Has God Burned My Barley Field?

Q: What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

The Bible teaches that salvation is solely an act of God, initiated by His sovereign will. The Bible clearly conveys that salvation is entirely the work of God. As stated in Ephesians 2:1, we were 'dead in trespasses and sins,' highlighting our total inability to contribute to our own salvation. It is by God’s grace that we are saved, as Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 2:4-5, where he notes, 'But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.' This demonstrates that God's initiative is essential in the process of salvation, showing that He purposefully planned and executed salvation from before time began.

Q: How do we know that God initiates our salvation?

Scripture affirms that God is the sole initiator of salvation, as He has promised it according to His purpose. We can be certain that God initiates our salvation through His revealed word. In light of 2 Samuel 14, we see Absalom's actions as a means to gain his father's attention, analogous to how God sometimes disrupts our lives to lead us toward Him. God had promised salvation from before the foundations of the world (Titus 1:2), emphasizing that it is not based on any human effort but on His divine initiative. Acts 16:14 tells us about Lydia, whose heart God opened to respond to Paul's message, illustrating that God must first act in our hearts for us to believe.

Q: Why is understanding God's sovereignty in salvation important for Christians?

Understanding God's sovereignty ensures Christians recognize their dependence on Him and the grace given in salvation. Understanding God’s sovereignty in salvation is crucial for believers as it reinforces the concept of grace—God’s unmerited favor towards sinners. Sovereign grace allows us to acknowledge that our salvation is not based on our own works or decisions but solely reliant on God's mercy and will. This truth brings comfort and assurance, as seen in Philippians 1:6, which states, 'He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.' Therefore, recognizing His sovereignty helps cultivate humility and gratitude, as we see ourselves as recipients of His divine grace, rather than contributors to our own salvation.

Q: What does it mean when God 'burns down our barley fields'?

When God 'burns down our barley fields,' He eliminates the obstacles that hinder our relationship with Him. The metaphor of God burning down our barley fields signifies His sovereign actions to remove distractions, pride, and self-reliance from our lives. As Absalom burned Joab's field to gain attention, God sometimes disrupts our lives to ensure we focus on our need for Him. This divine intervention may manifest through trials or loss, compelling us to acknowledge our spiritual state and reliance on God's grace. In this way, God gets our attention and leads us to a deeper realization of our need for repentance and faith in Christ. As expressed in Psalm 34:18, 'The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart,' emphasizing that God draws near to those who are humbled by their circumstances.

Q: How does the story of Saul of Tarsus illustrate God's sovereignty in salvation?

Saul's conversion illustrates that God's sovereign grace can transform even the most zealous opponents into faithful believers. The story of Saul of Tarsus, who becomes the Apostle Paul, serves as a profound illustration of God’s sovereign grace in salvation. Saul was a fervent persecutor of Christians, yet God intervened dramatically on the road to Damascus, revealing Christ to him. This encounter exemplifies God’s ability to change hearts and redirect lives according to His purpose. As Philippians 3:7-9 reflects, Saul counts everything he held dear as loss for the sake of knowing Christ. His transformation showcases that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace, emphasizing that salvation is entirely of the Lord. It confirms His right to act in every situation, reminding us that He is the one who actively moves to bring individuals to faith.

Sovereign Grace Chapel, located at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. Welcome to the broadcast. Now, my text for today is found in 2 Samuel chapter 14, specifically verses 28 through 33. But before I read the text, I want you to hear the background. Before, like I said, before I read verses 28 through 33 of 2 Samuel 14, let's consider the background.

Now, King David, his son Absalom, a handsome and debonair young man, Absalom has fled to Gesher because he had his brother Amnon killed for raping their sister Tamar. Now this is what happened, this is what took place. Absalom is in exile for three years because of this. He's afraid to come see the king and everybody's quiet, everybody's hush about this.

Now Joab, King David's nephew, but also King David's military commander, realized that King David longed to see Absalom. He just longed to see him. In spite of all that had happened, in spite of Amnon raping Tamar, in spite of Absalom killing Amnon because of this, David still loved his son. He was his son. Joab realized that King David longed to see Absalom, so Joab devised a plan to get Absalom back to Jerusalem. Now, once he gets back to Jerusalem, now Joab devises his plan, but Joab can't say to Absalom, will you just go on and see the king?

Even though he knew King David desired to see Absalom, he's not allowed to just tell Absalom to come on in. He has to work things out. Things have to be worked out. And David has to have the desire to actually have Absalom come into his presence. This was a perilous time for Absalom.

So Joab gets Absalom back to Jerusalem. Now, two years have elapsed since Absalom had returned to Jerusalem, and then this is where we read in my text for this morning, 2 Samuel 14, verses 28 through 33. I'll read those, and then we'll go back and look at this then.

So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem and saw not the king's face. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to have sent him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. So Absalom has been here two full years and has not got to see his father yet. And he petitions Joab twice, you know, get me to see the king.

Now look, therefore, after the second time, therefore, He, that is Absalom, said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there. Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. And Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire? Well, guess what? Absalom got Joab's attention, didn't he? Absalom had his servants go set Joab's field on fire.

He'd been there for two years and just felt like he was languishing away. And he'd sent for Joab twice to say, you know, get me in front of the king, do something to get me in front of the king. Joab just ignored him twice. Ignored his petitions twice.

Absalom said to his servants, he's got a field of this full of barley, set it on fire. So they did. And Absalom said, why have you set my field on fire? And Absalom answered Joab, behold, I have sent unto thee, saying, come hither, that I may send thee to the king to say, wherefore am I come to Gesher? It had been good for me to have been there still. Now, therefore, let me see the king's face, and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me." So Joab came to the king and told him, and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

Now, there is so much. that we could talk about here, the depravity of man, the schemings and workings of men which never work out the way they wish, whether they're on, we might say the good side or the bad side. So many things here, but here's my subject for today's broadcast. And I will give you my subject in the way of a title.

Has God Burned Down My Barley Field? Has he done that? Has God Burned Down My Barley Field? You see, salvation is an act of God. It's just the way it is. I know this is not taught today. I know that it's even said, I've heard it said probably even years ago in my depravity and unregeneracy that people even said, they say things like this, and I used to say it. God's done all he can do, now it's up to you. Well, that's just not so. You see, salvation is an act of God. In eternity, God purposed and promised salvation, yea, even eternal life.

And this is exactly what Paul wrote and said to Titus. When Paul wrote his letter to that young preacher Titus, Paul put it this way to Titus, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised. He promised before the world began. but hath in due times manifested his word through preaching which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Do you see it? He promised it.

This salvation is an act of God and it's not something God came up with after he tried conscience and conscience didn't work and after he tried the law the law didn't work, and after he tried the prophets, and the prophets didn't work, and after he tried judgment after judgment, and that didn't work, so now God's gonna try to promise eternal life through Jesus Christ. No, God purposed this life and promised this life in Christ even before the world began. Salvation is an act of God.

And in time, God must initiate. Do you hear what I'm saying? God must initiate. God, that's what I said, God must initiate the salvation. That's exactly the way the apostle Paul puts it, and he wrote it in Ephesians chapter two, and he wrote these words. And you hath he quickened who were dead. Do you see it? Just like old Admon, just like old Absalom.

And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins, wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. among whom also we all had our conversation, that is our deportment, our way of life. Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath even as others.

So we hated God. We were against God. Now, we might have loved our religion. We might have loved our immorality or our morality. We may have loved our denomination. We may have loved our profession of faith. We may have loved our walking down. We may have loved all of those things, but we were still dead in trespasses and sins.

Now take a listen to verse four, but God, do you see that? Even when these people were dead in trespasses and sins, but God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace are you saved, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. I'm saying that God, this God must act when it comes to salvation. God purposed it and promised it in eternity, and God in time must initiate this salvation.

You see, when God quickens, when God burns your barley field down, he'll get your attention. That's what old Absalom did to Joab. You know, Joab ignored him a couple times. Now, Joab went through all this trouble to get him there, but still ignored him twice. Oh, Absalom had his servants go burn Joab's barley field down.

See, when God quickens us, he gets our attention. Like Absalom did Joab, God will burn down our barley field to do so, to get our attention. He quickens us, but what do I mean exactly by God burns down our barley field? The quickening itself is not a burning down of our barley field, but enables us to see it, to begin to understand, to see what God is doing. See, salvation is not about doing, it's about what God has done in Christ Jesus. Now, I want to give you five examples, not just illustrations, but five examples of God burning down the barley field. God will burn down our barley field to get our attention if we're one of his.

Here's the first thing. God did this to Saul of Tarsus. That's why he burned down his barley field. Listen to how the apostle Paul put it this way. After God had burned down his barley field, he put it this way. In Philippians chapter three, we read these words.

Though I might have confidence in the flesh. And that's what he had, he had his barley field of the flesh. It was a religious flesh, yes. It was a legal, a law-keeping flesh, yes, but he had it. Though I might have confidence in the flesh, if any man, any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. Listen to it, here's his barley field. Circumcised the eighth day. Here's his... good barley field, circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of Hebrews, as touching the law, a Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, those that they thought were opposed to God, that is, these people who followed this Jesus of Nazareth man, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless, that's a barley field.

That's a bar, he was proud of it, proud of it. But look, but what things were gained to me. Those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss. That's a burnt down barley field, isn't it? For whom I've suffered the loss of all things and do count them but what? Here he calls it dung, just stubble. Poor old Joab's barley field was nothing but barley. Set it on fire and it just, burn up. What's happened? They burnt my barley field, yeah?

Saul of Tarsus was glad God burnt his barley field. Look, and do count them but dumb that I might win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law. You see, that barley field's burnt. It's no good. burnt, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, not his faith in Christ, though faith in Christ he did have, but his faith was in the faith of Christ, Christ's faith. but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I might know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Saul of Tarsus was glad God got his attention. Saul of Tarsus was glad that God burnt down his barley field. Here's the second example.

Think about it, God burnt down a proud rebel's barley field one time. I mean a proud rebel, he burnt his barley field down and I want to read that to you. Think about it, God burnt his barley field, he got his attention. Daniel chapter four, we read these words starting in verse 30.

The king spake and said, is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honor of my majesty. You see he's barley field. Not only does he have a barley field, bragging on his barley field, that he just, here it is, it's mine, I built it, here's my barley field.

While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, To thee it is spoken, the kingdom is departed from thee. I'm burning down your barley field. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass like an oxen, and seven times, or that is seven years, shall pass over thee, until thou knowest, until thou know that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it, Do you see it? Giveth it to whomsoever he will.

Old Nebuchadnezzar just proud of his barley field. He didn't realize that God gave the sun that made it grow. God gave the rain that made it grow. God gave him the strength to sow that thing, so to speak metaphorically. Here he is bragging on his barley field.

The same hour was the thing filled upon Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagle's feathers, and his nails like bird's claws. At the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes into heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. Sounds like to me God got Nebuchadnezzar's attention, didn't he? God burnt down his barley field, and all the inhabitants, old Nebuchadnezzar continues, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as what? All the barley fields. Nothing, nothing.

And he, that is this God of heaven, and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and my brightness returned unto me, and my counselors and my lord sought after unto me, and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I, here he sums it up, after God done burnt that barley field down, now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the king of heaven. all whose works are truth and his ways judgment and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

He can burn down your barley field if he wants to, if he wants to. So that's two things. There's Saul of Tarsus, there's an example. There's old Nebuchadnezzar. You see, when God's free reigning grace purposed for an individual in eternity, When he did that, when it comes to fruition in time, when the actual time of this barley field being burnt down, when it comes to fruition, God will burn down anything and everything that stands between you or me and our devotion and our subjection to Jesus Christ, God's Son. The Lord, God'll burn down our barley field. This is exactly, this is exactly what our Lord was saying.

And I wanna read that to you, Matthew chapter 10. Listen to how our Lord puts this thing of burning a barley field down. Listen to it, Matthew chapter 10, our Lord put it this way. Matthew 10, I'll begin in verse 32. Think about this. Remember, Absalom had Joab's barley field burnt, burnt to the ground. Why, to get his attention, get his attention. Listen to verse 32 of Matthew chapter 10.

These are the words of Jesus Christ himself. 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.

Here it is, he will talk about the barley field. 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 a 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. What's he talking about?

When a person has their barley field burnt down and their devotion is all now to Jesus Christ, others will get upset with them. Why do you turn to him? What about your barley field? It's gone. God burnt it down. You see it? He that loveth, think about it, here's a barley field.

He that loveth father or mother more than me, there's a barley field, isn't it? Good barley field, nice barley field, thick barley field. He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. God must burn down your barley field first. I don't care what it is. Mother, father, husband, wife, son or daughter, doesn't matter. 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.

Now, you talking about a barley field being burned down, that's a barley field right there, you see. This is the way God operates. This is God's salvation. It is not this mamby-pamby lies that men are pushing off on people today that God's just up there in heaven and he did his best through Jesus. Now, won't you just let Jesus save you? That's not the way it works. If God wants you, he'll burn your barley field down. He'll burn your barley field down.

Here's the third thing, think about this. We read of it in Luke chapter 18. And we'll see a man's barley field being burnt down. Let me turn to that chapter, Luke chapter 18. Think about the publican, there was a publican at the temple. There was also another man, a Pharisee at the temple. The publican at the temple had God burn down his barley field. We're not even told what it was. We're not even told what it was. The publican at the temple had God burn down his barley field and God left another man's barley field totally intact.

Now think about it, listen to it. Think about it in light of this metaphor I'm using here about Absalom having Joab's barley field burnt. Listen. Verse nine of Luke chapter 18. This is Christ's words. And he spake this parable unto certain who has trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Now there's a barley field. See that barley field all over the place? I see that barley field in my flesh, yeah, yeah.

Listen, two men, two men went up into the temple to pray. The one a Pharisee, highly educated, highly religious, highly moral. Listen, two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a Republican, a man who was a Jew who collected taxes from Jews for Rome. And the case of both the scripture in some cases, if not many cases, was that the way these publicans made their money was when they went to a fellow Jew and said, all right, you owe X amount of taxes, they actually upped what they said these people owed. So when they got their money, they would give Rome's taxes and they would make their money by the excess, by the extra. So here's a Pharisee, okay, in the temple.

One's a Pharisee, the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, even as this publican. I can just see him pointing his finger. Even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. That's a barley field. That's a barley field. Look at it.

And the publican standing afar off. He was there at the temple, but he stayed way at the back. He was way there in the back. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote on his breast, is it? But smote on his breast, saying, God, be merciful. God, propitiate. God, may there be a sacrifice to me, the sinner.

Do you see it? That man had his barley field burnt down, didn't he? Oh, he could brag about how he made money, how he was wise in doing this, and yeah, people understood he had to make some money doing what he was doing, but he was an extortioner. No fair to say I'm not an extortioner like this guy is. Yeah, he stood up far off, would not lift his eyes to heaven, smote on his breast, said, God be merciful to me, a sinner. What did God the Son say?

I tell you, this man, that is that publican, this man went down to his house justified, even though his barley field had been burnt down. But thank God that's what it took to get him there. God to burn his barley field down. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. How do you humble yourself? You got to when God burns your barley field. It ain't about, this sinner didn't just decide, well, I decide I'll give my heart to the Lord today.

No, God'd burn his barley field. He began to see what he really was, and all of his corruption, and his sinfulness, and his unregeneracy, and his ungodliness, and his immorality, and his unrighteousness. God had burned his barley field down. He cries out for mercy. I'm glad God burns barley fields down.

But you think about this. The publican at the temple had God burn down his barley field. Now that doesn't say it, but I say it again, think about it. The publican at the temple had God burn down his barley field, but God left another man's barley field totally intact. Just left him like he was.

All of his pride, all of his morality, all of his legalism, all of his personal righteousness, even trusted in himself that he was righteous, and looked down on other folk. Yes sir, now God can leave your barley field and it may feel nice and you may just be just walking around like a rooster strutting, thinking, well, God's really blessing me. No, he may be leaving your barley field to send you on to hell. That's right. Let me tell you, let me give you, let me give you this fourth example. God burned down my barley field. Yeah. Yeah, he burned down my barley field.

I walked the aisle when I was about five years old, yeah. And I was as sincere as you could be. I wasn't insincere. I walked the aisle at around five years old, I prayed the prayer, I believed everything I was told to believe. I believed Jesus was virgin born, lived in the world, that he died, buried, rose again, he was in heaven.

I had a big old barley field. And I even, at a young age, I don't remember most of it now, but I'm told that when I, at a very young age, I'd go out with some of the women on soul winning day and pass out tracts and invite people to come to church. When I got older and I fell flat on my face, I'd rededicate every time you turn around. Some of them probably thought of me, at least when I was younger, as Mr. Rededication. And later, later, I even became a young preacher. Boy, everybody just, oh, they were just so happy. I was a young preacher.

You know what God did? He burnt down that barley field. He began to show me what it really was. He began to show me of all these things I'd worked up, walking the aisle, making my decision, choosing this, choosing Jesus, letting Jesus have my heart. God burnt down my barley field. Here's the question, has God burned down your barley field?

Listen to Psalm 34, verse 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. The barley field's been burned, huh? The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Thank God he does burn some barley fields down, but he doesn't have to.

It's all up to Him. But I'll tell you this, you're sitting there bragging on your barley field right now, I pray God burns it down. Burns it down right in front of you. Burns you yourself. He just burned you down. And you got nothing. And did this maybe. By His grace you will. Cry out, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. Amen.

Has God Burned My Barley Field?

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

How do we know that God initiates our salvation?

Why is understanding God's sovereignty in salvation important for Christians?

What does it mean when God 'burns down our barley fields'?

How does the story of Saul of Tarsus illustrate God's sovereignty in salvation?

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Has God Burned My Barley Field?

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about God's sovereignty in salvation?

How do we know that God initiates our salvation?

Why is understanding God's sovereignty in salvation important for Christians?

What does it mean when God 'burns down our barley fields'?

How does the story of Saul of Tarsus illustrate God's sovereignty in salvation?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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