out to all.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Caleb

Caleb---Fully Following God

Text: Joshua 11-22

Our focus is on Chapter 14

What does it mean to follow God and who is this Caleb?

In the Book of Hebrews we learned that in these last days we are to listen to the Son of God and Jesus was His name here on this Earth.

The Son of God says:

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, [and few there be that find it].

This verse does not say that this straight gate is hard to find, it says that only a few will find it!

There is only one way to find this straight gate:

Rom 12:2 And [be not conformed to this world]: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Then to follow the Lord is too:

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

To follow the Lord is to be like Him, and to be like Him is to be a true Christian:

1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

To be a Christian is to be different from those of this world we live in:

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. [And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch].

So who is this Caleb?

I may be mistaken but I do not believe you can find anything in the Bible that is bad about Caleb.

We first meet Caleb when Moses sent out the 12 spies. Only Caleb and Joshua give a good report to Moses in fact Caleb's words were these:

Num 13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; [for we are well able to overcome it].

Why was Caleb this way?

Num 14:24 [But my servant] Caleb, [because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully], him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

"Because he had another spirit and followed God fully"!

What a testimony!

Because of this testimony, Caleb, who was born a slave, who had been one the twelve spies and had "faith" in the Word of God was given his land by privilege!

Caleb had "faith to forget the past.

Caleb had "faith" to face the facts.

Caleb had "faith" to face the future.

So let's begin:

*****Our text

Jos 14:1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

Jos 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe

The 9 and 1/2 tribes will possess their land by the drawing of the lot. Why was it done this way?

It had to appear that the division of the land was not brought about by men, and their private settlement of it; but by the "providence of God".

Those men chosen to oversee this process were to witness the fairness of the casting of the lots.

(get picture of map)

How does this relate to the "Born Again" believer"?

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him [who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will]:

*****Jos 14:3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

Jos 14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.

Jos 14:5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

Under the laws of inheritance and the rites of the first born child, which was allotted to Joseph by Jacob, the two sons of Joseph each got an allotment.

It was Levi who was the ring leader of the selling of Joseph and he was left out of the drawing but still provided for by God Himself.

The Levites belong to the Lord:

Num 3:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Num 3:12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

The Levites were assigned 48 cities but these cities were scattered throughout the other tribes. They were also given an area around those cities that are called "Suburbs". This would be the open land near those cities that could support the livestock that belonged to the Levites. There would be no owner of this land but grazing land only.

*****Jos 14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

Caleb had wholly followed the Lord since escaping from Egypt.

The Lord had made a promise to Caleb and now Caleb was reminding Joshua of that promise.

Deu 1:35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,

Deu 1:36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, [and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon], and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

*****Jos 14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

More than 40 years had passed by in the life of Caleb and he was now over 80 years old and he knew the challenge that laid before him to fulfill this promise of the Lord.

When we study the Old Testament we are to learn from it. The exodus of Israel is in fact a "type" of the Christian, trials and tribulations in our walk of "faith".

The lesson to learn here is that we are to be encouraged in our pilgrim journey and we can claim every promise that the Lord has made and every spiritual blessing that is available from the Lord.

To the church the Bible says:

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Caleb was more than 80 years old but he was not looking for a handout. The land he had been promised was still occupied and the occupants were the giants that all the other spies had been afraid of.

Caleb knew his strength was in the Lord and there was no doubt he would have the victory after all a promise had been made.

**A lesson we need to learn in this class is that "we are never to old to do a work for the Lord".

There is no retirement from "trusting in the Lord"!

*****Jos 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: [but I wholly followed the LORD my God].

We can see that Caleb knew the recipe for a long life. It is really very simple. We must wholly follow the Lord Our God.

That is Jehovah our Holy Trinity!

Caleb had never forgotten how a false report had caused them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years when he knew he could have already possessed this land and city called Hebron.

*****Jos 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, [Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance], and thy children's for ever, "because" [thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God].

Caleb respected the God appointed leader of Israel but he had been promised by Moses the land Abraham was so fond of and he simply made a request for Joshua to honor that request.

Num 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land [whereinto he went]; and his seed shall possess it.

Because it was formerly in God’s promise, Caleb shows how he values the promise and insists on the mountain the Lord had spoken of.

As believers we must place great value on the things God has already given to us because of His promises.

What does God promise each believer? It begins with this promise.

Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive [forgiveness of sins, and inheritance] among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Tit 1:2 In hope of [eternal life], which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own [purpose] and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an [inheritance], being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of [the kingdom] which he hath promised to them that love him?

1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, [reserved in heaven] for you,

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may [be also glorified together].

Forgiveness, have purpose in this life, Eternal life in His Kingdom, Eternal life in His Heaven, and also a "glorified body" like that of Jesus.

These are just part of our inheritance!

*****Jos 14:10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

First Caleb had been kept alive to fulfill his purpose.

If this is not your hope while you are still living then you are without hope.

I certainly want to fulfill the purpose God has for my life before He takes me home. Any other thing would be a failure in my service to My Lord.

Upon fulfilling His purpose for me then I want to immediately go home to Heaven.

We can also see that Israel had already been 5 years in the conquest of Canaan Land.

Let's not miss that Caleb wanted to celebrate his birthday knowing that God was fulfilling a personal promise of giving him the land promised to him.

We can see God does make and keep some personal promises to us while we are living, "if we wholly follow Him"!

*****Jos 14:11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

God had maintained the strength of Caleb and also his life for those 45 years.

We can clearly see this as an example of God's faithfulness to His children!

*****Jos 14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

Caleb had reverence for the place that Abraham cherished. The place where Sarah was buried. The place where Jacob was buried. The place where Isaac was buried.

Caleb was not about to allow some giant men to keep him from reclaiming this place that meant so much to him and to Israel.

He knew this would be no easy task but what Caleb knew the most was, that his strength came from the Lord!

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

*****Jos 14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Jos 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Caleb had not made demands of Joshua and I believe Caleb would not have acted on his own if his request was not honored. Caleb had respect for God's chosen man!

Caleb had volunteered for the hardest assignment of all and he was the only one to complete his job.

This was to big a mountain for Israel to over come but to Caleb it was only one more obstacle in his way of of wholly following The Lord.

*****Jos 14:15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

It was the giants who had changed the name from Hebron to Kirjatharba but Caleb preferred the name Hebron.

Kirjatharba meant "city of four".

Hebron means a "society of friendship" and that friendship is with the Lord.

Isa 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Six times the Bible says that Caleb "wholly followed the Lord".

There is no better recipe to a good life and to good health!

We are all engaged in a great conflict. Our greatest battle is with our inward self. When we overcome this our greatest obstacle we can achieve the things of God and then and then only will we also be a "Friend of God"!

What is our task?

1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Who will always give us victory?

1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The world may ignore and reject Jesus Christ but the world will go down in defeat while those that love Him will win the victory and receive the promises of God.

Questions?

Let's Pray!