No Peace, But A Sword

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King James Bible StudyAnd 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.” – Mark 8:34

Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Chapters: Judges 3-5
Message: No Peace, But A Sword

Hello My Friend,

When you read through the Book of Judges you often get a sense of why we see crazed lunatics overtaking nations under these Muslim forces, think of Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. It really does not take very long for an entire nation to turn its back on God and before you know it it is overtaken by its worst enemies. I fear for America as I see our nation, which by the way, was founded by Godly people, pushing God out as more evil overtakes it. God is watching very carefully at all His nations that are not only turning a blind eye to sin, promoting it. He will prove their faithfulness to Him by allowing their enemies to overtake them. As for His faithful in the midst of all this, we have nothing to fear for Christ is with us.

[Matthew 10:26-28,32-34  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.  27  What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.  28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 32  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.  34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.]

We read the verses every year at Christmas time, [Luke 2:13-14  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.] And we sing the song, [It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old. From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold. Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heav’n’s all gracious king. The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing.]

The truth is, while Jesus is our peace, there will never be peace on earth as long as sin exists. And as long as sin exists we can expect God to judge every nation that turns from Him and to the evils of the world. When God said that He was going to leave some of the former inhabitants in Canaan to be a snare to Israel, He was not kidding. He did it to prove them, to test them to see if they were going to follow Him or turn away from Him

[Judges 3:1,3-4,7-9  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;  3  Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.  4  And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 7  And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.  8  Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.  9  And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.]

[And they were to prove Israel by them,] These nations were well aware that God was with them, they too knew when God sent judgment upon them as they had charge over them. Do you think that nations today that are under Sharia Law have no idea that God is in control? They do, they even attempt to say that God is with them, of course, in the form of Allah. The more I see how corrupt my nation and the world is getting, the more I understand that God is allowing all this to prove His people. God has not changed His stance on what is right and evil, sin is sin no matter how many religions attempt to justify it, [Romans 6:15-17  What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.  16  Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?  17  But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.]

[even Othniel the son of Kenaz,] In an interesting contrast to what we learned yesterday about Othniel, he became the first judge for Israel. For forty years there was peace in Israel, and prospered as Othniel led the people in the ways of God, but as soon as he died they went right back to their wicked ways.

[Judges 3:12,15,20-21,27-28,30-31  And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.  15  But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab. 20  And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.  21  And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 27  And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.  28  And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over. 30  So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.  31  And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.]

[which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad:] There was not much mentioned about Shamgar, but of his killing six hundred men with an ox goad. A goad is a pointed instrument, about eight feet long, often headed with iron, which was used to stimulate an animal to move faster. No matter what the weapon, if God directs and strengthens the arm of the one carrying it, He will deliver them. We must understand that this was not just one person or family doing evil in the sight of God, it was an entire congregation. God will not just sit there and watch His people acting like they know Him, and leading so many into sinful, and immoral living, He will send judgment. However, He is faithful to forgive and help those who come to Him willingly. Once again, they turned their backs on God and He sent judgment, for twenty years.

[Judges 4:1-6,8-9  And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead.  2  And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.  3  And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.  4  And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.  5  And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.  6  And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?  8  And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.  9  And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.]

[but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.] More often than we think God is using strong Christian women to lead men in the right direction. Back then, and still in many parts of the world today, if a man was led by a woman it was a disgrace to the man. Deborah knew this, but she still obeyed God and led the people peaceably for forty years. God uses every willing soul for His work, if the men will not step up, He will appoint a woman to do it. I do not know how many times I get a man telling me that I am to remain silent about teaching the Bible. God never said that a woman cannot teach the Bible, He just said that women are not to be in authority in His Church, and to remain silent from arguing the views of the Pastor, [I Timothy 2:11-15  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.  12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  13  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.  14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.  15  Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.]

Me, knowing that I am a sinner, has such a hard time understanding why God continues to use me. You know, there is difference between those who sin against God and those who forget Him, the ones who sin against Him cry out to Him daily, knowing they are sinners, they feel the pain they caused by failing their Father. They wonder why He never leaves nor forsakes them, even though they do not always do what is pleasing to Him. Yet, His grace abounds. Let me tell you, it is the guilt of sinning against God that hurts more than the sting of the sin itself. Yet our Father is forever faithful to forgive and cleanse us of our unrighteousness when we come to Him confessing our sin, [I John 1:9]. Amen! After God delivered Israel, Deborah and Barak sang a song, praising God for all that He had done.

[Judges 5:1-9,31  Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying,  2  Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves.  3  Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.  4  LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water.  5  The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from before the LORD God of Israel.  6  In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.  7  The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel. 8  They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?  9  My heart is toward the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the LORD. 31  So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years.]

[that I arose a mother in Israel.] Sometimes, God will use a woman to lead a guy in the way that He wants him to go. Women have always been the influence of a man, they can make or break a guy, a Godly woman truly is a virtue to the man that God led him to. We as Christians must understand that we will not see peace until all our enemies perish. However, we be at peace as we trust God and remain faithful, [Philippians 4:6-8  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.]

Jesus Christ Magnified: [Judges 5:23  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.]

Today’s Prayer: God, I know that I am nothing without You and that everything in my life, good, bad, and the ugly, are allowed to prove my faithfulness to You. Lord, purge me from the things that prevent me from being who You want me to be, lead me and guide me, help me to find the strength to stand before You as a vessel of honor, let me be an encouragement to others, the Light that leads them to Your truths, be strong for those who may need a helping hand, and to keep serving You however You lead me. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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