Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of Proverbs, chapter 21. Proverbs 21. I'd like to look as we continue
going through this book, verse by verse. I'd like to look at
one verse of Scripture, verse 22. 21 verse 22 says this, A wise man
scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength
of the confidence thereof. Now this proverb this morning
deals with a victory. A victory that was won by a wise
man. It's what it says, a wise man
scaleth the city, casteth down strength. A wise man that is
victorious over one that is said in these scriptures right here
to be mighty. But obviously we'll see this
mighty one was confident only in his delegated strength. He
was strong, he said to be strong, mighty, but only as mighty as
Almighty God has allowed him to be. Well, the Proverbs are
always, they always have a natural understanding and I could go
into you know, tactics and military, this, that and the other, or
wise men in business, but I'm going to bypass all of that.
And I'm going to go right to the heart of this great victory. And here's the victory. It is
the redemption and salvation of God's elect from the captivity
of sin and Satan, death and the grave. That's what this verse
of Scripture is all about. We know from the scriptures that
there is what's referred to as a captivity, a city of captivity,
an empire, as you would, of sin. And that empire of sin is found,
actually, in every human heart of every person that's ever been
born in Adam. by one man's sin. That's what scripture says. Sin
entered the world and death by sin. Now this is a great revelation
to man or woman is that all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. We're all sinners. So this place, this city, this dominion of sin is a place that,
but for the power and grace of God, can't be escaped. I mean, we're captive, we're
held, this city of deception, that's what it is. We're spiritually
blind to our own need and the dragon himself, the devil, the
prince, the scriptures describe him as the power of the air.
is the one that has the dominion over that death. You are of your
father the devil. That's what the Lord told some
Pharisees one time. And He has one purpose. He's got one goal in mind. There was a war in heaven, you
know that. And a third of the angels fell
with him, fell in rebellion when Satan rebelled against God. And
now Satan and all of the fallen angels, this is just revelation
from Scripture. He goes about as a roaring lion
seeking whom he may devour. Now the goal of this Mighty one
referred to in verse 22. The goal is the destruction of
mankind. He wants to destroy all men. They're all falling in sin and
his goal is to bring them to where he's going to be eternally.
In the lake of fire. But why? Why? Here's the reason. God's got
a people. in this mass of humanity. He's got what the Scriptures
refer to as the elect. Ephesians 1-4, we read that so
many times, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the
world that they should be holy and without blame before in love.
Revelation 12, and for the sake of time, I won't go back and
read all these, but you know the Scripture. In Revelation
chapter 12, there's a flood of deception that comes out of the
mouth of this dragon, and he's going after the woman, he's going
after the church, he's going after the bride of Christ. But the world, the world, just
sucks in all of this deception and helps the woman. So there
is a place of deception and it's this world, this is where it
is. And this strong man, this mighty
man referred to, the scripture says in Matthew 12, 29, must
be bound. He must be bound before His dominion,
before His captivity, the ones He's got, which is all of us.
We're all born that way. He's got to be bound before we
can be liberated. He's got to be held and bound
up and kept from. And that's what's happening right
now. Almighty God is delivering his
people. Now, here's the problem. We're all born captive, blind,
deceived. We know that by scripture. We
know that. There's none good, not one of
us. And we all believe that we've
got the ability, this will, this free will, to be able to just
walk out. I just walk out of jail. You
know, think about this. Now, listen, you take somebody
that's in prison, and they're in, the door's closed, and it's
locked, and they're inside. They're in jail. Now, they can
will all they want, but they ain't coming out. until somebody
lets them out. I mean, you'd say, well, I've
got the freedom to be able to do whatever I want to do when
I want to do it. Well, not according to the Scriptures. We think we
just walk right out of Satan's captivity and dominion just by
just saying, okay, I want out. And that's going to be the end
of it. No, that's deception. We need one to deliver us from the bondage
of sin. Now this morning, I want us to
just look for just a few minutes at this scripture and consider
something concerning the comfort, the message, the glorious message
of deliverance. How, how, how, how, how, how
are we gonna get out? I know, I know we're captive
to sin. I know that. And unless the Lord
delivers me or you from the captivity of sin, I know what's going to
happen. There's going to be a day in
which we're all going to stand before God. And all the books
are going to be opened. And accept that the Lord has
been pleased to deliver us And we find ourselves, having been
written in the Lamb's Book of Life, all these other books,
according to Revelation, is going to be the foundation of our judgment. And I don't want to stand before
God. People think about dying. They
think dying is the worst thing. No, I tell you the worst thing
that can happen is dying without a Savior. Now, that's a problem
right there. Dying ain't a problem. Dying
without Christ is a problem, because without Him, being cast
out. Now, it's a given fact that we're
all in captivity. Look at Galatians 1.4. Hold your
place there. Galatians chapter 1, and just
to show you. Galatians 1 verse 4. It says,
the scripture says, "...who gave Himself for our sins, that He
might deliver us from this present evil world according to the will
of God and our Father. Deliver. You know what that means?
Pluck out. He gave himself for our sins
that he might deliver us, his people. So there's no doubt,
we're captive and we need delivering, we're all in bondage, we cannot
of our own power escape, but found in the preaching of the
gospel, the message of God's grace, there is some hope for
some helpless hell deserving, and we deserve hell. There's not one of us here that
don't deserve to go to hell, but almighty God has wisely,
eternally purposed to save out of humanity. out of the mass
of humanity, a remnant. That's what Paul said. If the
Lord had not been pleased to leave us a remnant, just a remnant,
we'd all be like Sodom and Gomorrah. We'd all be under God's, you
know. So He, according to His determinate
will, purpose that He would liberate of people from their bondage,
that He would in so doing, He would satisfy every demand for
justice and righteousness on their part. He can't just let
them out. Why? Because God's just. He's fair. He's fair. That's the character
of His holiness. He's fair. The soul that sinneth
is going to die. God's got to do something. As
Scott used to say, God's got to do something for Himself before
He can do something for us. Boy, I thought, what a statement.
That's a great statement. He's got to satisfy Himself. Now, to accomplish that which
Almighty God has purposed, according to the Scriptures, it's got to
be a man. It's got to be a man, but it's
got to be a wise man. That's what it says, a wise man. A wise man. There's got to be
a man, a wise man, whose heart is bent upon God's honor, God's
glory, God's praise. It's got to be a man, a wise
man, who is willing and able to satisfy God. And therefore,
knowing that, it's got to be a wise... The scripture says,
1 Corinthians 15, 21, for since by sin, for since by man came
death, by man also the resurrection from the dead. What does that
mean? Since it was a man's fault that all humanity died in sin,
here's what's fair, here's fair, it's gonna take a man to please God. Man disobeyed
God. It's going to take a man to obey
God. It's going to have to take a
man to satisfy God. So here's what the scripture
says. I've heard people say God looked and He saw who would obey
Him and who would come to Him. And I always tell people, I wrote
an article One of the times we met here last week, week four,
I said, yeah, God did look. He looked. And here's what it
said. Psalm 14, 2 and 3. The Lord looked down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand. Any that did seek God. And here's what He saw. They're
all gone aside. They're all together become filthy. There's none that doeth good. No, not one. Now what's it going
to take for us to have any hope? It's going to take a wise man.
It's going to have to be a man. And here's the conclusion. When
God looked, Jeremiah 4.22, for my people is foolish, they've
not known me, they're soddish, that is silly children, they
have none understanding, they're wise to do evil, but to do good. They have no knowledge. So, according
to the everlasting covenant of God's grace, Almighty God found a wise man. Who is this wise man? Hold your
place right there and just turn back a few pages to Proverbs
8. Proverbs 8, verse 12. Proverbs 8, 12. Here's the wise
man. Listen, it's the Lord Jesus himself. You know that. You knew exactly
where I was going with it. You're just waiting on me to
say it. Proverbs 8, verse 12. I, wisdom, dwell with prudence. What does that mean? That means
that he possesses the ability to know how and when to do that
which is needful. That's prudence, knowing when
the right time is. There's a wise man. Wise man
knows when to speak, when not to speak, when to act, when not
to act. And ain't none of us has got
sense enough to get out of the rain. One man, one man. Look at verse 14, Proverbs 8,
14. He said, counsel is mine, sound wisdom. I am understanding. I have strength. Now here's the wise man. Here's
the wise man. It's Christ himself. It's the son of the living God
who agreed before the foundation of the world, I will take upon
myself flesh. I will be made like unto my brethren. So here's this wise man. Here's my second point. What
was his commission? What was he commissioned? We
know who he is. What was he commissioned to do? John 9, Gospel of John verse
4. Here's what he said. I must work
the works of Him that sent me. He was sent. He was a commissioned
wise man. While it is day, the night cometh
when no man can work. He was sent to do something. God the Father had chosen a people
and gave them to him out of the mass of humanity. All of them
had gone aside. All of them were ignorant. All
of them. All of them. All of them dead.
All of us. God had purpose so I'm going to have mercy to some.
That's what he told Moses. I'll have mercy on whom I'll
have mercy. I'll have compassion on whom I'll have compassion.
And this was the commission. Look at John chapter 6. Here
was the work. I must work the works of Him
that sent me. And what is that work, Lord?
Look at John 6, verse 39 and 40. This is the Father's will
which has sent me, that of all which He has given me I should
lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. This is the will of Him that
sent me, every one that seeth the Son and believeth on Him.
may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last
day." So listen, here's the problem. Here's the reason for the commission.
Galatians 4, 3 to 5, even so we. Now listen to the wording
of this scripture. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world. But when the fullness of time
was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under
the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might
receive the adoption of sons. How long have God's children
been His children? They've always been His children.
They've always been His children. They've always been His elect.
Even so, when we were children, but what was our state? We were
children, we were in bondage. That's what Paul said, under
the elements of the world. But this wise man came. The wise
man came to do what? To deliver us from the bondage
of sin that we might receive, that it might be known. You're my adopted children. I
adopted you. I predestinated you. That's what
Ephesians 1.5 says. To the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to Himself. So coming into the world to redeem
the only wise man Himself had to do for His people what they
couldn't do for themselves. Why? Because they're dead. Spiritually
dead. You can talk to a dead man all
you want to. He's not answering. Why? He's dead. He's dead, there's
no life in Him. So this wise man who was commissioned
to come into this world, what did he do? Well, the scripture
says back in Proverbs 21, 22, A wise man scaleth the city of
the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence
thereof. He came into this world, the
city, the city, the dominion, where Satan has his habitation,
and he associated himself with his people in all points. He was made like unto them except
he knew no sin. We did, he didn't. Why? To deliver
them back unto the Father, holy and without blame, before Him
in love. Hebrews 2.17 says, Wherefore
in all things It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. And
then listen to this blessed promise that the Father gave to the wise
man, the surety himself, the Lord Jesus Christ. who was commissioned
to come into this world and save his people. Listen to this blessed
promise by the Lord, by Jehovah. Isaiah 49, 24, 25. Shall the
prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall
be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered. For I will contend with him that
contended with thee, And I will save thy children. Isn't that
a blessed promise? Here's what's going to happen.
He's commissioned to come into this world. Save God's people from their
sins. And this is what God told him. You're going to have them.
You'll have them. We've got God's Word that He
shall deliver His own from their captivity. A wise man scaleth
the city of the mighty. He entered into this world in
which His people resided and held in bondage. And it was in
this world that that wise man did something. The Scripture
said He came in and He casteth down the strength of the confidence
thereof. He cast it down. He put it away. Here's my last point. Tell me
about that victory. Tell me what he did. Tell me
how that happened. Well, he did something about what had them
held. He did something about it. What
had them held? What captivated them? That's our problem. We got a
big problem. We got a problem with sin that
deserves death, and we don't have a righteousness that'll
stand before God. We got sin that deserves death. He cast down the strength of
the mighty one by being made sin. That's what 2 Thessalonians
5.21 says. For he, the Father, hath made
him sin. He made the Lord Jesus Christ
sin. And dealt with all the sins of
His people, of His elect, was found to be on Christ. The debt
of them, the debt of them. I know we still have the presence
of them, but the debt of that sin. And God Almighty in absolute
justice, poured out his wrath upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And
he dealt with him in fairness. He's fair. Where sin was found,
as I've said before, hear me well, did he deserve to die? Being made sin, he himself knew
no sin, but when he was made sin, He got exactly what was
due. My friend, if we say that He
did not deserve, who deserved to die? Right here, buddy. Right here. Us. We deserved it. He was made to be what we are. And when we deserved it, He made
Himself deserving of it. Mine sins, that's what He said.
innumerable evils compassed me about, mine iniquities, my iniquities,
he said, these are mine now, that's mine. That debt's my debt,
have taken hold upon me, I'm not able to look up, they're
more than the hairs of mine head, therefore my heart faileth me. How did he rot? How was this victory wrought?
He scaled the city, and what he did, he cast down the strength. What was the strength that held
God's people captive? Sin. He took it. Our sin, that sin of His people
was found by the law of God to be His sin now. Therefore, justice
must be satisfied. In the satisfying of God's justice
upon Christ on our behalf, The dominion of sin, the debt of
sin, the due of sin has no hold. There is therefore, Romans 8,
verse 1 says, there is therefore now no condemnation. No condemnation to them which
be in Christ Jesus. And in closing, what about that
other problem we've got? What about the merit or the strength that Satan accuses God's elect
of, about not being righteous. He's the great accuser of the
brethren. Now is there anybody in here without sin? No. If we
say we have no sin, we make God a liar. But Christ paid the debt
of it. And we don't owe it anymore.
A debt paid at the bank and I got a receipt. It said I paid in
full right there. The bank sent me a letter and
said, you owe it again. I said, no I don't. You see it
right there? What freedom do I have from the
debt of sin? Christ was made sin. But what
about me having no righteousness? All of our righteousness is filthy
rags. The scripture says, Isaiah 61.10.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful
in my God, for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation.
He's covered me with the robe of righteousness, His righteousness.
As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride
adorneth herself with her jewels. Now, now, in Him. All that the
Father chose in Christ, by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ,
there is no fear. The law is justice. being spewed
out upon us. He paid that debt. Right now,
there's no fear of standing before God without a righteousness.
We're robed in the righteousness of Christ without blame before
God in love. How is this so? In closing, I
want you to look at Romans 8.37. Romans 8.37. In all these things, we are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us. We are more than conquerors. I got to reading over that last
scripture right there this morning. And all of a sudden, the word more jumped out to me. Now I understand we are conquerors
through Him that loved us. But that word more right there
just perplexed me. And I thought, what do you mean
more? We're more than conquerors. A victor in this world today. Somebody that's victorious in
battle. A conqueror that has conquered a country. You know
there's a possibility that they could be conquered later. Rome
at one time was the mightiest of all nation countries. Rome
owned everything, you know. But you know what? Just give
it a little time, Rome was conquered too. But not so with a believer. A believer is more than a conqueror. Because there is no possibility
that he will ever be conquered. Just read the next couple of
verses. Romans 8, 37, then 38, 39. Paul says four, because I'm
persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." We're
more than conquerors. There ain't no way that we shall
ever be conquered. Why? He has declared it is finished. And this message that we declare,
this is the message of our salvation. 1 Corinthians 2.7 says this,
we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom
which God ordained before the world unto our glory. It's going to take a wise man,
a wise man scaleth the city, casteth down the strength thereof. That's what happened for every
one of God's elect. A wise man, wiser than us, the
wise man, there was only one. He came in and took hold of that
which held us captive, sin, lack of righteousness, and supplied
both, paid our debt, and robed us in himself. May the Lord bless
these words to our heart. For Christ's sake, amen. All
right, let's take a break.