In Psalm 20:7, we read, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (NIV). This verse sounds like the motto for a country, like what we find written on our money, which says, “In God We Trust.” But I want to ask you this morning, “Do the people of our country really trust in God?” It appears that more and more, the people of America are going astray from a strong belief and commitment to the Lord. For example, the Barna Research Group shows that only “four out of every ten adults attend a church service on a typical Sunday. That figure is a significant decline from the early Nineties, when close to half of all adults were found in churches on Sunday.”(1)
If people today are failing to place their trust in God, then what exactly do they trust in? Well, we just read that “some trust in chariots and some in horses.” This verse isn’t saying that people are actually worshipping chariots and horses. It’s telling us that people trust in the inventions of man more than they trust in God. They put more stock in man than the Lord. Paul warns us in Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through empty philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men.”
In our society people are basing their life decisions on human reasoning. People today don’t accept Christ as “the way, the truth, and the life,” because human philosophy says there is no one truth, and that truth is subjective. People today feel they can reach a state of self-deity because mankind is supposedly evolving: we owe this reasoning to Darwin. Also, life to some people is all about what we can get for ourselves, no matter who we have to step on, because according to Freud we must serve the ego and our basic aggressions. Our country is losing its trust in God because, against Paul’s warning, people are being cheated through the empty philosophy, reasoning, and deception of mankind.
The message that’s found at the center of the Bible – not the central message, for the central message is one of salvation, but the message at the center – is that we must place our trust in God in everything we do. Let me illustrate with some questions and answers. What’s the shortest chapter found in the Bible? It’s Psalm 117. What’s the longest chapter found in the Bible? It’s Psalm 119. Which chapter is the very center of the Bible? The answer is Psalm 118. Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118; and there are 594 chapters after Psalm 118. When you add these two numbers together you arrive at 1188. What is the center verse in the Bible? Psalm 118:8. So, what does this verse say about trusting in God? It says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”(2)
This morning we’re going to look at the reason why it’s important to put our confidence in the Lord instead of man. We’re going to look at two passages that are related to Psalm 20:7. Remember, that Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (NIV). The two passages that we’re going to view today are from Psalm chapter 33 and Isaiah chapter 31. We’re going to see that we should trust in God because He holds the power to make things happen; while people, on the other hand, are weak and helpless when they attempt to become independent of the Lord.
Trust the Lord for He Is Supernatural (Psalm 33:16-21)
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, 19 to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.
Psalm chapter 33 was written to Israel to remind her that a country will only be blessed if it puts its trust in God alone. If we go back just a few verses to Psalm 33:12, we read this: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” This verse doesn’t say blessed is the nation whose god is the strength of man, or whose god is human devices for war. We read in Deuteronomy 17:16, where God commanded how a king of Israel “shall not multiply horses for himself,” and the reason being that a king with a large army, having many horses and a large arsenal, will be tempted to trust in his own strength instead of in God’s.
So, why should an army be careful about putting its trust in horses and chariots? Commentator Matthew Henry says, “If the war-horse be unruly and ill-managed, he may hurry his rider in to danger instead of carrying him out of danger. If he be killed under him, he may be his death, instead of saving his life. It is, therefore, our interest to make sure God’s favor is towards us, and then we may be sure of His power engaged for us, and need not fear whatever is against us.”(3)
You see, neither mankind’s armies nor his limited wisdom will protect him from harm. We read here that God’s eye is only on those who fear Him and who hope in His mercy (v. 18). Success in whatever we attempt in life is only guaranteed, first of all, if it’s God’s will; and secondly, if we place all our trust and hope in the Lord. The same truth applies to a nation. God’s eye will only be on a nation when the leaders and the people truly uphold the motto that says, “In God We Trust.”
So, why do we want God’s eye to be on us? Because God is all-seeing and all-knowing. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Hebrews 4:13 tells us, “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” Because God sees all, He knows all; and therefore, He knows what’s best and can guide us in the right path. Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes.”
People Are Weak for They Are Natural (Isaiah 31:1, 3, 8-9)
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord! . . . 3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out His hand, both he who helps will fall, and he who is helped will fall down; they all will perish together . . . 8 Then Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man, and a sword not of mankind shall devour him. But he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall become forced labor. 9 He shall cross over to his stronghold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the banner,” says the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
At this time in Israel’s history King Sennacherib of Assyria was attempting world domination. He was threatening to invade Egypt as well; so Pharaoh Shebitku came to the defense of King Hezekiah in southern Israel. The Assyrian king had put the city of Jerusalem under siege. “Sennacherib warned Hezekiah not to take any solace in the fact that the Egyptians were coming [to rescue him], for the Assyrian record of success over all previous enemies was too overwhelming to expect that they would be the answer to Hezekiah’s problems. In the end, Egypt proved to be nothing Judah could lean on.”(4) This background information explains the reason why we read, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help . . . but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!” (v. 1).
We just learned how we need to trust in God, and the reason why is because He is supernatural. We see here, however, that man is only natural; and thus, helpless to defend himself. We read in verse 3, “Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are flesh, and not spirit,” and that “both he who helps . . . and he who is helped will fall down” when the Lord stretches out His mighty hand. Anything of this world which is natural – such as human beings, and anything that is made of flesh, and anything that is biological or organic – is susceptible to fall and fail. The world and every single thing that is in it are already perishing.
In reference to the person who pursues the things of this world, James 1:10-11 says, “As a flower of the field he will pass away. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So, the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” What we learn from God’s Word is that all things in this world are perishable and perishing – human beings, plants, animals, possessions – every single thing! This is the reason why we shouldn’t trust in chariots or horses, or in the inventions or wisdom of mankind. These things are weak and perishing and they’ll eventually let us down.
Verse 8 declares, “Assyria shall fall by a sword not of man.” Judah couldn’t hope to rely on flesh to save them, for they had to rely on spirit, namely the Spirit of God. The flesh is sinful and capable of error. Paul revealed this fact when he said in Romans 7:18, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells.” If we, as individuals or as a nation, trust in the inventions or wisdom of man, then we risk becoming another casualty of war; a casualty of spiritual warfare, that is.
If you’re an individual who’s searching for the meaning of life, then you need to understand that seeking the knowledge of man will leave you empty and spiritually dead; however, seeking the knowledge of God found in Jesus Christ by the guidance of the Holy Spirit will lead to eternal life. And if our country is searching for the most effective way to meet some kind of national crisis and relies heavily on the advice of people, then we could be destroyed or conquered; however, if we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then our God will fight for us and give us the answers we need.
For example, in 2 Chronicles chapter 20, verse 1, we read that “the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against [King] Jehoshaphat.” When Jehoshaphat heard this news he didn’t seek the advice of people concerning what to do. What he did was to gather all of Jerusalem and the inhabitants of Judah together, in order to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:4); and he said to Him, “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You” (v. 12).
Jehoshaphat admitted to the Lord that human reasoning couldn’t provide an answer on how to defeat his enemies; and after he sought an answer from the Lord, God replied as follows: “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem! Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you” (v. 17).
Now, in our main passage, the sword that Assyria would fall by, that was not of man (Isaiah 31:8), was none other than the Sword of the Spirit that we read about in Ephesians 6:17, which is identified as the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword; however, those who live by the Word of God shall never perish. If you’re looking for an answer to any question you might have in life, then you can find the answer in the Word of God.
The Word of God is not of this world; therefore, it will never fade away. In fact, we read in John 1:1 that “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word of God is Spirit, for the Word is God Himself, and the things of the Holy Spirit will never be destroyed or let us down.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The Word was also Jesus Christ, and we read how He was full of grace and truth. If you’re searching for truth; Truth is a Person (Henry Blackaby); and that Person is Jesus Christ, God’s one and only Son full of grace and truth. The believer’s power source, and source of all knowledge, is found in God’s Word and in His Son, Jesus Christ. Our answers can never be found in mankind.
The Assyrians wouldn’t just fall by a sword not of man, but they would also “be afraid of the banner” (v. 9). The English word “banner” that we find here is from the Hebrew word nissi.(5) This word is significant because it reminded Israel of Jehovah Nissi, or “The Lord My Banner.” “The phrase, Jehovah Nissi, was a battle term. The soldier who became separated from his outfit in conflict needed to be able to find his army’s battle staff or flag flying above the conflict. He could [then] rally to the flag and not fight alone.”(6) This is an Old Testament name for God that basically meant, “The God Who Fights for Us.” So, here we have another reminder to place our trust in God instead of mankind. We need to rely on God’s wisdom and allow Him to fight for us, because that is His desire.
The Lord is someone in whom we can place our full confidence and trust for He is super-natural. His power is not like the power found in this world, which only fades away; but His power is above and beyond the natural. So, let’s be sure to remember and heed the words of Paul: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through empty philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). We must come to realize that Jesus Christ, who is actually God in the flesh, is the only one who is able to answer our questions and fight our battles. Let’s remember to look unto Him as individuals and as a nation.
Time of Reflection
This morning, I want to ask you: Will you walk away from here saying, “I trust in chariots” or “I trust in mankind?” or, will you be able to walk away declaring, “We trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7)?
I want you to think about some past ways that you’ve responded to the difficulties of life; and ask yourself, “Did I turn to God’s Word for the answer and pray to Him?” or “Did I ask my best friend?” How did you respond the last time you wondered about the meaning of life? Ask yourself this: “Did I look in God’s Word and look to Jesus Christ?” or “Did I look in a philosophy book, or take the advice I heard from Oprah Winfrey?” Do you trust in God, or do you trust in mankind? Do you trust in the Lord, or do you trust in the things of this world?
I can guarantee that if you haven’t asked Jesus to come into your heart, that you’re holding back because you’re looking to the things of the world. Jesus asked, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” I want encourage both believers and unbelievers alike to start looking only unto God this morning; and you can’t fool Him, for He knows your heart, for we read just a little earlier in Hebrews 4:13, “There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.”
We all must give an account to God. When you stand before the Lord in the final judgment will you be known as someone who truly committed your life to serving and trusting God, through His Son, Jesus Christ; or will the Lord look at your heart and find that you trusted more in the things of the world? Please, do not sacrifice eternity for the things of the world. The way to receive eternal life is to confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
NOTES
(1) Barna Research Group, “State of the Church, 2000,” March 21, 2000, taken from the Internet in October 2003 at http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp? PressReleaseID=49&Reference=B.
(2) Taken from a Power Point presentation found in an e-mail, forwarded to me by Flo DeBusk of Frankfort, Kentucky and received August 31, 2003.
(3) Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997), taken from Logos 2.1 on CD-ROM.
(4) Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., A History of Israel (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1998), pp. 368-369.
(5) James Strong, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Peabody: Hendrickson), Strong’s number 5251 in the Hebrew dictionary, p. 79.
(6) Elmer Towns, My Father’s Names (Ventura: Regal, 1991), p. 37.
