IN THE FIGHT
JUDGES 5:23
INTRO: DEBORAH AND BARAK
1: JUDGES 4
A) THE STORY OF JABIN AND SISERA THE KING OF CANAAN AND HIS CAPTAIN
B) THEY HAD 900 CHARIOTS OF IRON
C) THEY OPPRESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FOR TWENTY YEARS
POINT: VERSE ONE OF CHAPTER FOUR SAYS THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AGAIN DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD. GOD SOLD THEM INTO THE HANDS OF JABIN THE KING OF CANAAN.
2: ISRAEL CRIES OUT TO GOD
A) THERE IS A PATTERN TO THE FOLLIES OF ISRAEL
B) ISRAEL COMMITS APOSTASY
C) GOD OPPRESSES THEM
D) THEY REPENT
E) GOD BRINGS DELIVERANCE
POINT: THIS IS A TIME IN THEIR HISTORY WHERE THEY EACH DID RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES. THE TIME OF THE JUDGES IS PROBABLY THE MOST LAWLESS AND DESTRUCTIVE TIME FOR ISRAEL.
BODY: CHAPTER FOUR AND FIVE
1: FOUR IS THE ACCOUNT
A) THE ACCOUNT OF DEBORAH AND BARAK
B) THEIR UPRISING AND THEIR VICTORY OVER JABIN AND SISERA
C) THE ACCOUNT IS ALL RECORDED IN CHAPTER FOUR
POINT: CHAPTER FOUR IS THE STORY OR THE HISTORY OF THE VICTORY DEBORAH AND BARAK BROUGHT TO ISRAEL.
2: FIVE IS A SONG OF PRAISE
A) V 1 THEY SANG PRAISE TO GOD
B) THE ENTIRE CHAPTER IS A HAPPY SONG A POEM
C) A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF LITERATURE OF PEOPLE REJOICING AND PRASING GOD FOR THEIR DELIVERANCE.
D) EXCEPT FOR V 23 A CURSE IS ISSUSED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SONG.
POINT: WHAT DOES THIS SIGNIFY? THE VERSE STICKS OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB!! CURSE YE MEROZ, BITTERLY. STRONG WORDS DELIVERED BY A CELESITAL BEING REFERED TO AS THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.
3: CURSE MEROZ
A) MEROZ/ REFUGE IN HEBREW A CITY MORE THAN LIKELY LOCATED CLOSE TO THE BATTLE.
B) CURSE-ARAR- GREAT HARM OR MISFORTUNE,
C) THE CITY WAS PLACED UNDER AN INVOCATION TO BRING GREAT HARM AND MISFORTUNE.
POINT: AFTER THIS CURSE IT AS IF THE CIY CEASED TO EXIST, LIKE IT JUST CRUMBLED AND FELL TO NOTHING BUT RUBBLE.
4: ANGEL OF THE LORD
A) WHO IS THIS?
B) HE IS ONLY SEEN IN THE OT
C) GEN 6:17-21 21:17-18, 22:11-18, EX 3:2, JUDGES 5:23, 6: 11-24, 13:3-22, 2 SAM 24:16
D) THIS IS A UNIQUE BEING SEPARATE FROM OTHER ANGELS
POINT: HE SPEAKS AS GOD, IDENTIFIES HIMSELF WITH GOD, EXCERCISES THE RESPONSIBILITES OF GOD. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS JESUS IN THE OT?
CLOSING: IN THE FIGHT
1: WHY WERE THESE PEOPLE CURSED?
A) THEY DID NOT HELP IN THE FIGHT
B) THEY WERE COMPLACENT
C) THEY WERE LAZY
D) LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD
POINT: JESUS IS ALL OVER THE OT, HE IS HERE IN JUDGES LOOKING OVER THE BATTLE, HE SEES THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER STAY NEUTRAL THAN GET IN THE FIGHT, THOSE WHO WERE NOT HOT OR COLD BUT LUKE WARM.
2: CHRISTIANS TODAY
A) NOTHING WORSE THAN ONE WHO DOESN’T HELP IN THE CAUSE FOR CHRIST
B) THEY GOT THEIR SALVATION EVERYONE ELSE IS ON THERE OWN.
C) WHEN ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE ENGAGED WITH THE ADVESARY WE SHOULD BE WILLING AND READY TO TAKE UP THE SWORD AND FIGHT
POINT: EPH 6:11-18 TAKE THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD, GET IN THE FIGHT, 900 CHARIOTS OF IRON AND A LARGE ARMY WERE DEFEATED BY TEN THOUSAND WHO TRUSTED GOD AND BELIEVED HE WOULD GRANT THEM VICTORY.
CONCLUSION: TODAY OUR HOMES, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES ARE UNDER ATTACK, THE CORE VALUES OF THE FAMILY ARE BEING PULLED RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER OUR FEET, IT IS TIME WE GET IN THE FIGHT AND STAND UP FOR WHAT THUS SAITH THE LORD. IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE DOG IN THE FIGHT, BUT MORE THE LESS THE SIZE OF THE FIGHT IN THE DOG. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING AND STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELVES APPROVED. LET’S SEE SOME FOLKS SAVED!!!!!!!!!
