The Original Terrorist: Nahash "The Snake”

THE ORIGINAL TERRORIST: Nahash “The Snake”

1 Sam. 11:1-11

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. A farmer in the country had a watermelon patch, and upon inspection he discovered that some of the local kids had been helping themselves to a feast. The farmer thought of ways to discourage this profit-eating situation.

2. So he put up a sign that read: "WARNING! ONE OF THESE WATERMELONS CONTAINS CYANIDE!" He smiled the next night as he watched the kids read the sign & abandon their melon-swiping.

3. The farmer felt even more triumphant, a week later, when he returned to the watermelon patch to discover that NONE of the watermelons have been eaten! ‘That will teach them!’

4. But he was stopped in his tracks when he saw another sign, taped onto his sign, that read: "NOW THERE ARE TWO THAT CONTAIN CYANIDE!"

5. We’re going to read about an instance like this in the Bible.

B. TEXT

1. Nahash king of the Ammonites oppressed the Gadites and Reubenites severely….Not a man remained among the Israelites beyond the Jordan whose right eye was not gouged out….Nahash esieged Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabesh said to him, “Make a treaty with us, and we will be subject to you.” 2 But Nahash…replied, “I will make a treaty with you only on the condition that I gouge out the right eye of every one of you and so bring disgrace on all Israel.” 3….“Give us seven days so we can send messengers throughout Israel; if no one comes to rescue us, we will surrender to you.” 4 When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul…they all wept aloud. 5…Saul was returning from the fields, behind his oxen, and he asked, “What is wrong with everyone? Why are they weeping?”…6 When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. 7 He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, “This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one. 9…“Say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘By…tomorrow, you will be rescued.’” 11…Saul separated his men into three divisions; during the last watch of the night they broke into the camp of the Ammonites and slaughtered them until the heat of the day. Those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. (1 Sam. 11:1-11; vs. 1 includes the Dead Sea Scrolls reading).

C. THESIS

1. One of the scariest things Jesus ever said was “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away” Mt. 5:29. That’s a command that, if you’re going to lust, you’d better pluck your eye out. I’ve given serious thought to this before!

2. But in today’s verses, we have a dude who’s actually doing this to weak believers. Thank God He raised up a deliverer to save them and us from such a fate.

3. The title of this message is “The Original Terrorist: Nahash the Snake.”

I. THE DANGER OF BACKSLIDING

A. A HISTORY OF CONFLICT

1. The Ammonites (offspring of Lot/compromise) had been defeated by Israel under the Judge, Jephthah, who was from Gilead. His name means “He shall open.” The Holy Spirit came on him and he devastated 20 cities of the Ammonites (Judges 11).

2. Later, when Israel fell into sin, Ammon began retaking their territory. Not content with recapturing the territory of Ammon, Nahash set off on a mission of revenge, to throw Israel even out of the territory of Moab, taken under Moses.

B. ANALOGOUS OF THE CHRISTIAN

1. This is similar to a Christian who gets victory over some besetting sin. But later, after getting spiritually weak, he or she again falls under the domination of that sin.

2. Examples of things we struggle with:

a. Your Past b. An Addiction

c. Sickness d. Influence of Ungodly Friend

e. Depression f. Over-Eating

g. Pornography h. Feeling Rejected

2. The second fall was lower/worse than their first one. We always think we can control our sin; but Je sus said, “He who sins is the slave of sin.” So you’re not in control; from the moment you begin sinning you’re a slave to sin! And the devil’s never content with just a little. “The chains of sin are too light to be felt until they’re too strong to be broken.” Don’t play with sin!

3. DANGEROUS EVEN WHEN DEAD. Spain’s most famous matador was Jose Cubero, but in 1985, he made a fatal mistake. He dueled with a huge bull, horns against agility. At last he killed the bull with his sword. He then turned to receive the applause of the huge crowd. The bull, however, was not dead. It rose, charged him and pierced his heart. The carnal nature is never totally dead! (Jose was 21 years old.)