They Fought From Heaven
Judges 4-5
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TheyFoughtFromHeaven.html
You cannot fight against God and expect to win.
5:20
Remember the background here: Israel would mess in their own nest and then had to sleep in it. And America is now getting exactly what we’ve been asking for, and what we deserve. We eat the fruit of our own deeds.
ill.--a man opened his lunch box at work w/ the guys and said, yuk, peanut butter and jelly. / next day / next day / finally one of the guys said, why don’t you tell that wife of yours to take a clue that you don’t like peanut butter and jelly? / "Stop talking about her that way, I pack my own lunches!"
America has packed her own lunch and now we are being force fed, and it is sticking to the roof of our mouth, and we need something to wash it down with but it is too hard to swallow. We wanted change and we are getting it. We reap what we sow. Sin leads to death, and nations are not exempt from this law.
We left off w/ Ehud striking a left hand blow to Eglon ’til he soiled himself, and Shamgar was a judge briefly, but overall the Israel backslide continued in grand fashion.
5:6-8
These verses speak of a society w/ unoccupied highways and everyone walking, cities emptied, the people taken away in slavery and serving other gods. They had sunk so low a woman was leading them, unheard of in those days of male dominant society. This went on for 20 years.
God raised up Deborah [4:3-4]
They were afraid of those chariots, but look at 5:20-22. God fought for His people from heaven, and you cannot fight against God. Let’s not give up on America too quickly. Perhaps for the righteous sake out of His mercy He will get out attention and grant us days of victory once again.
Sisera and his army thought their chariots of iron wold give them victory, but it was the same chariots that led to their defeat!
Psalm 20:7
7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
And this great victory of Israel’s was led by Deborah. But another woman had the privilege of slaying the General Sisera:
4:21
She hit the nail on the head!
5:24-27
Many women in the Bible were called prophetesses and had supernatural wisdom. God used these women mightily, and His angels fought from heaven, and you just never know how God will fight battles for His people. We may have taxation w/ lousy representation, but God can raise up someone least expected and put them in leadership, and He controls the winds and waves, the economy, the peace...for He is still on the throne and in full control of the affairs of men.
And God would rather forgive than judge. If only we will repent and return to Him.
5:20
The whole universe is against the man who is against God. So we need to make sure we are on His side. "Who is on the Lord’s side?"
Success is finding out which way God is moving and getting on board! If you don’t, you’re likely to have a few head on collisions you won’t like.
Study the history of great civilizations. Once they made a decision to fight against God and His way, they were doomed.
Egypt: Pharaoh couldn’t stand against God. But the heavens fought against him and his whole army was drowned in the Red Sea.
Roman Empire: They were the strongest in history, yet they are in the ash heaps of human history.
Babylonian Empire: Their walls were so thick they say 3 chariots could race along the walls, but they were arrogant, saying they would live forever, but one day heaven fought against them.
Isaiah 13:19
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Babel couldn’t stand either.
Will America continue on this course, fighting against God and His way?
Why did we win the Revolutionary War? Because they fought from heaven on our behalf.
WWI? / WWII?
Why are we losing wars and fighting to stalemates now? Because we are fighting against heaven.
We are at a real crossroads as a nation politically and spiritually.
4 statements:
1. There is such a thing as national righteousness.
Individuals should be righteous, but nations should as well.
Proverbs 14:34
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
The 10 commandments were given to a nation.
God demands, not suggests, but demands that we select and elect moral leaders. Our national morality will never rise above that of our leaders.
2. There is such a thing as national sin.
Abortion is our national sin. The blood of millions of innocent babies cries out to God and He hears from heaven and He fights from heaven. We should vote for people based on issues like this. I know you have to hold your nose sometimes to vote for some candidates, but we should look at where they stand on morality.
God is more concerned w/ "Paula Jones" than Dow Jones. God didn’t judge Sodom and Gomorrah for their financial foolishness, but their sin.
Homosexuality is another national sin of ours. Gay marriage is quickly being legalized in many places. Then they move to other places where they demand their rights be recognized. Some states will resist and it will go all the way to the Supreme Court, and like Roe v. Wade one stroke of a pen is going to make it ok nationwide. We are undoing the fabric of our own society.
Divorce is so easy and commonplace it rises to the level of a national sin. Vows mean nothing to people anymore. God judged Israel for their cavalier attitude toward marriage and divorce.
Drug abuse / pornography / debt [buy now, pay later, stick it to your kids!]
3. There is such a thing at national judgment.
When heaven decides to fight against a nation, it is too late.
So, what’s the answer to the above?
4. There is such a thing as national revival.
If Israel teaches us anything it is that God would rather forgive than judge.
II Chron. 7:14
Lord, give us another great awakening, and a national revival. Usually they begin on a local level...may it begin here!
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/TheyFoughtFromHeaven.html
