King James Bible Study – “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.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Friday, April 02, 2021
Chapters: Judges 8-9
Message: Defeat The Enemy
Hello My Friend,
I started to watch this movie about the life of Jesus, which is said to be based on the Gospel of John. Whenever you have the world attempting to describe Jesus, or anything from the Bible, you need to have open eyes and ears as it is rarely told correctly. Well, it was not fifteen minutes into the movie, there was John the Baptist as Jesus walked up to him and some men standing there, and it was not at the Jordan River as the Bible reads. John describes how Jesus came to him to be baptized, and shows him baptizing Jesus, but he had no clothes on as he was coming up out of the water. Right there I turned it off, disgusted that they would even consider that Jesus would get into the water naked, not to mention it showed other men getting baptized, but going into the water with their clothes on. Also, given the fact that they were not reading from the King James Bible may have contributed to that ridiculous attempt to tell the world their version of who Jesus is. Let me tell you, faithful Christians have a race to run, they face all sorts of opposition, are often faint, some even die for their faith, and yet keep going until the very end. Why? So that the truth may be told, [Luke 21:14-15 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.]
Until Jesus returns we will always have adversaries, until Jesus returns, we are the ones who follow His Word and His will for our lives, and it is a constant battle that God actually prepares us for. This battle has nothing to do with keeping our salvation and everything to do with finding a few who will see our efforts, learn the truth, and come to Christ themselves. God used Gideon and three hundred men to show Israel that He was with them by defeating the Midianite army, there were three hundred and twenty thousand men who died when they were literally fighting themselves, spooked by the trumpets blowing, pitchers breaking, and the shouting. However, fifteen thousand escaped, Gideon and his army pursued after the rest and the two kings who also escaped.
[Judges 8:4-7 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. 5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. 6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? 7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers.]
[Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand,] Although, tired and faint, they would not stop until the kings were captured, even though they had opposition along the way, God was with them. Why did Gideon want to punish these men for refusing to give them food? They mocked him, which was why he returned there when they captured the kings. Although it was actually in Penuel that he killed the kings himself.
[Judges 8:13-16,20-21 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun was up, 14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men. 15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? 16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. 20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth. 21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.]
[and with them he taught the men of Succoth.] This was a chastening meant to teach them to be more compassionate and wiser in their treatment of Israel, who by the way, was freeing them from the oppression of the Midianites as well. [or as the man is, so is his strength.] These kings were saying that if Gideon wanted them dead, then be a man and do it himself. The world loves to intimidate us, to test us to see if we are going to face them by our faith or run in fear. They think we talk all bad, but our walk is actually our talk. Does God want us to fight and kill the enemy? In some cases, yes, that is what the military are for. However, our best defense is not necessarily our brawn, but rather our words, God’s Words, in fact, [Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.]
God’s Word truly is quick and powerful, which is why so many create their own versions to begin with. And by the way, there is only one Bible, these “versions” are mans opinion of what they read, not the actual Bible. Whenever a new “version” is created they need to alter the words because every one of them, unlike the King James, is under a copyright. Now, after their victory, the people were eager for a king, they urged Gideon to reign over them. While flattered, Gideon declined the offer, he would not rule nor wanted any of his sons to rule over them either. However, Gideon made one grave mistake that would cause many problems nor only for him.
[Judges 8:22-25,27-28 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. 23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. 24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey. 27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.]
[the LORD shall rule over you.] Gideon reminded them that God was their ruler. We may have governors or presidents ruling over our land, but it is God who ought to be ruling over us. You see, one may thing that it is the governments duty to provide for and protect its people, but it is not. While we are to obey the law of the land as long as it does not interfere with God’s rule, [Hebrews 13:9,16-17 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.]
This is where it was really becoming apparent that the people of Israel did not care to have God rule over them, they wanted a king, and only one that would benefit them. The world does not want what God has to feed them, they want what feeds their lust, and they will forsake God in a heartbeat to have their lusts fed. This proved true, when after Gideon died, they went right back to their wicked ways.
[Judges 8:29-35 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house. 30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. 34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.]
[whose name he called Abimelech.] So, now we come to the sad event in which Abimelech. When people lust after things that are against God’s will they completely forget about God and will do anything to get them. Gideon had seventy-one sons, out of all of them, one, Abimelech, wanted nothing to do with God and stooped to the lowest level to make himself a king.
[Judges 9:1-6 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother. 4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him. 5 And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.]
[wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons,] The wicked cannot win the people over on their word so they pay those who want some kind of power or recognition to speak as though they are choosing the better option. Sound familiar? These crooked politicians in office today may not be killing their opponents physically, but they are killing their good name. And they do get away with it for a little while, until someone stands up to them. This is what Jotham did, the only surviving son of Gideon.
[Judges 9:7,16-20 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; 17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 18 And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;) 19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you: 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.]
[let fire come out from Abimelech,] It might have taken three years, but God was about to get vengeance on Abimelech and the men of Shechem for the death of Gideon’s sons, and he was going to use the devil to get them to fight with each other to do it.
[Judges 9:23-24,34,47,52-59,56-57 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. 34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies. 47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together. 52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. 56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 57 And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.]
[Then God sent an evil spirit] God is always in control and will use any means to get vengeance on those whom use evil to get the thing that they want. The evil spirit, the devil himself was used as a means to bring the evil spirits of jealousy, treachery, and discord, between Abimelech and the men of Shechem as a way to avenge the murdering of sons of Gideon. The most effective way to get vengeance is to make the enemies friends. We, in our own power can never overcome evil, it must be dealt with by combining our faith with the power of God, these two together become one mighty force that not even the devil can break through, [Romans 12:19-21 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.]
Jesus Christ Magnified: [Judges 8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.]
Today’s Prayer: God, It truly is amazing that You have not sent Your Son already as the world is becoming so dark and wicked. However, You are patient in that not one soul who believes in Your Son should perish, but have everlasting life, and until that time You have Your faithful witnesses here to keep spreading the Gospel, to find those lost souls. Lord, You know that there is evil all around us, and that Your people are being persecuted more than ever, we are tired, faint, and worn out, but we keep going, pursuing the enemy so that we can lead as many as we can to Your Son. Lead us and guide us, put Your hedge of protection around us, give us Your strength to stand by our faith, and let us boldly proclaim Christ, and not be intimidated by the evil out to stop us. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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