But A Sword – I'm Following Jesus

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: Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Chapters: Joshua 9-11
Message: No Peace, But A Sword

Hello My Friend,

These verses came to mind as I was praying this morning, “Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:” – Luke 12:8-9,28-31,39-40,49-51.

We think about what is going on in America and how divided it is, half of this country wants to see it solely dependent on the government, one in which their every need is taken care of. They fail to understand that this nation was not to be dependent on man, but God Himself, which is why it became such a great and powerful nation in a very short amount of time. Let me tell you, this whole pandemic, while the government seeks to hand out thousand dollar checks, pays rent, loans, and other bills, we are being forced to remain in our homes, only come for treatment if we have said symptoms, and they are already determining who gets treated and who is left to die. Is this what we want? You would be surprised and how many do. And it is all good until they get sick or are at the mercies of them, they will be the first ones to revolt. Why are we so divided? Well, Jesus. Jesus is the one who is separating our nation from the worlds, He is getting ready to gather His people, we just better be ready. When the people of Gibeon heard how Israel had utterly destroyed Jericho and Ai, unlike the other towns who were doing everything they could fight Israel, they came up with a plan to join them.

“And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.” – Joshua 9:3-9,14-15,27.

“because of the name of the LORD thy God:” The word was out that Almighty God was with these people, and they were coming to not only take their land, but destroy them. They did not want to be killed on the spot, which is why they made up that story. “and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.” We must always make it a point to ask God what to do in all things, especially in making alliances with people, and especially marriage. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” – II Corinthians 6:14-18.

As long as we seek counsel from God, we have nothing to fear, and save ourselves from suffering more than we have to. Now, as you can imagine with Israel taking Canaan one nation after another, now united with Gibeon, the surviving nations were deeply afraid. Five kings came together to make war with Gibeon, yet because they feared God, they had a much better force backing them up, God Himself. When the Gibeonites came to Joshua for help, God gladly gave it, assuring them all that He was with them, and would assist them.

“Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.” – Joshua 10:1-2,5,8,11-13.

“that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them” Anyone who fled was killed by giant balls of hail falling from the heavens. We must understand that any of these people could have come to God just as the Gibeonites did, and He would have saved them. And this is why He allowed Israel to destroy entire nations, they were reprobates, who worshiped false gods and idols. No unbelieving soul will be saved from destruction. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 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.” – Revelation 21:7-8.

“Is not this written in the book of Jasher?” Jasher was a historian, not of the Jews, this book was written and made public before Joshua wrote his testimony, and it is probable to contain records concerning these events. The book is not lost as many suggest, it is not inspired, meaning God did not direct him in the writing of it, and therefore, it was not included in His book. Yet, it was mentioned to give further account that someone other than a Jew witnessed what had happened. Joshua and his army were successful at conquering several other nations. The reason they were so successful was that they followed the commands Moses gave, which were given to him by God.

“As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.” – Joshua 11:15-20,23.

“There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel,” Every single one of these nations had a choice, they could have chose God and would have been saved, just as Gibeon did. No one dies and ends up in hell without having the choice to know Christ. Yes, there are several nations that do not know Him, they worship idols and false gods still today, they too will be destroyed, Jesus did not come here to bring peace, but a sword. He gives peace to all who come to Him, but will deny it to all who deny Him. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” – Matthew 10:32-39.

Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for all the things You do and allow in my life, even when I do not always ask You what to do. While I do not always make the right decisions, I know that You are always with me and as I give it all to You You will turn it all for good. Lord, give me Your power to endure all my battles and see victory, like You have done so many times before. I know as long as I turn to You that nothing is impossible with You. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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