The Book of Judges #15

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:06.440 For God's illumination upon his word. Tonight, our father, we come to 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:14.160 a section of your word tonight that it's not pleasant. There's much sadness, 3 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:18.399 there's much grief. But, Lord, yet, as we will read the 4 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:22.760 words in a moment, it reminds us of our own world, which is 5 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:29.600 beset with so many things that grieve us and things that are happening around our 6 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:33.840 world. And Lord, we are reminded that through all of this, you 7 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.000 are the God over everything. And so, Lord, tonight I pray, 8 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:42.039 as I seek to deliver to your people this word that you've given to me 9 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:45.880 and that I have studied, I pray, God, that it would be 10 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:51.439 encouraging even in the midst of the darkness of this passage. And Lord, 11 00:00:51.479 --> 00:00:56.000 I pray that through it all we may see your glorious providence and that, 12 00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:02.520 Lord, we may see how nothing happens outside out of you, that everything 13 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:07.439 is ordained and has the hymn writer says, whatever my God ordains is right. 14 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.799 And so, Lord, we trust in you, but we asked for 15 00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:15.400 you to enlighten your word to our eyes and God, to help us to 16 00:01:15.560 --> 00:01:19.400 greater understand it. We pray all these things in Christ names, Amen. 17 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.959 I have an extended text tonight. If you need to sit, please feel 18 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:32.079 free, but if you can stand stand, it is a longer text. 19 00:01:32.120 --> 00:01:36.200 Will be looking at chapter nine of judges. Will Begin with verse twenty two 20 00:01:36.920 --> 00:01:42.280 and then going through verse fifty seven. Here is God's word. ABIMELECH ruled 21 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:47.319 over Israel three years and God sent an evil spirit between a BIMELECH and the 22 00:01:47.400 --> 00:01:52.079 leaders of Skim. The leaders of Skim dealt treacherously with the Bimelech, that 23 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:56.000 the violence done to the seventies sons of Jerobaba might come and their blood be 24 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:59.480 laid on a BIMELECH, their brother, who killed him, and on the 25 00:01:59.480 --> 00:02:02.319 men of Che Come, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. And 26 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:06.920 the leaders of Sheken put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops and they 27 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:09.639 robbed all who passed by them along the way. and was told to a 28 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:14.439 BIMELECH and goal, the son of Ebad, moved into Shek Um with his 29 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.240 relatives and the leaders of Sheke and put confidence in him, and they went 30 00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:21.479 out into the field and gathered the grape from their vineyards and trod them in 31 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.319 held festival. They went into the house of their God and ate and drank 32 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:28.879 and reviled a Bimelech, and goal, the son of Ebad, said, 33 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:31.319 who is a Bimelech and who are we of Shek Um that we should serve 34 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:35.919 him? Is he not the son of Jerobabo, and is not Zebo, 35 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:39.080 his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shek Um? But 36 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:44.080 why should we serve him? Would that this people were under my hand, 37 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:46.520 and then I would remove a BIMELECH. I would say to a Bimelech, 38 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:52.400 increase your army and come out. When Zebra, the ruler of the city, 39 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:54.599 heard the words of gall the son of Ebad, his anger was kindled 40 00:02:55.159 --> 00:03:00.919 and he sent messengers to Abimelech, secretly saying the whole gall the son of 41 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:04.759 Ebat and his relatives have come to Shek Um and they're stirring up the city 42 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:07.080 against you. Now, therefore, go by night, you and the people 43 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:10.439 who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. Then in 44 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:15.120 the morning, as soon as the sun is uprise early and rush upon the 45 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:17.479 city, and when he and the people who are with him come out against 46 00:03:17.560 --> 00:03:23.000 you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do. So 47 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:24.879 a BIMELECH and all the men who were with him rose up by night and 48 00:03:24.919 --> 00:03:29.719 set an ambush against Shek um in four companies. And Goll, the son 49 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:31.080 of EBB, went out and stood in the entrance at the gate of the 50 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:35.400 city, and the Bimelech and the people who were with him rose from the 51 00:03:35.400 --> 00:03:38.520 ambush. And when Gal's all the people, he said to zebral, look, 52 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:44.759 people are coming down from the mountaintops, and Zebel said you mistake the 53 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:49.719 shadow of the mountains for men. Gall spoke again and said look, people 54 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.280 are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming 55 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:58.120 from the direction of the diviner's Oak. Then Zebel said to him, where 56 00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:00.120 is your mouth now, you who said who is a Bimelech, that we 57 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:03.800 should serve him? Are Not these the people whom you despised? Go out 58 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:06.840 now and fight with them. And goal went out at the head of the 59 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:11.879 leaders of Skim and fought with the Bimelech, and a Bimelech chased him and 60 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:15.599 he fled before him and many fell wounded up to the enemy of the gate. 61 00:04:15.160 --> 00:04:19.160 And the BIMELECH lived at Arama and Zebo drove out Gaul and his relatives. 62 00:04:19.160 --> 00:04:23.480 So that they could not dwell at check Um. And the following day 63 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:27.519 the people went out into the field and a Bimelech was told he took us 64 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.079 people and divided them into three companies and said an ambush in the fields, 65 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:33.720 and he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he 66 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:38.879 rose against them and killed him. A BIMELECH in the company that was with 67 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.839 him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city. 68 00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.199 Well, the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed 69 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:49.920 them, and the bimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured 70 00:04:49.959 --> 00:04:54.160 the city and killed the people who were in it, and he raised the 71 00:04:54.240 --> 00:04:58.079 city and sewed it with salt. When all the leaders of the Tower of 72 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:01.000 Shekem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the House of Alberith. 73 00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:05.079 A BIMELECH was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechum were gathered 74 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:10.360 together and the Bimelech went up to Mount Zalman he and all the people who 75 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:13.879 were with him, and the Bimelech took an axe in his hand and cut 76 00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:16.399 down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder 77 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:19.079 and he said to the men who were with him, what you have seen 78 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:23.759 me do, do hurry and do as I have done. So every one 79 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:27.160 of the people cut down his bundle and, following the BIMELECH, put it 80 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:31.040 against the stronghold and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that 81 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:35.560 all the people of the Tower of Shekum also died, about one thousand men 82 00:05:35.639 --> 00:05:41.279 and women. Then a Bimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured 83 00:05:41.319 --> 00:05:44.360 it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the 84 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:47.040 men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut 85 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.199 themselves in and they went up to the roof of the tower. And the 86 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:54.480 Bimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door 87 00:05:54.480 --> 00:05:58.319 of the tower to burn it with fire, and a certain woman threw an 88 00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:02.279 upper millstone on a bimelech his head and crushed his skull. Then he called 89 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:05.519 quickly to the young man his armor bear and said to him, draw your 90 00:06:05.560 --> 00:06:10.199 sword and kill me lest they say of me. A woman killed him and 91 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:14.160 his young man thrust him through and he died and when the minute of Israel 92 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.519 saw a Bimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. Thus God returned 93 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:23.120 the evil of Abimelech which he committed against his father and killing his seventy brothers, 94 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:26.240 and God also made all the evil of the men of Sheek and return 95 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:30.120 on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham, the son 96 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.160 of JEROBAB. Thus I will end the reading of God's word. Please be 97 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:44.040 seated. As I mentioned, a tough chapter. Not Much light in this 98 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:48.959 chapter, not much grace, not much to rejoice in, not much to 99 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:56.439 be happy about, and it's not easy reading at all. It starts terribly, 100 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.240 the very beginning we saw last week, with Abimelech taking blood money from 101 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:06.199 an idolatrous tempo and then going after the sons of Gideon, the other sons, 102 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:10.839 and killing all of them on one stone, except for the youngest, 103 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.680 who escaped. And then we had the parable. You might remember that Jotham 104 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:18.240 told about the trees electing the king and we saw that. So this evening 105 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:23.040 what I'd like to do is follow the same procedure that I did last time, 106 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:26.560 which I think is easier to do in a passage like that. And 107 00:07:26.600 --> 00:07:29.160 this is basically I want to tell you the story. I know you just 108 00:07:29.240 --> 00:07:31.240 heard the story, but I want to tell it to you with some comments, 109 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:35.120 who hopefully can follow it very easily, and then I'd really like to 110 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:42.519 make some applications to that passage tonight. So first two tells us what I 111 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:46.720 told you last time, that a bimles reign only lasted three years, and 112 00:07:46.759 --> 00:07:49.600 I told you it's very unusual and judges to tell the reign of a judge 113 00:07:49.959 --> 00:07:56.000 before his reign actually begins. This is unusual. Usually it's afterwards, but 114 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:00.000 this is going to be three years and it's going to be a terrible three 115 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.720 years, primarily because of what we read in Verse Twenty Three. The God 116 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:09.079 sends an Evil Spirit between a BIMELECH and the leaders of check them. Now, 117 00:08:09.240 --> 00:08:13.360 that phrase, an evil spirit could mean a couple of things. I 118 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:18.839 suppose it could be interpreted as just saying there's a bad spirit between them, 119 00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:20.639 like we might say, well, there was bad blood between these two. 120 00:08:20.680 --> 00:08:24.759 People are saying like that and Um, and that could be part of it. 121 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:30.000 But personally I'm inclined to believe that this is actually an evil being, 122 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:35.759 a demonic spirit or a wicked spirit that God sends at that time. This 123 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:37.559 is one of those rare occurrences. We have a few in the Bible, 124 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:41.519 but where we are actually permitted in a little bit. This is maybe one 125 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:45.919 of the lesser ones, but we're permitted a little bit to look into heaven 126 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:50.399 and to see how God rules and deals in heaven, especially in regards to 127 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:54.679 evil beings. The most prominent of those kind of examples, of course, 128 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.440 would be the book of job, where we're told about job and we get 129 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:03.840 a glimpse into Satan and what he is doing and how God interacts with Satan, 130 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:07.759 and so we have that. But probably a similar thing to what we 131 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:11.039 have here is a story that's found in First Kings, chapter twenty two, 132 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:16.759 and if I could just read those verses, it says macaiah said, therefore 133 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:20.679 hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne 134 00:09:20.679 --> 00:09:24.279 and all the hosts of Heaven standing beside him, on his right hand and 135 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.159 his left, and the Lord said, who will entice Ahab that he may 136 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.559 go and fall at Raymond Gilead? And one said one thing and another said 137 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:37.399 another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord saying I will 138 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:39.960 entice him, and the Lord said to him by what means? And he 139 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.080 said I will go out and will be a lining spirit in the mouth of 140 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:48.240 all his prophets. And he said you are to entice him and you shall 141 00:09:48.279 --> 00:09:52.639 succeed. Go Out and do so. Now, therefore, behold, the 142 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:54.720 Lord has put a line spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets. 143 00:09:56.200 --> 00:10:03.080 The Lord has declared disaster for you. There's a glimpse again that is given 144 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:07.080 to us in a prophetic form by the Prophet macayons. He tells us exactly 145 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:11.440 what was going to happen, as those prophets had prophesied falsely to Ahab. 146 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:15.679 And we also see at least twice in the life of King Saul that an 147 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:20.399 evil spirit from the Lord comes upon Him and causes him to do evil things. 148 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:24.519 And again we have an Evil Spirit here in first kings as well as 149 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.360 in our text, where the evil spirit is enticing people to do evil things. 150 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.200 First Twenty four says that the reason the Lord sends the Evil Spirit is 151 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:37.960 that there may be justice done on Abimelech for the killing of his seventy brothers. 152 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:43.960 Now, Joatham Jonathan had in a sense prophesied that this was going to 153 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:48.519 happen. But it wasn't that Jotham had brought this about by his prophecy. 154 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:52.879 He didn't do that, but God had shown him what was going to happen 155 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:56.559 and how he was going to avenge the murder of his brothers. So Verse 156 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:01.759 Twenty Five gives us the first result of sending the evil spirit the men of 157 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:05.080 Shechem who had that earlier, Hey, we want you a Bimelech. Yeah, 158 00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:09.600 you're our guy, and now all of a sudden they start ambition the 159 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:13.559 men of a Bimelech as they come by them in the mountain path. Some 160 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:18.879 suggest that maybe they're doing this because they weren't really getting the prosperity that a 161 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:22.960 Bimelech had promised them, and so therefore they decided to get their own by 162 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.480 stealing from the men that would go by them. But now the men who 163 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:31.960 had backed to Bimelech are no longer on his side. Indeed, they're rebelling 164 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:35.399 against him. So in Verse Twenty Six, another contender for the throne comes 165 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:39.720 into the area, man by the name of Gaul, whose name literally means 166 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:45.480 loathing. Now we just found out this week we're going to have a new 167 00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:48.639 grandson, um we knew we were having a baby, but we didn't know 168 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:50.000 what it was. But we found out it's going to be a grandson, 169 00:11:50.080 --> 00:11:54.679 and so all of the kids were kind of throwing in their name choices. 170 00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:00.399 You can probably guess that I'm lobbying for no a lot, but nobody probably 171 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:03.759 is going to do that, but I'm trying anyway. Um, but I 172 00:12:03.799 --> 00:12:09.919 can tell you, Um, that the name low thing is not high on 173 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:13.320 the list for this baby. I don't see that. You know, I 174 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:20.279 know, Um, I'm having a problem with with the name they just left 175 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:22.919 me. I shouldn't go off my note, because then my my brain goes 176 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:30.759 all crazy. And methuselah there comes, came to me can be interpreted as 177 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:33.039 messenger of death, which would because a great name for a child, and 178 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:37.120 the playground and said, hey, here comes a messenger of death, and 179 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:39.919 you know, I'm sure he was very well received because of that. But 180 00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:46.240 nonetheless, the men of Sheck them begin to put their trust in him instead 181 00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:50.600 of Abimelecht. And so in verse seven we're told that gala arrives at the 182 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:52.759 time of the grape harvest, and so they go out and they chat out 183 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:56.559 the grapes and they have a festival to their God, and part of the 184 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:01.120 time in the festival they spend reviling the BIMELECH. Barry Webb says, this 185 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:05.919 festival would have been more like a drunken orgy than anything else. But in 186 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.399 verse Twenty Eight, Gal gives another reason why the Menischek I should put their 187 00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:15.080 trust in him. He is apparently descendant of ham or, an old canaanite 188 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:20.240 prince who had ruled and shake Um. So it seems like his claim is 189 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:24.840 perhaps a greater claim than that of Abimelech. And in Verse Twenty Nine He 190 00:13:24.919 --> 00:13:28.240 makes a boast, he says, the people of Skum, if they were 191 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:33.399 under his control, then he would remove a Bimelech from power. He would 192 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:37.679 even taunt Abimelech, he says, and tell him to go ahead and increase 193 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:41.720 his army and come out and fight. So he's making, perhaps under the 194 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:46.120 influence of alcohol, some pretty great threats. But in verse thirty another party 195 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.279 enters the fray, amen by the name of Zebo, who is the ruler 196 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:54.480 of the city, and he hears the boast of Gal and he gets mad. 197 00:13:56.200 --> 00:14:00.320 And so in versus thirty one to thirty three, in retaliation and he 198 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:05.120 sends messengers to Abimelech telling them what's happening, that the man Gal has come 199 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:09.799 in and he's making threats against Abimelech, and he even suggests in verse thirty 200 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:16.399 two a military strategy to a Bimelech that he says will be successful. And 201 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:20.919 so in versus thirty four and thirty five, Abimelech basically does what Zebel instructed, 202 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:28.039 but he also follows the strategy of Gideon and separates his army into four 203 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:33.120 companies to ambush the men of shekeum. And so when Gal stands in the 204 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:37.159 gate of the city, the men and the army of Abimelech began their ambush. 205 00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:43.639 And then we have this basically comical I guess it's one little point of 206 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:48.000 laughter in the whole story here. We've got to have one light thing before 207 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.799 we get into more darkness, and and it's really a very funny kind of 208 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:54.879 verse where, you know, a Bimelech says I see the men coming down 209 00:14:54.919 --> 00:15:00.799 the mountain and and he's told no, no, that that's uh, that's 210 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:05.240 just the shadow of the mountains. It's it's not men coming down. And 211 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:09.120 so apparently gold believes at this time that Zebra is still on his side. 212 00:15:09.720 --> 00:15:13.320 But all of a sudden, this time he looks and he said no, 213 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:18.120 indeed, people are coming down and they become more visible as they come down 214 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:22.399 the mountain. And so this time he knows what's happening. And so zebral, 215 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.960 knowing that he can't fool can't fool goal anymore, he says uh to 216 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:28.759 him. Well, okay, now is the time. Put your money where 217 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:31.480 your mouth is. You said what you do, you're gonna take care of 218 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:35.360 these, these guys. You'RE gonna take care of Abimelex so we don't rule 219 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:37.440 anymore. So this is the time. Go ahead, get out there and 220 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:41.039 fight. And said, where is your mouth now? And and so, 221 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.440 in goading him, he's trying to do actually he wants, he wants goal 222 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:50.080 to do exactly what will play into Abimelech's hand, and he does that. 223 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.159 So we have a very short account in versus, thirty nine to forty one, 224 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:56.600 of the battle, for it seems like it's a very short battle. 225 00:15:56.639 --> 00:16:02.960 Indeed, in short order, of Bimelek disposes of gall and his forces and 226 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.960 assumes like as soon as Gal got there to fight, he turned around and 227 00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:10.840 ran with his men and there were many of his army that was wounded and 228 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:15.879 in verse. But then drives gall and his clan out of Scheckum and they 229 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:21.120 will never be heard from again. And the BIMLEAC himself, and kind of 230 00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:26.000 an odd move, doesn't even dwell and check them, but instead he goes 231 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:30.559 to dwell at Arama, which is really a few miles away from Schek Um. 232 00:16:30.559 --> 00:16:33.879 Now we're not exactly sure why he chose to do that, but it 233 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:38.000 does appear from what it's about to happen he still doesn't even trust the men 234 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:42.200 of shake Um. And so he's got plans, apparently, and we are 235 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:48.039 going to see in a terrible way those plans come to fruition as we look 236 00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:52.679 at the last part of the chapter versus forty two through fifty seven. And 237 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:56.679 so we're told that the people of Skum go out into the field and we're 238 00:16:56.679 --> 00:17:00.159 not told how many people went out and we're not told why they did this. 239 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:04.400 somethink it's perhaps was to fight other think it was perhaps to finish the 240 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:08.519 grape hartist which appeared to be in process at that time and had been interrupted. 241 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:14.920 Well, the First Maxim of conflict. Maybe never get involved in the 242 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:21.039 land war in Asia, but a close second or third is never anger and 243 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:26.319 arrogant man, and that is exactly what happens here. A BIMELECH has been 244 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:30.920 shown to be a very arrogant man and now we are going to see the 245 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:36.759 beginning of his anger. So in verses forty three through forty five, but 246 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:41.839 BIMELECH sets an ambush for the people of Sheke Um and basically kills all the 247 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.519 people. So we're talking about not just the men but the women and the 248 00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:48.720 children that he's killing, all of those that go out in the fields. 249 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:56.079 We have a wholesale massacre that's going on, and it says not only does 250 00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:00.079 he kill and destroy the city but according to verse forty five, he he 251 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:03.839 sows it with salt, which is a way to curse the city and to 252 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.720 put it on the ground so that the ground is not able to produce crops. 253 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:14.680 But he's not done yet. Versus forty to forty nine, there's not 254 00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:18.559 only apparently a city of Skum, but now we hear there's also a tower 255 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:23.039 of Schek Um and there are leaders and people that have gathered together at the 256 00:18:23.079 --> 00:18:29.039 house of the God beareth. As Albert Barnes notes in his commentary, combining 257 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:33.519 the advantages of a sanctuary and a fortress, but it will not turn out 258 00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:38.440 to be much of an advantage for them. And the BIMELECH instructs all the 259 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:42.400 men with him to copy what he does, and he cuts down a bunch 260 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:47.759 of brush and takes it with his ZAS and it tells him to follow him 261 00:18:47.799 --> 00:18:51.400 and they carry the brush. They put it all up against this house of 262 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:55.319 the God beareth and they set it on fire, which causes the death, 263 00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:59.799 we are told, of thousand men and women and we can assume as well 264 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:06.079 children. They would all die in a literal Holocaust. We're talking the other 265 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:11.839 night and someone's house and talking about World War Two, movies and talking about 266 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:15.559 some people at a hard time. I said I I have a hard time. 267 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.319 I have a difficulty. Uh. Some people are saying, well, 268 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:22.640 it was easier time, because it was true, but for me it's a 269 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.319 harder time because it's true for whatever reason, but especially World War Two. 270 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.279 I just I just have a real problem with that and and watching the things 271 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:33.279 that do that, because it seems like such a horrible time. Of course 272 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:37.599 it was, but this is the same kind of thing. This is the 273 00:19:37.640 --> 00:19:41.000 same kind of terrible stuff. That is that is happening here. And we 274 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:45.119 see the fulfillment, though, of the prophecy of Jotham. That was earlier 275 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:48.960 that I'll remind you of from Verse Fifteen, where he says, and the 276 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:52.480 Bramble said to the trees, if in good faith you are anointing me king 277 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:55.799 over, you come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, 278 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:00.960 let fire come out of the Bramble and devour the Cedars of Lebanon, meaning 279 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:06.440 the men of Shecheckum, and that is exactly what is happening here. Well, 280 00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:10.759 you think that was enough death and destruction for any one man, but 281 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:17.240 in verse fifty, Abimelech continues on to the city of thebez. His Paranoia, 282 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:22.440 which often attacks leaders of this caliber, has now reached new limits. 283 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:27.279 He no longer can stop his thirst for blood and destruction, and so Barry 284 00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:33.240 Webb says, he's drunk with power now and he cannot stop. And here 285 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:37.119 again we read about a tower where all the inhabitants of the city go and 286 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:41.799 barricade themselves in the roof of the tower. The BIMELECH, having already found 287 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:47.119 a strategy that works, decides that he will use the same strategy at this 288 00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:52.759 tower again. But even though it doesn't look like it, in God's Providence, 289 00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:57.920 Abimelech has gone one step too far. As he draws near to the 290 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:02.480 tower, a woman above as a millstone. Now this would not be the 291 00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:07.119 giant millstones that you see often in pictures, that were uh, that were 292 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.319 that were turned by animals and and ground out the weed at the mill houses. 293 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:15.319 This would have been more personal grinder. But the stone would have been 294 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:19.839 big enough that dropping it from the height to which it was dropped would indeed 295 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:25.640 have the power to kill a man. And so this woman drops the millstone 296 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.720 and crushes his skull. Earlier in the book of judges, we saw the 297 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:34.599 General Sisterra, had been killed with a tent peg at the hands of the 298 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:40.720 woman jail. But now judges, in a short time, has introduced three 299 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.640 women who have been great leaders in the sense or those who have accomplished great 300 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:49.279 things. We have had Deborrah, we have had Gil and we now have 301 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:52.599 this woman who is not named for us. We don't know who she is, 302 00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:56.799 and in some way, I don't know how, if he looked up 303 00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:00.119 or how he knew it or somebody told him by it in some way, 304 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:06.359 a bimelech found out that the person who dropped the millstone down on his head 305 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:11.759 was a woman, and so he asked his armor bear if he wouldn't draw 306 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:15.920 him through with his sword and kill him so that nobody would say that he 307 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:18.480 had been killed by a woman. So the armor bear does that. So 308 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:25.359 we have kind of a combined murder assisted suicide here. Peter Margaret Martyr Vermigley 309 00:22:25.400 --> 00:22:29.279 writes. What madness is this? He's at the point of death and he 310 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:33.599 vainly thinks on glory. He thinks that a reproach to be killed of a 311 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:37.680 woman, and there's nothing careful for the soul nor for the afterlife. He 312 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:44.480 only cares for his name and fame. We certainly see no example of deathbed 313 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.960 repentance here, do we? And really none of it does any good, 314 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:52.799 doesn't? Because we read this account and what do we think? Oh, 315 00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:56.160 he was killed by a woman, right, we all think that. So 316 00:22:56.200 --> 00:23:00.799 I really didn't do any good anyway. But I don't want you to miss 317 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:03.039 the irony here, because there is irony here and we're meant to see it. 318 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:08.440 I believe it goes back to earlier in the beginning of the chapter remember 319 00:23:08.640 --> 00:23:12.759 we talked about this that, and a couple of people talk with me about 320 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:19.119 this, that that Abimelech had killed the seventies sons of Gideon on one stone. 321 00:23:19.279 --> 00:23:22.160 And might wonder, well, why? Why does the Scripture say was 322 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:26.279 killed on one stone? Well, now we see, don't we? Now 323 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:30.680 the scripture makes it clear, because it will be one stone that will kill 324 00:23:30.839 --> 00:23:37.839 him. The entire chapter shows us again and again the principle that you reap 325 00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:42.880 what you sow. Again I want to quote Barry Webb, who says abimelech 326 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:48.599 is going to shake Um to incite his leaders to conspire against Gideon Sons. 327 00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:52.640 is answered by Gal's arrival and shake Um to incite his leaders to conspire with 328 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:57.079 him against a BIMELECH. The ambush the men of Schekum said against a bimelech 329 00:23:57.160 --> 00:24:04.200 in verse is answered by the ambush set by against Skum in verse Thirty Four. 330 00:24:06.920 --> 00:24:10.279 And so we see this again. And, as I mentioned, this 331 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:15.920 this single stone, so him seven fourteen through seventeen, has a striking application. 332 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:19.839 It says, behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with 333 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:26.519 mischief and gives birth to lies. He makes a pit digging it out and 334 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:33.039 falls into the hole that he has made. His mischief returns upon his own 335 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:38.359 head and on his own skull, his violence, the sins. Doesn't that 336 00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:44.480 kind of remind you of what happens here in the story? So everyone is 337 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:48.759 being rewarded according to their deeds. The people of Shek Um have the bramble 338 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:53.960 bring fire upon them, a Bimlak himself is killed and the curse of Jatham 339 00:24:55.079 --> 00:25:02.960 is fulfilled in a somewhat satisfying, in an awful conclusion. And then again, 340 00:25:03.039 --> 00:25:08.359 almost the strange ending to the chapter, when the Bebelech dies, everyone 341 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:12.480 goes back home. It seems kind of strange, doesn't it? Now it's 342 00:25:12.680 --> 00:25:15.880 all over, every everything's done. They just give up the battle and all 343 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:22.799 of that. There are no winners here except God, and thus ends perhaps 344 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:27.599 one of the worst chapters, and judges there are other contenders as well well. 345 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:32.759 That's the story. Now let me give you some application, and I 346 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:37.359 mentioned that we wanted to talk about providence tonight, because the story isn't evidence 347 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:42.119 and it is an example to us of the difficulties that we sometimes have with 348 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:49.359 God's Providence. First we have the difficulty of why God allows terrible atrocities to 349 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:56.000 happen in our world. The tragedy that is told in one verse in our 350 00:25:56.119 --> 00:26:00.400 text, Verse Five, seems horrible. Seventies sons of Gideon slain in one 351 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:07.680 day, slain on one stone. But we've come across these things regularly in 352 00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:12.640 our life, don't we? Those of us were old enough to remember nine 353 00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:19.599 eleven can probably remember that day vividly. You probably remember very clearly. I 354 00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:22.559 mean even I can remember, even though I was just a young boy. 355 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:26.839 I can remember what happened there, where I was when Kennedy the news came 356 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:33.119 out about President Kennedy being shot. I'm sure those of you that were older 357 00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:37.319 and of adult age can remember exactly where you were when we heard that the 358 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:42.039 plane had flown into the World Trade Center and we wondered what in the world 359 00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:45.680 did that mean. I remember asking someone had told me that. What was 360 00:26:45.720 --> 00:26:48.880 it? A little plane? Wasn't like, you know, cropduster or what? 361 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:52.319 What? What was it that? We have no idea and people didn't 362 00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:55.279 know. Details were just coming out little by little and we had no idea. 363 00:26:55.359 --> 00:27:02.000 And then of course a second plane comes in and again you can probably 364 00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:06.519 remember that day, the emotional ups and downs as you heard about the people 365 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:11.799 jumping from the buildings and the people in the staircase and the firefighters and all 366 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:17.039 of the things that took place on that day. But yet on a regular 367 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:22.240 basis we're informed someone who goes into a crowd and with a car or a 368 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:29.000 truck or a gun kills a great number of people, and these things can 369 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:34.000 bother us and upset us and make us wonder. We may also wonder at 370 00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:37.559 Verse Twenty Three, where it says God sends out an Evil Spirit between a 371 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:42.319 Bimelech and the rulers of check them. And I told you, the question 372 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:47.240 is there whether it's a just a bad spirit between them or it's an actual 373 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:52.880 evil spirit that God actually sends but what we have here is a scriptural principle 374 00:27:53.799 --> 00:28:02.200 that God often punishes the sins of people by the sins of people. The 375 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:06.680 men of Skum are punished by the sins of Abimelech and the BIMELECH is punished 376 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:11.400 by the sins of shake Um, which is what we refer to as God 377 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:18.359 giving people up. God doesn't incite people to sin, but he simply lists 378 00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:25.200 the restraints which have hindered them from sinning up to that point, which again 379 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:30.440 results in the truth of the scriptural saying you reap which your soul. The 380 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:36.240 men of Shakeum consulted to the annihilation of the family of Gideon, so they're 381 00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:41.720 annihilated. Abimelech killed the family of Gideon, so he himself is destroyed. 382 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:47.200 I love the way that the Presbyterian Puritan reformer, Arthur Jackson puts it. 383 00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:52.279 He says has the stink of the dunghill rises not from the sun, though 384 00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:57.079 the sun shining on it be the occasion of it. I think that's a 385 00:28:57.079 --> 00:29:04.240 good description. But we must remember and we must be clear as believers that 386 00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:10.359 it is essential to our faith that we believe that God rules all the affairs 387 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:17.960 of men. We can't allow any event to happen outside the Providence and control 388 00:29:18.119 --> 00:29:22.680 of God. We might be troubled by the events of Providence, we must 389 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:30.240 remember in that time we serve a perfectly holy and loving God and, like 390 00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:36.160 Abraham, we need to be able to say shall not the judge of all 391 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:41.680 the Earth do right? The Puritan Richard Rogers puts it like this. Many, 392 00:29:41.839 --> 00:29:48.519 not ill minded, desire to know why God allows such abominations. I 393 00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:53.920 answer that God knows the cause rules justly, and there's a godly father speaks 394 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:59.759 orders the evil appetites of the wicked. To fulfill this Providence, though it 395 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:03.640 is not infuse them with evil, just as he wrought the salvation of his 396 00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:10.079 elect by the fall of Adam and the treachery of Judas. And yet we 397 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:14.839 are not, neither ought to be altogether ignorant by God does this. We 398 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:18.640 are not to prescribe to the Lord how to govern the world, nor by 399 00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:22.160 whom nor how he will be glorified. And he who may marvel that God 400 00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:27.559 is patient towards the bad, how can he think himself too good to suffer 401 00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:33.599 for his own defects? Be The instruments never so evil when our savior suffered 402 00:30:33.759 --> 00:30:40.559 for us without cause. But if any of us be without danger and hurt 403 00:30:40.599 --> 00:30:45.319 by such wicked persons, who are one of God's scourges to correct us, 404 00:30:45.559 --> 00:30:51.440 let us reckon it among the great blessings of God and use it accordingly. 405 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:56.279 In chapter nine we're missing something that we've had up to this point, that 406 00:30:56.359 --> 00:31:02.599 every chapter of judges, we don't end it in chapter nine. What is 407 00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:07.880 it? The Covenant, Name of God, the name Yahweh the name in 408 00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:14.359 our bibles that is Lord in all capital letters, but in chapter nine his 409 00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:19.799 name is conspicuously absent. And again we have examples here of what Paul says 410 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:25.599 three times in Romans one. But God gave them up, but God gave 411 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:30.119 them up, but God gave them up. The terrible, horrible things of 412 00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:36.000 chapter nine, or what happens when God gives the people up. Tim Keller 413 00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:40.119 points out in his commentary. God may have been silent, but he was 414 00:31:40.200 --> 00:31:45.279 not absent. There comes a time when the restrainer no longer restrains. There 415 00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:49.359 come a time when it seems that God's spirit has been withdrawn. Instead, 416 00:31:49.400 --> 00:31:56.880 the evil spirits are let loose. This chapter is different than any other in 417 00:31:56.000 --> 00:32:01.119 judges, but it reminds us that the scriptures, when it speaks about God's 418 00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:10.519 judgment and Isaiah, it says that judgment is God's strange work. Verry Webb 419 00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:15.000 says we cannot say that God has judgment in the same way that we say 420 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:24.359 God is love, but God will judge. But let me particularly apply it 421 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:31.720 this lesson to US tonight. As I close, it's interesting to me what 422 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:37.160 I noted in reading the text was what happened when God sent an Evil Spirit 423 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:44.759 and what is interesting to me as to what happens and what results from this 424 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:52.319 is immediately it is division, it's rivalry. It's always been interesting, well, 425 00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:55.880 not always, but for several years been interesting to me when Paul lists 426 00:32:55.920 --> 00:33:00.119 seventeen works of the flesh in the book of the Tions, Chapter Five. 427 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:12.680 Seven of the seventeen deal with division, strife, enmity, strife, jealousy, 428 00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:17.680 fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, and we could probably 429 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:24.000 include even an eighth. The next one envy. When you think about it, 430 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:30.839 it's really amazing to realize how much of the New Testament is given over 431 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:36.920 to speak against division and also, on the other hand, the positive side, 432 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:42.319 to exhort us to unity. I think I could go through every New 433 00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:45.240 Testament book, but I gave up. I didn't give up, but I 434 00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:49.559 stopped Um with about going through all of them. But let me just remind 435 00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:53.319 you of some of these, starting with the epistles, with Romans, in 436 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:58.480 Roman seen pulses. I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for 437 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:02.160 those who cause divisions and create obstacles, contrary to the doctrine you have been 438 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:07.599 taught. Avoid them. First, Corinthians one ten and you know I could 439 00:34:07.719 --> 00:34:12.039 quoted a lot of scriptures on the first Corinthians. I appeal to you, 440 00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:15.239 brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you 441 00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:19.159 agree and there be no divisions among you, but you be united in the 442 00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:23.239 same mind in the same judgment. The Second Epistle of Corinthians, Chapter Twelve, 443 00:34:23.320 --> 00:34:27.400 verse twenty. For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find 444 00:34:27.440 --> 00:34:30.920 you not as I wish and that you may find me not as you wish, 445 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:36.320 that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, 446 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:42.400 gossip, concede in disorder. I already mentioned Galatians. I could go 447 00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:46.119 further. Ephesians as much to say about unity. We could keep going on 448 00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:51.960 and you could find how true it is. But how much of the New 449 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.519 Testament is given over to warness against divisions? I wonder why that is. 450 00:34:57.079 --> 00:35:00.400 It almost sounds like it's something we might be prone to, even as believers. 451 00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:06.519 But on the other side there are many scriptures that speak of the blessedness 452 00:35:06.599 --> 00:35:12.320 of unity. I think of that Wonderful Psalms on one thirty three. Behold 453 00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:15.960 how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It's like the 454 00:35:16.039 --> 00:35:20.840 precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard 455 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:23.400 of air, and running down on the collar of his robes. It's like 456 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:28.760 to do of Herman, which falls on the Mountains of Zion, for there 457 00:35:28.840 --> 00:35:35.480 the Lord has commanded the blessing life forevermore. I suppose we could have been 458 00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:38.800 told a lot of things that Jesus prayed in his high priestly prayed in John 459 00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:45.599 Seventeen, but in verse twenty one, he says and he prays that they 460 00:35:45.639 --> 00:35:49.119 may all be one, just as you, father, are in me and 461 00:35:49.199 --> 00:35:52.239 I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the 462 00:35:52.320 --> 00:35:59.840 world may believe that you have sent me. And I say that because the 463 00:36:00.039 --> 00:36:05.239 make it come home to us. There are Christians who would never think perhaps 464 00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:15.360 committing murder, committing adultery, committing homosexuality, but yet I would think nothing 465 00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:22.679 of dividing or causing division the brothers and sisters. It's a great evil. 466 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:29.719 It's something we have to always be aware of in the church, and God 467 00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:32.960 has given us the means to avoid it. He said, what do you 468 00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:38.639 mean? I've seen in my life people that have gotten angry at someone in 469 00:36:38.679 --> 00:36:44.760 the church and as a result they've left the church. Never said anything just 470 00:36:44.920 --> 00:36:49.320 walked up and left the church. But you know, God has given us, 471 00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:53.239 through the lips of our Lord Jesus, a wonderful procedure in Matthew Chapter 472 00:36:53.320 --> 00:37:00.239 Eighteen, and in here I find personally the glory of the Presbyterian System of 473 00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:05.599 government, because it allows us to actually do this, and I think it 474 00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:12.039 is so great that we should go to our brother when he's done something against 475 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:15.400 us and we perceive it, and then, if that doesn't work, we 476 00:37:15.440 --> 00:37:20.280 should take somebody else with us and then, if that doesn't work, we 477 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:23.679 go to the Church and the Church seeks to work it out in the best 478 00:37:23.719 --> 00:37:28.360 way. Now, I'm not saying we can solve every division that way because 479 00:37:28.440 --> 00:37:36.199 unfortunately people are sinful, but God has given us away to do this and 480 00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:39.239 I pray. I love the unity of this body of people that I have 481 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:45.119 perceived. Very thankful for it, and you should bless God for it constantly, 482 00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:49.440 that God has given you a unity like this and a love for each 483 00:37:49.480 --> 00:37:52.639 other, a love for your pastor and his family, love for your elders, 484 00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:58.079 love for your deacons, the love that you have together. That's a 485 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:01.679 precious thing, folks. Not Every church has it, but again, to 486 00:38:01.760 --> 00:38:06.119 pray and say, God, keep us, don't allow that spirit to come 487 00:38:06.159 --> 00:38:10.199 in that might divide brother and against sister and sister against sister and brother against 488 00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:15.880 brother. But keep us, Lord. But we don't want that. We 489 00:38:15.880 --> 00:38:21.239 want the blessing of unity, the blessing of being able to come together, 490 00:38:21.679 --> 00:38:25.639 to love one another, the fellowship with one another, to serve one another. 491 00:38:27.440 --> 00:38:30.519 I know I'm probably preaching to the choir, but nevertheless, folks, 492 00:38:31.400 --> 00:38:38.559 don't underestimate our enemy. He's always seeking to bring division, he's always working 493 00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:44.360 to that. So we must be careful and we must watch our hearts, 494 00:38:45.199 --> 00:38:50.599 that God would not allow us to sin in this area, but instead may 495 00:38:50.679 --> 00:38:54.920 cover us with love and unity. Can We pray, Lord again, we 496 00:38:54.960 --> 00:39:00.159 thank you for your word. We think of your providence. We don't always 497 00:39:00.199 --> 00:39:07.079 understand it. Such things are too high for us. We don't know why 498 00:39:07.320 --> 00:39:13.480 particular things happen. But God, we do know that you are the judge 499 00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:17.239 of all the earth and what you do is right, and we rest in 500 00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:22.440 that, our God. We rest in it, that God, we can 501 00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:25.760 even glory in things that no one else can glory in, but we, 502 00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:30.960 as the children of God, can, because we say thus, it seem 503 00:39:30.039 --> 00:39:36.880 good to my father and so it seems good to me help us to rest 504 00:39:36.920 --> 00:39:44.159 in providence and keep this great body of believers that are here in love and 505 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:47.400 unity to one another. I pray, Lord, that it would keep any 506 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:53.239 enemies from coming in that would seek to destroy the unity, but instead, 507 00:39:53.320 --> 00:40:00.079 Lord, would cause the blessing of the oil upon Aaron's head to come upon 508 00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:06.400 this body of believers as well, and that love may be the keynote that 509 00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:12.159 folks will say about this body. Behold how they love one another. I 510 00:40:12.280 --> 00:40:15.599 pray, Lord, she would do this and keep us, Lord, in 511 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:19.760 your care. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.