Judges chapter 1 and I'd like
to read verses 16 through 20 tonight judges chapter 1 verses
16 through 20 and I wrote at the top of my notes so much good
stuff here it just it has just been so interesting to go through
here with the with the look for Christ and the look for what
is actually here and what is for us. What is it for us here
in 2024? And it was written quite a long
time ago, the book was. So as we start here in the book
of Judges chapter one, I'd like to start reading with verse 16. And verse 16 brings us to a passage
that is found in, I believe in the book of Joshua, but here
it's brought up again. And we are brought to acquaintance
once again with Moses's father-in-law, his family. Sons probably went
up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into
the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the south of Arad, and
they went and dwelt among the people. Now, to me, that is just
an interesting stop here in this passage of scripture that is
covering so much. Here we are brought to our attention
once again, Moses and his father-in-law. And if you'll remember with me,
let's just travel over to the book of Numbers chapter 10 for
a moment. Numbers chapter 10, as this is brought up, we find
out here in Numbers chapter 10 that Moses shared something very
important with his in-laws. Numbers chapter 10. These words
are recorded for us, and it's been some time that we were here
in Numbers, in this passage of scripture in the book of Numbers,
but here again, Numbers chapter 10, and there in verse 29, Numbers
chapter 10, verse 29, and Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Riguel,
the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law. So there's a conversation here.
And Moses recommends something to his father-in-law. We are
journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give
it you. Come thou with us and we will
do thee good. for the Lord has spoken good
concerning Israel. Now, isn't that really the gospel? Come with us, we'll do thee good.
I mean, we have some good news. We have some really good news.
It's better than any news anywhere. And it's not an offer, it's a
declaration. And it is to a group of people
that, as Moses brings out here, he has spoken good concerning
Israel. Now, we look at that as spiritual
Israel, we look at that as the church, but the Lord has spoken
good concerning Israel, and we have this opportunity, Moses
said, if you come with us, we'll do thee good. Now, I don't think
he did, but some of his family has come into the promised land. They are in Judah over here in
Canaan land. They've come through and they're
settling there. And we find that this call that
was made by Moses, it may not have touched his father-in-law,
but that call touched someone else in the family. And so often
that happens with us. we have an intent in talking
to someone about the Lord and someone else hears it and we
say, well, providence of God. It was like last weekend with
that young lady in my study with her husband or up at the VA when
that young lady comes in and sits down as we sing and she
sings along and we bring the word and she listens and it's
just interesting to see how God does his business And it's so
different than we would have figured things out. So, we look
at this. Now, keep this in mind about
this family of Moses, relatives of Moses, by marriage, coming
into the land. And turn with me, if you would,
to the book of the Psalms. Psalm 45. Psalm 45. As we think about this
that takes place, how God works to his glory, his honor, and
his praise, and for the good of his people, for the salvation
of his people, for the deliverance of his people. And here in the
book of the Psalms, Psalm 45, we have these things recorded
that share with us God's goodness. And it says here in the book
of Psalms, Psalm 45, verse one, to the chief musician upon the
Shoshamim, For the sons of Korah, now that takes us back to an
individual and I really was blessed when I ran into that passage
of scripture that the sons of Korah were not destroyed. He
went down and many of his family went down, but there was something
about them that was different. And that's the grace of God.
The Song of Loves. My heart is indicting a good
matter. I speak of things which I have
made touching the King. My tongue is the pen of a ready
writer. Thou art fairer than the children
of men. Grace is poured upon thy lips. Therefore, God hath blessed thee
forever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh,
O Most Mighty, with thy glory and with thy majesty. and in
thy majesty ride prosperously because of the truth and meekness
and righteousness, and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible
things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of king's enemies,
whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is for
ever and ever. The scepter of thy kingdom is
a right scepter. Thou lovest righteousness, and
hatest wickedness. Therefore thy God hath anointed
thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows, and all thy
garments smell of myrrh." What a declaration, what an illustration,
what a description of the Lord himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. the garment smell of myrrh, aloes,
and casea out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad. King's daughters were among thy
honorable women. Upon thy right hand did stand
the queen in gold of Ophir." Now look at verse 10 with me. As we think about Moses' in-laws,
did not go back to the homeland. They came with Israel. And just
right here in the book of Judges, out of the blue, it seems like,
this one verse is brought up about them. And notice verse
10, hearken, O daughter, and consider and incline thine ear,
forget also thine own people and thy father's house. Now this
is a real instruction to the church. that God has really imposed
upon his people to say, you must be separated from your father's
house. You must be separated from that
old life. You must be separated. So he
brings us out and shares with us, forget also thine own people
and thy father's house. Now, we have that word hearken
under there, which means to hear intelligently often with implication
of attention or obedience. Harket, I want you to hear this.
I want you to listen to this. And he shares with us that word.
And we find out that those people that came with the children of
Israel into the promised land are an exhibit of what it is
to have faith. They did not go back. They went
ahead. They did not go back to Midian.
They came out into the land there of Israel that God had given
to them and incline thy ear and turn your ear towards the speaker,
the words of instructions. And we know that faith cometh
by hearing and hearing by the word of God. And it brings out
a passage of scripture with regard to a lady that was encouraged,
in fact, to go back to her homeland. And that's Ruth. When she lost
her husband and Orpah lost her husband, we go over to the book
of Ruth chapter one, and the mother-in-law, their mother-in-law
encouraged them to go back. Now, both of them to begin with
said, well, let's just go over there and read that. Just a few
verses there in the book of Ruth. As we think about Moses' in-laws
coming into the land and settling with Israel, And they're not
Israelites by birth, physical birth, but their demonstration
of what it is to be an Israelite by spiritual birth. So here in
the book of Ruth, as we look at Ruth there in chapter one,
now a lot of things have taken place and they're sorrowful things. There was sorrow when they left
Bethlehem with Judah. There was sorrow when they got
into the land. There was sorrow when they got
married, the two sons got married. There's sorrow when death came
upon both of them. There's sorrow when dad died
and mom is just distraught. but she hears there's food back
in where she's from there. So here in the book of Ruth,
chapter one, let's notice the dialogue here between Naomi and
Orpha and Ruth. And it tells us in chapter one
and beginning with verse six, then she arose with her daughters-in-law
that she, that she might return from the country of Moab, for
she had heard in the country of Moab now that the Lord had
visited his people in giving them bread. Wherefore, she went
forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in-law
with her, and they went on the way to return unto the land of
Judah. And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, Go, return
each to her mother's house. The Lord deal kindly with you,
as ye have dealt with the dead and with me. And the Lord grant
that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband."
So we hope that you remarry, you have children, you go ahead
and have your life. Then she kissed them and they
lifted up their voice and wept. And they said to her, surely
we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, turn
again, my daughters, why will you go with me? Are there yet
any more sons in my womb that you may be your husbands? Turn
again, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have
a husband. If I should say, I have hope,
if I should have a husband also tonight, and should also bear
sons, would you tarry for them till they were grown? Would you
stay with them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters, for it grieveth
me much for your sakes in the hand of the Lord has gone out
against us.' And they lifted up their voice and wept again,
and Orpha kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clave unto her, and
she said, Behold, thy sister-in-law, now notice this, thy sister-in-law
has gone back to her people, and beside that, and unto her
gods. Return thou after thy sister-in-law. Well, we know what Ruth had to
say because the Lord had done a work of grace with her. I'm
not going back to my gods and I cannot go back to my family.
And so we find here, as we read there in the book of the Psalms,
Leave your, you gotta, you have to leave. You cannot go along
with the gods of your father. You cannot go along with the
gods of the country. You cannot do that. You must
go. And so we find that as a picture
and a type of the shadow with this family of Moses. Moses is
by this time long dead. been buried, and his father-in-law,
no doubt, is dead too. But here is, in there, we find
a small group of family that said, we with go with you because
you've said you will do us good. And we found out that your God
is good to Israel, and we want to be part of it. So what a blessing
it is, just a little verse of scripture couched in the middle
of all of that other that's going on there. You know, we find,
and it's very interesting how many times recently this passage
of scripture has come up in the book of John about the man that
was born blind. You know, it starts off, who
did sin, so forth and so on. Before you know it, we have the
whole council in the synagogue is upset about this man being
healed on the Sabbath day, and they inquire of him, they inquire
of his parents, they inquire of him again, and finally, because
the parents don't want to get caught and have to be kicked
out of the synagogue, They care about their religion. This man
could not care anymore. He was kicked out. Turn over
there, if you would, to the book of John. John chapter 9. In John chapter 9, this passage
of scripture has so much to say about the salvation that we have
in Christ Jesus. In John chapter 9, there's a
man put in a right place. He's born blind on purpose, wasn't
by mistake. And he's put in the right place.
The Lord comes at the right time, at the right place, intersects
this guy on purpose, as it was determined in the covenant of
grace before the foundation of the world. He has an appointment
with him at the right place, at the right time. He heals him
of this. He's accused of breaking the
Sabbath. Now notice this, what goes on
here in the book of John chapter nine, and there in verse 20,
would you join me there? In the book of John, his parents
answered them and said, we know that this is our son and that
he was born blind. That's all we know. But by what
means he now seeth, we know not, nor who hath opened his eyes,
we know not. He is of age, ask him. He shall
speak for himself. These words spake his parents
because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already
that if any man did confess that he was Christ, that he should
be put out of the synagogue. Excommunicated, in other words.
You're not welcome any longer, and this is a serious charge.
You know, I just see Orpha. Oh, I'm so glad to get home.
I'm gonna quit hearing about that God over there in Israel.
She left, went to her own gods, went to her family. But with
Ruth, I can't wait to get over there, because that's where they
worship the God of Israel. It was such a difference between
those two ladies. They have the same in-laws. Their
husbands have the same parentage. And yet, that doesn't make a
bit of difference in them. The difference is God. Did God
work a grace in Ruth? Absolutely. Did he in Orpha? Absolutely not. She was religious,
but she was willing to go back. Now notice here, as we follow
this incident here in the book of John, therefore his parents,
said his parents, he is of age, ask him. Then again, call they
the man that was blind and said, give God the praise. We know
that this man is a sinner. And he answered, whether he be
a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know that whereas
I was blind, now I see. They said to him again, what
did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? And
he answered them, I've told you already, and you did not hear,
wherefore would you hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?
And they reviled him and said, thou art his disciples. But we
be Moses' disciples, we know that God spake unto Moses, as
for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. And the man
answered and said unto them, Why, herein is a marvellous thing,
that ye know not from whence he is, and he hath opened my
eyes. Now we know that God heareth
not sinners, they say, but if any man be a worshipper of God,
and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began, it is
not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born
blind. If this man was not of God, we could do nothing. He could do nothing. And they
answered and said unto him, thou wast altogether born in sins,
and dost thou teach us? And they excommunicated him.
I can't go home anymore. I'm here. And Jesus heard that
they had cast him out, and when he found him, he said unto him,
dost thou believe on the Son of God? And he answered and said,
who is he, Lord, that I might believe him? And Jesus said unto
him, thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with
thee. And he said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him. Now, there
is no way in this world that guy can go anywhere else now.
He can't go back. He can't go back. Now Orpah can
go back. Some of Moses' family could go
back, but this family couldn't go back. They stayed with Judah. They stayed all the way through
and came into the promised land and are given some property in
the promised land. Moses' in-laws, what a blessing. They're like Ruth. They're like
this man here, kicked out of the synagogue. He cannot go back. And when Christ revealed himself
to him, he said, I believe. It was a revelation. That stupefied
a young man today. It just stopped him in his tracks.
And I'm thankful. The cost of joining this holy
band, come with us and we will do thee good. for we have heard
that God is with Israel. All right, going back to the
book of Judges now. We just had a little interlude
there with that family. It was part of Moses' family
by marriage. In the book of Judges chapter
one, we start up again and look at this subject that is going
on here. In the book of Judges chapter
one, and there in verse 17, in verse 17. It says here, Judah went with
Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited
Zephath and utterly destroyed it, and the name of the city
was called Hormah. And also Judah took Gaza with
the coast thereof, and Eshcolon with the coast thereof, and Ekron
with the coast thereof, and the Lord was with Judah. Boy, success
here, success there, success here, success here. And then
we get to the end of the next verse. And I was just stopped
in my tracks because it says the Lord was with Judah and he
drove out the inhabitants of the mountain, but could not drive
out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of
iron. What in the world? You know,
as we follow this through, we find that that is a very big
B-U-T, but they could not drive out, what's that say? But could
not drive out the inhabitants. The first few words of that verse,
the Lord was with Judah, but they could not drive out these
inhabitants because they had chariots of iron. What in the,
that is the, that's a great big capital 96 point B-U-T, in that
verse of scripture. Now, keeping this incident in
mind, travel with me to a book in the New Testament that explains
a lot about what went on in the Old Testament, and that's the
book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 11. incident, this incident,
or maybe not this one personally, but incidents just like that
are brought up here in the book of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter
11. There is so much said here in
the book of Hebrews about the trail of faith. by faith able. Well, towards
the end of that long list of believers, that long list of
people God worked with, that God brought along, that God dealt
with, here in the book of Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 33, Hebrews chapter 11
and verse 33, we read these words. Now, there's lots gone in between
there, but here in, that's the one I want to hear, chapter 11.
Okay, chapter 11, verse 33. Well, let's back up because we
have some judges in verse 32, and we're not quite there yet,
but this is important. And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to
tell of Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthah, of David
also, and Samuel, and of the prophets, who through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant
in fight, turned to the flight of the armies of the aliens.
Now by faith they did that. God gave them the faith. What
in the world happened here? What happened here when we find
this passage of scripture that because they had chariots of
iron, is there something about God's omnipotence and chariots
of iron? I think not. God blessed them,
and yet we find in the whole middle of this that God blessed
a people that he didn't give faith to. They did a whole lot. out of their own works and out
of their own interests. They did a whole lot, but here
there was a group of people they could not take. Well, this is
so contrary to what God has already told him. I'm giving you the
land. Now, if you remember what we
read just a Sunday before about there in Numbers 33, he said,
you go in there and you take care of all of the people that
are in there and I'm with you. But if you don't, These people
are gonna be a thorn in your eye and a thorn in your side. And I will do unto you what I
thought to do unto them. And so he has them there, there's
cleaning up, looks like everything's going well. And lo and behold,
there's an obstruction that they don't think they can deal with
and they call their armies back. That's all I can see. Oh no,
we can't beat them because look at they have the chariots of
iron. Well, let's look at a couple other verses. that go along with
Joshua chapter 11. Let's go to Joshua chapter 11.
By faith, we find the things that were done. Now that faith
is given to us and God is really the one that does the battle.
And yet right here, we find out that these people could not go
up because they did not have faith. God hadn't given it to
them. So here in the book of Joshua
chapter 11, notice here in Joshua chapter 11, As we think, there's
so much intermingling between Joshua, Judges, Hebrews, Ruth,
all the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. Nothing's
new under the sun. Same thing goes on today. I think
of the missionary Brother Landry. I'm going to New Guinea, whether
there's money to go or not. And there's some that say, oh,
there's chariots of iron. I can't go until I get so much.
You know, how that is exhibited across all walks of life, but
that people, well, I know the Lord would, but I can't. That
attitude with God, all things are possible. And it's astonishing
to us to watch it carried out. Can you imagine how the people
felt when the walls of Jericho came down? Oh. Can you think what Rahab thought
when the walls of Jericho came down? And they're spared? I just think, my goodness, those
folks, what they did and God did it. God says, you do this
and I'll do this. The whole thing is conditional.
Now I'm thankful our salvation is not conditional. I'm thankful
that we're not in a conditional salvation, that we do so much
and then God will bless us. He shows what that happens here
with national Israel. It's a conditional covenant that
he made with them. And he said, In the end, I regarded
them not. They would not keep it. I told
them go in there and clean that place up and they wouldn't because
they fell in love with a bunch of women and a bunch of men that
were there and their idols. That's just the only thing that
could have happened. Well, look here in Joshua chapter 11. We'll
get there in just a moment. Joshua chapter 11 and verse 4. Joshua chapter 11 and verse 4,
we read this. And they went out, they and all
their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand is about the
seashore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when
all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together
at the waters of Maran to fight against Israel." Now, I see in
my mind's eye a host of people. Big army lots of people are coming
up against Israel and the Lord said unto Joshua Be not afraid
because of them for tomorrow about this time will I deliver
them up to all slain before Israel." Now, who is he talking to? He's
talking to Joshua. What does Joshua have that those
people over there in the book of Judges that did not have when
it came time to win the battle over those chariots of iron?
Faith, he had faith. The Lord said to Joshua, be not
afraid because of them. Joshua had faith. The Spirit
of God, God had given him a special blessing of knowing him. And
it goes on and says, for tomorrow about this time, I'll deliver
them, all them up, all slain before Israel, and thou shall
hoe their horses and burn their chariots with fire. So Joshua
came and all the people of the war with him against them of
the waters of Meron. Suddenly, and they fell upon
them and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who
smote them and chased them onto great Zidon, onto Misrithimim
and onto the valley of Mizpah eastward and smote them until
they left them none remaining. And Joshua did unto them as the
Lord bade him, He hoed the horses and burnt the chariots with fire.
He hamstrung the horses. No longer are these horses going
to be used against us. That's what he said. Thumbs,
toes. He did the horses just like that
king did men. So they would no longer fight
or run. So chariots burned with fire. Looks like they had chariots.
Looks like they were taken. Looks like Joshua won over them. They fought, and you know the
nice thing about it? I don't read of one casualty
on the side of Joshua. Not one casualty. Now the other
side lost everybody, plus their chariots, plus their horses,
all right? hamstring their horses, incinerate,
burn the chariots. These iron chariots were not
too strong for the omnipotence or because he refused to help
them. The iron chariots are an example. Lord, the giants are just too
big. the repetition of that very thing
over and over through the history of Israel. Those 10 spies coming
back with that bad report was not the first time that there'd
been bad reports among Israel. Oh, it's just one right after
another as we follow Israel through the land for two years, and then
afterwards for 38 more years. It's just repetition of repetition
of illustration, and these all died in unbelief. Now you'd think
Judah would be able to do this, but you know, not all Judah is
of Judah. Not all Israel is of Israel.
So this continued to go on In the book of the Psalms, Psalm
68, Psalm 68, as we read here concerning chariots, chariots
of iron over there, manufactured by man to go into battle against
man. And God said, destroy them all.
And when it came time, oh, we won the battle over here, but
look at those chariots. We just can't make it. I can't
go to Mexico unless I get $4,000 a month. That's my chariot of
iron. And if I don't get it, I'm not
going. Well, if that church doesn't help me, I'm not going to go
to it. All the excuses we hear, all
the excuses we gave, if that happens again in this church,
I'm leaving. Okay. All right, here it tells us in
the book of the Psalm, Psalm 68. Psalm 68, verse 17. The chariots of God are 20,000. Even thousands of angels. The Lord is among them as in
Sinai in the holy place. The chariots of the God are 20,000.
They would not face the iron chariots, but apparently just
withdrew their armies. You know, Paul brought this up
to the Galatians. Galatians chapter five and verse
seven. Ye did run well. Let's go over there. Galatians
chapter five and verse seven. Paul is dealing with the same
thing that we find over here in the book of Judges. It happened
in the book of Joshua. It happened in the book of Deuteronomy.
Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, the same thing. And here in the
book of Galatians, there in chapter five and verse seven, the apostle
Paul brings this up Chapter 5 or 7, he says, ye did run well. Who did hinder you that ye should
not obey the truth? You did run well. What? Who did hinder you that you should
not obey the truth? God's crying out, I'll take them. and they said, we can't do it.
That's exactly what those 10 spies came back with the evil
report. Joshua and Caleb came back and
says, we can, we can, we can, we can. Well, that brings us
up to the next incident in this chapter. It has to do with Caleb. And let's go back over here to
the book of Judges one more time. The book of Judges chapter one,
and there in verse 20. You know, four times in the scripture,
it shares this. In one place it says, when God's
blessed, five shall run a thousand. Another place, one shall chase
a thousand. When I'm with you, one shall
chase a thousand. Impossible odds, but you will
overcome. In another place, one shall chase
a thousand, and a thousand shall flee from the rebuke of one.
The book of Isaiah. So God's already shared with
them, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Joshua bring up the three
times, one will chase a thousand. You know, he told them one time,
I'll just send the hornets, they'll take care of it. What God can
do. All right, now we're gonna look
here at Caleb. It tells us here in Judges chapter one, verse
20, One more time, Caleb is brought out, and you know what he does. It says here, after that incident
of chariots of iron, we have one man, Caleb, as Moses said,
and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak. Now, if we go back
at least 38 years, those are exactly the same guys that 10
spies came back and said, we can't do it. We saw the sons
of Anak. Let's just go over there and
look at that. Where did I, where did I think? Oh, Numbers chapter
13, Numbers chapter 13. Caleb went up against and removed
the three sons of Anak. a whole army of Judah and Simeon
could not take a few chariots of iron. Why was Caleb able to
do this? Because God blessed him with
immeasurable faith. Here in the book of Numbers chapter
13, Numbers chapter 13, we read this, Numbers chapter 13 verse
22. And they ascended by the south
and came into Hebron, where Ahimeah, Shishamai, Talmai, the children
of Anak were. Now Hebron was built seven years
before Zohan in Egypt. Now I'd like to know what that
last phrase means, but we're not gonna take time right now.
But here are three sons of Anak. Oh, in the same chapter, verse
28. Nevertheless, these are the 10
spies. Nevertheless, the people be strong
that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled and very great,
and moreover, we saw the children of Anak there. Giants. The Amalekites dwell in the land
of the south and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites
dwell in the mountains and Canaanites dwell by the sea and by the coast
of Jordan. Oh my gosh, they're just, and
some of them have chariots of iron. Well, I think about this,
let's just go just a little, in verse 33, and there we saw
the giants, the sons of Anak. which come of the giants. And we were in our own sight. I never read that before, right?
In our own sight as grasshoppers. And so we were in their sight. We were just too little. Well, the thing that really was
a blessing to me to see one man all these years later, came time
to clear his property. And that problem for those 10
spies was brought to a halt when this one man went up against
them and removed them, got rid of them. He's not gonna have
them in his property. He, one man. Now, two armies
couldn't take care of a few chariots of iron, but one man could take
care of what scared the daylights out of 10 spies. They were just
nervous fits when they got over there and God cannot help us. Well, God did help them. God did overcome that. Now, in
the book of Joshua chapter 15, Joshua, let's go back to Joshua
chapter 15. Joshua 15, verse 13. In the book of Judges, we have
a repeat of this, but hallelujah, I've rejoiced over both of them.
What a good statement. This man, this faithful dog,
his name means dog. I remember R. Caleb heard that, he says, I'm
not a dog. Well, I pray someday he is. Caleb, faithful dog. Here it says, and unto Caleb,
the son of Jephunneh, he gave a part among the children of
Judah according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, even the
city of Arba, the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. And Caleb
drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshia, Ahima, and Talmai,
the children of Anak, And he went up thence to the inhabitants
of Dierber, and the name of Dierber before with Kerjathsephir. And Caleb said, he that smiteth
this place, and then we have what we had with regard to his
daughter and Othniel. I just think it is so interesting
right there when this whole group of people couldn't take care
of what God said you could take care of. If you obey, just go
ahead and do it. They couldn't, just like those
10 spies came back of bad report. They just, and it happened time
and time again. And you know, I can just, I hear
Judas. Oh, this ointment should have
been sold for 10 pesos and given to the poor, but he had no care
for the poor. He was a thief. You know, that
characteristic just follows throughout the scripture, the natural depravity
of man. And yet Caleb went in, You know, we have a hammer that
breaks the rock to pieces. We have a fire that's a consuming
fire. It's not us. It's not what we
have to say. It's what the word has to say
through us. And we just cannot get a grasp
on the power of that word. We cannot get a grasp of it.
We're thankful when God uses it, but oh, it is such an awesome,
grand power, the word of God, which created the heavens and
the earth by the word of his power. And by the word of his
power, he raises us from the spiritual dead. And by that same
power, he has called on us as the doors open to share this
glorious gospel. Come with us. We will do thee
good. Where you're going is not good. You're going back to your
own gods. Come with us, we'll do thee good.
So as we follow through here, now, I just want to look at just
a, we're not going to spend any time on it, but I want to get
ready for Nick's lesson, Lord willing, back into the book of
Judges chapter one. Judges chapter one. And this
is just, it's just, it's just sad. but it's so common,
it's just natural. If you'll look with me in verse 27, neither did Manasseh
drive out the inhabitants. In verse 29, neither did Ephraim
drive out the Canaanites. In verse 30, neither did Zebulun
drive out the inhabitants. Verse 31, neither did Asher drive
out the inhabitants. Verse 33, neither did Naphtali
drive out the inhabitants. And on and on it goes. The Lord
gave him. Joshua is going to tell us at
the very conclusion, the Lord did not withhold any good blessing. You have been given all the land. And here we have, right in the
midst of it, a bunch of Israelites who say, not gonna happen. It can't happen. It can't happen.
It can't happen. God's not with us, I guess. So
we'll look at that next time. And the name of the lesson will
be, Neither Did. Let's stop there for tonight,
and we're thankful for God's blessings to us.