Good evening. Yes, I greet you in the name of
the resurrected, Jesus Christ. It's good to see you on a Friday
evening. It's good to see that there are
not some, but many Christians who aren't afraid of the cold.
I hope that will continue. I saw a funny.
Somebody sent me a funny thing where was a I guess it was a
meme where one side. Somebody said I can do all
things through Christ. Who strengthens me and the next
section says you can't even go to church when it rains.
I think there's some truth to that all joking aside meet me in
the book of second. Samuel in chapter 10 and as I
said during the announcements, we weren't here together last
week. So feels like more than a week.
It feels like a month and so there is there is Importance in
reflecting on what we touched on in this chapter before we
continue. So let me give you summary David
King, David was on a quest of kindness.
He showed it to a man. Mephibosheth and chapter 9 but
didn't stop with Saul's. Descendants didn't stop.
Just with his covenant made with Jonathan, he wanted it to go
beyond the borders of Israel. And so, he reaches out to the
ammonites and he reaches out to the king of the ammonites hanoun
and his father passed away. And so David long to send,
Ambassadors to console him from a genuine place but
unfortunately High Noon had some advisors who poisoned his mind
by assuming that David had ill motives and was attempting to
spy instead of really show love. And unfortunately, the king
believed that and he does something very humiliating.
He takes David's ambassadors, he cuts off half their beards and
he trims their clothing in a very embarrassing way.
And then kicks, Them out and tries to send it back into
Jerusalem. Blushing, David recognize, what
was done. He tells him to wait in a
specific location namely Jericho until they grow back their
beards, and they come back to Jerusalem as though nothing had
happened. And that's where we stopped.
We learned a lot in those few verses, but where we are
beginning tonight is in verse 6 and we will read the next few
verses. I'm going to ask you what you
see. I'm not going to read the
remainder of the chapter. Just the first few verses and
we're going to Explore what we see, what gems Sparkle on a
surface level reading and then we will dive in in a deeper way
and we will trust. God has much to say to us and so
with that in mind, your bibles are open before you.
I trust. Let's come now to verse 6 of
second, Samuel chapter 10 and let's read.
When the ammonites saw that, they had become a stench to
David the ammonites sent and hired the syrians of Beth Rahab
and the syrians of Zaba 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of
Makkah with a thousand men and the men of tub or taupe 12,000
men. And when David heard of it, he
sent joy and all the host of The Mighty Men and the ammonites
Came out and Drew up in battle array at the entrance of the
gate, and the syrians of Zaba and of Rahab.
And the men of Tobin Monica, were by themselves in the Open
Country. When George saw that the battle
was set against them both in front.
And in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and a
raid them against the syrians, the rest of his many put in
charge of abishai. His brother.
And he arrayed them against the ammonites and he said, if the
syrians are too. Too strong for me, then you
shall help me, but if the ammonites are stew strong for
you than, I will come, and help you be of good courage.
And let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our
God and may the Lord do what seems good to him.
This is the word of the Lord. Is there anything that stands
out to you in these? These verses?
Remember Friday nights are training nights want to train.
Our eyes to know how to read the scriptures especially the Old
Testament? What stands out to you?
You have something, okay. Yes.
Okay, so here we have Job saying, may the Lord do what
seems good to him and is he is he, is he missing something, is
he not inquiring of the Lord perhaps?
But that, that phrase we're going to touch on because I
think it's something we should admire about joab.
So we will visit that. Yes, great observation.
Anything else? yes, Vivian
So joab says to his brother. Listen, if I'm being
overwhelmed, you got to come and help me.
And if I see that you're being overtaken, I'm here to help you
that's good. Oh, that's really good.
There's so much in there for the believer.
Let me say this. There's so much in there for
believers. You got it, good.
Anything else. Great.
Great observation. Maybe a couple more and then
we'll continue. The second time yes that's a
good observation to. So he sends Joe about the first
time but when the syrians come back again David himself faces
his enemies. And I think that's going to be
more important for next week or the week after I don't know.
Next week, we have us. Yes, I think so.
We do, we do. Yes.
Next week when we explore chapter 11, we were going to see
that. David doesn't go to war again.
So this is not a good habit, that David is developing but
we're going to save that for next week.
Good observation. One or two more, maybe one more
Definitely Maybe Two. Anything else?
Yes. Very good observation.
What he had just said was that there was a promptness on
David's end on how to deal with the ammonites and the syrians
very good. Yes.
So there was a quickness there was a there was an immediacy of
his action to dealing with a Potential Threat, one more and
that will continue. Anything else?
These were wonderful observations.
Yes. Yeah, that's a that's a good
question. So some change locations will
look at it differently in terms of what we'll get to.
I think at one point we'll do like a huge segment on
translations because which transition do you have if you
don't mind me asking 1984 out of it.
Yes. So when it comes to the
different kind of groupings, it can be a manuscript thing where
different families of manuscript might say something else.
But when it comes to the ESV, we have the syrians and some
believe that they could be somehow connected that they're
from that general area. But we're going to do a session
one day about translations and why things say things
differently. So I'm going to reserve a longer
answer for that if you don't mind for a particular time,
maybe a future Q&A that will do sooner than later.
Okay. Okay, ready?
Now we're coming to this text. We've already made great
observations but let's look back at verse six together.
We see that the news of David's displeasure about what the
ammonites did to Israel's ambassadors came back to high
noon and his fellow leaders. And now here's what's.
What's impressive to me? At least that David here.
Is not giving any indication of retaliation.
Right. David is not now arming himself
and getting his troops to go out and fight against the ammonites
for what they did to his Representatives.
If there's anything that I see here is that David is in fact
restraining himself. And this will make more sense
when you have your rear view mirrors up in the Old Testament
and you think back to David's development throughout the
years? This is the beauty of being in a
series because you have something to work with in terms
of character observation or development.
Do you remember what David's response was like when he sent
servants before? He was a king, but when he had
his little band of men, he sends servant's out to a man named
nabal. Or Nepal.
And he took care of some of his property.
He expected some kind of favor in return and the ball, he
belittles him, he humiliates him, he insults him.
And what is David? Do the moment he hears that his
servants came back with with that response.
I'm just going to read it to you.
It's in first Samuel. 25:13 David says to his men.
Every man. Strapped on his sword.
And every man of them strapped on his sword, David also
strapped on his sword in his next breath, the moment.
His servants returned and says this is what this is what he
said about you. He says, round up the boys, get
your swords. We're going to punish this man.
And now years go by and I see David as a king, and he is
insulted. And yet, there isn't any
reaction. There is a silence.
There's a calmness. I argue there is an inner
strength that David grew into which is a mark of spiritual
progress. See because if you read
carefully, it's that, when the ammonites saw that, they had
become a stench to David, the ammonites wanted to go to war,
they were the ones that grab their troops, and we're
preparing for an attack, it would have made sense to me to
say that when David smelled what they did, he was insulted and he
round up his troops to come against the ammonites but we
don't see that there is this wonderful picture here of a man
who has developed in the area of offense.
And it would be wrong, it would be unrealistic to say that.
David was not hurt by what hanoun did to him through his
ambassadors because we're told that it was a stench.
It was an insult. And it would be unrealistic for
me to say to even a believer that when someone says or does
something to hurt you, that it's not going to hurt.
To say that a mark of spiritual maturity is that you don't feel
the sting when someone sins against you, it's not fair.
But the genuine Mark of maturity is that in the face of such a
thing, you respond in a manner that reflects the beauty of
Jesus Christ. That's the difference.
David's pain here, perhaps is even greater than what it was
when he was trying to deal kindly with Nepal, but his
response, his reaction is reflex is totally different.
And you can see this throughout the scriptures.
This stumbled to me the other the other week and it's been
simmering in the back of my mind.
And I want to show it to you because it fits perfectly with
what I'm trying to say. I need you to turn to two places
though if you want to see the beauty of this.
So the first places in Acts 23, right?
And you're going to go to verse 2.
The second place is in John 18 and you're going to put your
finger there in verse 22. So acts 23 and verse 2.
We have the Apostle Paul standing before the high priest
of his day Because there are accusations against him, his
ministry, his message, and what he is doing to the Jewish
people. And I want you to see what
happens as he is being investigated by the high priests
in the spiritual leaders of his time.
So verse 2, he said something. He's now making his defense and
before he can get out another word.
It says here in verse 2 vax, 23 in the high priest ananias.
Commanded? Those who stood by him to strike
him on the mouth. With.
Then Paul said to him, God is going to strike you.
You whitewashed wall, are you sitting to judge me?
According to the law and yet contrary to the law, you order
me to be struck. Let me pause there to say how
many of you would respond? Very.
Similarly if you are brought before a judge and before you
finish making your case, he has one of the security guards or
the officers Slap you on the mouth.
Not only is that insulting itself.
It's actually illegal according to the law.
No, such punishment should be made until someone was proven
guilty. And yet they could not help
themselves, but, but harm this man who's been harassing them.
So to speak with his gospel. But look at verse for those who
stood by said would you revile God's high priest and Paul after
this apologizes because according to the law, we are
commanded to not revile the leadership that God has
established. So Paul apologize, let me say
this way Paul was wrong and what he did, yes it was wrong and
what they did but he was wrong in his response.
Now, I want you to see our lord Jesus.
In the very same, predicament and John 1822.
He is before the high priest. He was asked a question, he
answered, he answered in such a way where he really unmasked.
The high priests has lack of logic and his hypocrisy in this
whole ordeal and John 18. 22. It says, when he said these
things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with
his hand saying is that how you answer the high priest?
Now look at verse 23, pause there.
Do you remember Paul's response? God is going to strike you?
God is coming for you, my friend.
Now here's here's the Lord standing before hype, and
somebody hits him in the mouth. And here's his response verse
23. Jesus answered him.
If what I said is wrong bear witness about the wrong.
But what I said is right, why do you strike me?
Do I need to even explain anything here?
I just put those two scriptures beside each other.
Do you see the Elegance of Jesus?
Do you see? Do you see his strength?
Do you see his self-control? Do you see the honor and the
Integrity that the master carries the do you sense the
fragrance? The Apostle Paul was a mighty
man of God, a mighty man of God but a man still and in the same
situation he could not help but erupt and here's the Lord.
Still. Not shaken.
Strong. Straight as an arrow.
You know, when I was reflecting on those two scenes, you know
what came to mind? Lord, I want to be like you.
I really, really want to be like you I don't want to give in to
the impulses of my emotions, Lord.
I want to know what it's like to be.
Such a reflection of the person and character of God, Can I ask
you something? What's manlier, you men in this
place? What's manlier?
When you compare those two answers?
Paul. God is going to strike you.
Or Jesus. if what I did was wrong, But it was right.
Do you see? We need a whole new definition
of what manhood really is. A whole new definition of what
it means to be like Jesus, read Beyond please, and our
sanctification. We need to read Beyond just
tenets of our faith. Justification means is thank
you. That's great.
That's important. I'm not trying to mock that what
I'm saying is the holy spirit, includes these examples for us
so that we can look at ourselves.
And look, I read that I go, I'm more like Paul, I'm going to be
honest, but I want to be like the Lord, I want to be like the
Lord in every situation that would try to stir My Flesh that
I would be like him. And so we come back to David and
we see There is a growth here. Now I want you to go back to
verse 6 of second Samuel, 10 now, look at it from the
perspective of hanoun when the ammonites saw that they had
become a stench to David. The ammonites sent and hired the
syrians. Now here's the thing.
When this man learned that what he did was an absolute
embarrassment and insult an offense to David and realize
that he did nothing in return. On top of that, what should he
have done? What any, what kind of what
sensible person would have done blank?
Thank you. Forgive me.
I listened to the wrong advice. I misjudged what you were doing.
Can we build this bridge again, that would have made the most
sense. I mean, I'm baffled by how this
man did not see how the council he received was totally off
base. David proved the purity of
intention is not just in his initial visitation, but in the
fact that he does not come after him with a Vengeance, shouldn't
that be enough of an apologetic for you to be convinced that
that you're wrong? And that he was right?
And what he was saying initially, But what we see here
is the opposite, this man actually foolishly hires
mercenaries. And he declares war, we're going
to war And I think when you just reflect on that, there's a
couple of principles there in regards to sin that, I hope
you'll never forget for the rest of your life.
The first lesson is this, right? So he learned that his actions.
It was a stench. And so what does he do?
Well, he continues to sin and here's principle.
Number one, sin. Unrepented sin will always lead
to Greater sin. Okay, unrepentant sin will
always lead to Greater sin and we're going to see that played
out in David's, personal life in the next chapter because David
is going to commit adultery. And he chose the path of
concealment instead of confession.
And what does it do? It only encourages him to do
even worse things. Commits murder utilize.
There's all these horrific things because unrepentant sin
will always lead you down to a darker path where you will
entertain sins that you never plan to initially.
I'm doing here. He insults the man and what does
he do? Now, he wants to go to war with
the man and so he wants to commit even more iniquity, more
Rebellion against David, and the outcome of entertaining sin is
always the same, always that when you try to hold on to it
and try to control it and try to conceal it and try to justify
it. It's going to take you further.
Whenever we do wrong whenever we stumble, whenever we do
something, we know that is contrary to the word of God.
Whenever we do something that stinks in the sight of God, that
can use that language. There is only two paths to take
every single time. The first one is to conceal it,
which includes justifying it. So you hide it.
You convinced yourself. You can do it.
And then that will lead to more trouble.
The second path on this Crossroads is confessing and
forsaking it. Those are two paths.
That's not my idea. That's a proverb if you want to
life proverb. Here's a good one, Proverbs
28:13, it's a very simple one, it's easy to memorize, whoever
conceals his transgressions. Will not prosper.
But the one or he who confesses and forsakes it, or them will
obtain Mercy. Whoever conceals his
transgressions will not Prosper but he who confesses and
forsakes them will obtain Mercy. That's a wonderful truth to
remember in the case of hanoun, he thought that he could prosper
by continuing to harass David and he's going to learn that.
That's not going to be the case he's going to do more evil and
it's going to cost them much more than he intended to pay,
which is the second point. The first one was sin,
unrepentant. Sin will always lead to Greater
sin. Here's Point number two, in
regards to this. Unrepentant sin will always ask
of you, something that you did not intend to pay.
In other words, make it even more simple, unrepentant, sin
will cost you more and more. And you can't determine what the
price is. So here's what's amazing notice
that when he wants to go to war with David, we have to read
carefully. He hires the syrians, he hires
them and it's only when you go to the Chronicles account of the
same scene where you get the exact receipt, He had to pay a
thousand talents of silver. One Talent is estimated to be
around 75 pounds 75,000 pounds of silver to hire this Coalition
of armies, to join him, and to fight against the anointed one.
That's pricey. So, is the pursuit of sin.
Always will come with a check and you will have to pay it at
one point or another. And here's the thing, when it
comes to the price of sin, as I said early you can determine
what you have to pay. You can't It will always rob you
of your blessings and God always, but sometimes they will
tax you emotionally and sometimes it will demand
something from you physically. And here's the worst thing.
If you're outside of Christ, The Ultimate Prize is eternity.
Eternity, when you want to make a willful decision of walking
against the one, that God chose in the person of Jesus Christ,
then you will actually have to pay a price.
And the proverb said it very clear, whoever conceals whoever
holds onto, whoever hides, whoever justifies his
transgression will not prosper. It will cost you something.
So never forget those points, never forget those two
realities. So we come down to verse 7 what
do we see? He hires these thousands of foot
soldiers, these chariots, he goes to neighboring places.
And in verse 7, we read when David heard of it, he sent joab
and all the host of The Mighty Men.
The moment he heard about, he says, we got to do something
about it, so he has this intelligence agency he gets a
report. Hey, the ammonites are coming
into partnership with the syrians and and they're they're
up to something David, There's Something Brewing here.
And what David does here, as he does not wait, because he knows
that if he waits the problem can get.
So great, it will be too difficult to confront.
Had David delayed. What would have happened?
Was that there could have been more men hired or there could
have been a very sophisticated strategy that would be
implemented. That would make make this whole
thing much more complex and it could have been if he had done
it just earlier. The attitude of David here, in
Warfare must be must be interpreted in view of our
spiritual war. What David is doing here is
absolutely inspiration to the believer who is in spiritual
warfare day and night and it's wisdom and here's the wisdom.
That David here does not delay because success and strategizing
over Satan's tactics is doing what dealing and snuffing out
Sparks before they become wildfires.
Not waiting, not hesitating to come and resist evil.
Before it becomes something much more difficult to overcome.
And that can be anything, that can be everything from an
inappropriate thought, that constantly visits you and you
having to Snuff it out. You having to deal with it
before it becomes persistent, and before becomes material.
Everything from something as harmless as a thought, that can
become harmful too. You approaching a brother Yuan,
humility approaching a sister and communicating because
there's unexplained tension. And you don't want to, you don't
want to leave room for speculation or suggestions from
Satan against your brother or sister.
Again, of David waited too long, things will get much more
complicated. and in the same way the effort becomes much more
when we delay in our response to formation of Temptation and
trouble. I've seen what they can do.
I've seen in so many cases. I've seen what it can do in
somebody's personal life, and I've seen it, especially what it
can do relationally between between family members in Jesus.
It it creates suspicion, it creates hurt and friendships and
marriages and even local churches.
And so you have such wise instructions, not just by way of
example like this. But even in the very clear
teachings of Jesus who, you know, this in Matthew 5:23 that
if you have a gift and you're coming to the altar to give an
offering to the Lord. But you remember, you remember
that someone has something against you dropped a gift and
go and pursue reconciliation. And here's the thing about that.
What I take from that teaching is, Mending.
Something that is potentially ripping.
Apart is emergency protocol. Emergency protocol, it's not
something to wait until tomorrow.
It's something that must be dealt with.
And listen this is what the Lord is saying.
This is so crucial that it Trump's over even offering your
sacrifice on the altar during a feast holiday.
Consider that what the Lord is, saying, don't delay.
And I've witnessed the great blessing on and so many
examples, let me give you the positive element has.
When somebody might approach me, call me.
Whatever and say, well, you know so-and-so said this.
So, and so did that or so. And so is acting in a certain
way and it's hurting me. It's confusing me.
You know what my answer is go and tell them.
Don't wait till the smoke becomes fire.
Don't let your mind. Be open for Satan to say certain
things and suggest certain things and confuse you and begin
to accuse that person through your thinking just clear the air
as soon as you can I'm telling you.
So many fires could have been put out and so many local
churches that they just took what Jesus said, seriously,
right? And David is doing that in terms
of real war, he hears that something is happening.
And he's not waiting before he deals with it, he's going to act
upon it immediately and so he does.
And what happens? we read here as we scroll down
to verse 11 and he said, Joab goes out and he said to his
brother abishai. The syrians are too strong for
me. Then you shall help, you shall
help me. But of the ammonites are too
strong for you than I will come and help you.
Here's what here's the see now between verse eight and nine job
is sent with his men, the Mighty Men, and they realized the
seriousness of the situation, the ammonites are before them
the syrians are behind them. They're surrounded.
They're surrounded, they're outnumbered.
Perhaps and so this is a very dangerous predicament and so the
strategy is very straightforward.
What he says here is that I'm going to place myself to fight
the syrians and we're going to place those who are weaker, the
abishai and his men before the ammonites.
And there's much to say about that, which I won't say, but
it's very simple that according to one's qualifications, they
will be placed in certain positions.
But instead of touching on that, I want to draw your attention to
what he says in verse 11. The too strong for me, come and
help me if they're too strong for you, I'll come and help you.
Okay, so let's stay in that theme of obtaining wisdom and
successful spiritual warfare. Here's another one.
I'll call for Mutual support in the fight of faith.
A call for Mutual collaboration cooperation in the fight of
faith and you and I know that that's why many of you are
members of a local church. You Christian should be inspired
to see how these these brothers literal brothers are locking
their arms, with one another because of the revelation of how
great of a danger, they are in there.
Surrounded by, we need to come closer to each other.
How much more us? Listen how much more us in a day
when evil perversion confusion false teaching deception is
closing in on the remnant of God.
I-i'll be, I don't know how people can claim that they can
weather the storm and it's only going to get more intense.
Wild istening cells from the people of God, it just it's
mind-boggling. Intentional Fellowship,
intentional accountability, intentional relationships with
one another and we can amend that we can say, Amen, because
the principal you can't disagree with it.
We all agree with amen. But the blessing, the reaping of
reward is when we put it into practice and the particular ways
that we see in the Bible, including what we see here and
what do we see here? We see that.
What job is setting as a rule is impossible.
It doesn't work, unless both he and his brother abishai.
You ready for this? Are aware of one another's
conditions. How is abishai going to come and
help job? If he doesn't know, that job
needs help? How is job supposed to help his
brother? If he doesn't know that his
brother needs help? How is your brother supposed to
help you? If he doesn't know that you need
help? How is your sister supposed to
know that your she supposed to help you unless how you can't?
So, you know what this means, you ready for this?
All, this is good, this means that those who want to show
themselves strong before other believers.
They can't, they can't fathom the thought of another believer.
Finding out that perhaps you are struggling.
Whether you need help that your where you are, you are going to
war. If you want to know the
blessings of the mutual support that God has designed for the
army of God, you're going to have to humble yourself.
Wouldn't it be so silly to see joab, smothered by soldiers and
him refusing to call out for help from his brother abishai
because he does want to be perceived as weak.
He imagined that we would say how foolish what's wrong with
you. I want you to see yourself in
that same light, when you feel the Temptation in your tent, in
your struggle, in your trials, and your tribulations, to remove
yourself. Instead of throwing yourself at
the hands of merciful Brothers and Sisters in Christ.
It's just that silly. It's just that silly.
And what often is the thing that holds people back from
receiving, the bomb that God has deposited in those that he's
providentially brought into your life is pride, it's spiritual
Pride. So you won't ask for counsel,
you won't ask for prayer, you won't come to the house of God
to know the healing that comes from the gifts that God has put
into that church. Because you want to be, you want
to be a Mighty, Man, a mighty woman.
You're just as much in trouble. As job would be if he was
overcome by soldiers and refused to call out to his brother
abishai. But also means something else
and that is a willingness for you and I to what give ourselves
to others to cooperate. And to contribute Galatians, you
heard that Maranatha Galatians 6:2 that we are to Bear one
another's burdens. This is the law of Christ.
And you know what is unfortunate and I praise God.
That it's not the case here, I hope it would never be That a
lot of people view the local church as a charity in this way
they can take. But God forbid, they would give
God forbid, they would give and so they have no issue.
Reserving, their resources, reserving, their presence
reserving, their participation reserving their voice,
reserving, their, whatever it is that your call to bring it to
the church. They have no problem, but all
they will get vocal if they don't get what they think they
deserve and they have no issue, they have no issue.
Arriving and coming when they need a good old.
Pick me up, right? But when it comes to them,
investing in others, It's not a reality.
You know what job didn't say? If the syrians overcome me, come
and help me. He didn't say that he added and
if you need help, I'm here for you brother.
You see, it's this, this Mutual responsibility and
accountability. It's not this vacuum where you
get to suck as much as you want this consumer mentality and then
leave wiping your mouth. Now I pray that that would never
be the case. We will see Miracles take place,
we will see his strength and and we will see a wonderful
longevity and our spiritual health when we lock arms.
In the way that these brothers are and we saying we're going to
do this together, we're gonna do this together, so you and I need
to understand that. Okay?
It's okay to be broken in the house of God.
The days are difficult and I know that I'm going to stay
here. I know that this ministry,
preaches, a strong word. Because we need to, we need to
preach repentance. We need to preach the fear of
God. We need to preach the whole
counsel of God. But I want you to know something
as well. as much as we strive for Holiness, and we strive to
be Godly, I hope that not one person in here, whatever
interpret that we do not have Grace in our hearts.
I pray that you would see that as we pursue this together.
There is so much Mercy available.
So much grace, so much forgiveness, so much
understanding. So that if you do fall, you can
get right back up and you have a leadership and you have a church
that says get up brother. Get up Sister.
Keep going. Keep going keep pursuing that
prize. Keep pursuing that Mark.
And so you have to understand joyed I'm a shy, they were
warriors but they knew their weaknesses, they knew their
weaknesses and they gladly confess when they were weak,
they gladly opened up and they said to one another when they
needed a helping hand, what's the point of all of this?
If that's not the case. So be built up and be encouraged
to know that in this place. There's so much encouragement
reserved and ready to be shared and I pray, and I trust that
many Book can attest to that. Now job doesn't end up.
Let's go back to verse 12. He continues and a way that may
be surprises us because Javas disappoint Us in the past but we
can, we can applaud him tonight. Okay, we can give job some some
Grace, because look what he says, be of good courage.
She speaking to his brother be of good courage and let us be
courageous for our people and for the cities of our God and
may the Lord do. What seems good to him.
Oh, we could take that and chop it up and break down every
single portion of what job said, but I want us to focus on the
latter part. And may the Lord do what seems
good to him. Now go back to verse 9.
Because I want you to see what job that before this, when jobs
saw that the battle was set against them both in front and
the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and a raid
them against the syrians. Joab did everything that he
could to prepare and plan for victory.
He organized, he delegated, he directed, he encouraged, he did
all these things that any commander would do.
And yet he came to a point before running into that field
by declaring an Mid trust and faith that the outcome belongs
to God. Whatever God is going to do.
He will do it. And that's an important truth
because you and I believing in God's authority over all things
and has power over all Affairs does not negate.
Our intense participation in the process.
Right, if the doctrine of the sovereignty of God makes you
lazy, you're not learning it, right?
If it makes you less zealous to be obedient to be Evangelistic
to be prayerful, you're not interpreting that Doctrine,
right? Joy had that so much and guess
what? God considered it.
He considered his wisdom, he considered his strategy, he
considered all that he did and he would work with him in this
and he relied on him and that should comfort every person in
this place. Who has his our Lord.
I want to be dead center in the will of God.
Here's my encouragement to you ready.
That as you do, everything that God's called you to do, just
like what job did You can rest in the outcome because it
belongs to the Lord. All right, so I'll use myself as
an example. As use any password example, as
long as they honor God's word, they preach, they have a holy
life, they're serious. The repentant, they're walking
in humility and they're doing all their duties, regardless of
what happens in that ministry, that's not up to him, that's up
to him, it's the Lord, right? Take that for anything that you
do in life and your life, for the Lord job your presents, a
wonderful wonderful lesson for all of us who really desire to
obey him, but cannot determine In the fruit.
You can't determine the fruit rest in that.
So now we see. It's so much we can say, but I
want to continue in verse 13 Job.
And the people who are with Him Junior to battle against
Assyrians and they fled before him.
And when the an amide saw the syrians that the syrians.
Fled, they likewise fled before abishai and entered the city,
then job returned from fighting against the ammonites and came
to Jerusalem. Here's what's fascinating.
Remember we heard in the beginning that there was a
principal but sin in relation to the ammonites and the syrians,
check this out, what we learned was if you're going to pursue
sin it's going to cost you more than you plan to pay.
It's going to take you to Greater sin and here's another
principle. Here's another principle.
When joab, and his men arrived on the scene, the syrians, fled,
the ammonites saw the syrians, they, they fled, and I can't
help. But think this, if I was hand
noon who paid seventy five thousand pounds of silver, for
these guys to come in to help me, do what I desire to do,
wouldn't you be disappointed? That's a letdown not one Arrow
was shot. Not once sword was swung
nothing. Now, once Shield was lifted up,
they turned around and fled, that's pretty disappointing
stuff. And let me tell you, it's the
same for sin sin will disappoint you.
Disobedience will disappoint. You pursuing what God says not
to pursue will fail you and it's a truth that we know from the
beginning that that glistening Apple.
Well, it's not an apple, we don't know it's a fruit that
fruit that promised so much. And it becoming bitter.
And when we think about Temptation, when we think about
all these different patterns and life that our culture suggests,
it always asks, you throw away your, you throw away the
strength of your you throw away your money, throw away your
time, throw away the blessings of God, right?
And so many people bite, and it bites back because when it comes
to the moments, where you think that that thing, that promise so
much happiness is security and strength was going to deliver it
failed to execute the way you thought.
That's exactly what we see here with a syrians and the
ammonites, they expected so much and they were LED down and Paul
use that as an example, when he's preaching on Holiness, in
Romans 6, he says there in Romans 6.
Hey, what fruit were you getting at the time of the things of
which we are now ashamed? Like what benefit was there in
your previous life? And I always tell this to people
when you are tempted with a particular sin, may be a sin
that you crucified when you came to Christ, don't think about It
makes you feel think about how I let you down and let that live
before you. And so when that Temptation
comes up, you say I can see right past through this mask and
I know what that is that it that's not an oasis.
That's that's just a pile of sand.
And so even we see here that though these men pursued greater
wickedness, thinking that it was going to profit them and give
them Victory. And in fact turn to slap them in
the face. So it is with sin.
Now we come. And what do we see here in verse
15? Well, they fled the ammonites
fled. So, job goes back to Jerusalem
and when he goes back to Jerusalem, something interesting
happens, and we haven't read this yet together, but when the
Syrian saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they
gathered themselves together and how do they user sent and
brought out the syrians, who were beyond the Euphrates, they
came to helium, which show back the commander of the army of had
a desert at their head. And when it was told David, he
gathered all Israel together, and cross the Jordan, and he
came to heal, and the syrians are raised themselves.
Has against David and fought with him.
Let me pause here because I've been talking a lot.
What do you take from that with the theme of sin with the theme
of rebellion with the theme of wickedness with the theme of
stubbornness? What do you see here?
Well, job goes back and the syrians.
They gather themselves again, I think you're foolish, this is
stupid. You know what, I see from that
before we're quick to criticize where we any different when we
were in sin. Are we any different?
Since Spooks us and makes us just look absolutely absurd.
We've embarrassed ourselves. We feel filthy.
We had a near-death experience, we severed so many
relationships, and just like these men, the moment things.
Calm down. We go right.
Back to the vomit that we just threw up.
And sometimes we go even harder than when we did it first.
So we see the stubbornness, we see the stubbornness of the
syrians. No different than the
stubbornness of The Sinner. Who will just put their head
down and continue to Ram it against the same wall?
and when I look at this, I think to myself How can this be?
How can you go back to the very thing that spooked you, that
exposed your weakness and how small you were?
Well, that's what happens when a heart does not have the rule of
Christ in it. Sin makes people stupid.
Can I use that language? Is that okay?
It just makes people lose their judgment lose their ability to
reason and we're going to see that in the next chapter we're
going to talk about the sin of adultery Proverbs 6 tells us
that he who does, it has no sense.
Because they don't consider the consequences.
They don't consider what can happen as a result.
Of that. Law-breaking.
And just like the sinner, doesn't matter.
If you were warned, doesn't matter if you escape death, it
doesn't matter if you've experienced serious loss,
doesn't matter if you just doesn't matter what.
Fearful fate might come before, you have people who was Spring
right back into action, even after they realized that this
can potentially destroy them, And what was the blow that they
would suffer? Look at Verse 18 and the syrians
fled before, Israel, David killed of the syrians the men,
seven hundred chariots, forty thousand Horsemen and wounded
shabak. The commander of the army so
that he died there. The chapter does Anne Enright.
It doesn't end because as crazy as these syrians are in this
text, we can actually applaud them because they learned their
lesson. They learned their lesson, Only
After experiencing a severe blow.
And there's two things that they did.
That was right. as a result of this failure, the first thing,
Is here in verse. 19. And when all the kings who were
Servants of, how did, as our saw that they had been defeated by
Israel, they made peace with Israel.
Good job should have done it earlier, but better late than
never, they made peace with Israel.
You want to know the second thing?
And became subject to them. Here it is.
So the syrians were afraid to save the ammonites anymore.
We will no longer associate with you ammonites anymore because
every time we hang out with you you just lead us into greater
trouble. We're done.
Okay, I'm going to end here. oftentimes, What it takes for
The Sinner to make peace with the son of David, who is Jesus
Christ, and to cut themselves off from the influences of sin.
Is to get burned. It's only after you get beaten
up by your decisions in Rebellion.
And not just light Taps because then got a light tap, the light
tap was just as they were fearful and they ran off the
site of job and those Mighty Men was terrifying enough and it
caused him to run in the other direction but it wasn't until
the syrians new serious loss. That they change their ways,
this breaks my heart but it's true. unfortunately, for some A
sermon won't mean anything until they're crushed by life.
And I see this particularly with young people when I go and I
speak at youth conferences. Most difficult audience to deal
with because they haven't been through life long enough.
That's that's what really it is. I think I've seen you have seen
young people fall on their knees and cry and repent, genuinely
and change their course, because of the grace of God.
And I've seen other people, there's just the smugness and
there's this a sense of I am Invincible, you're 18.
Just live a little bit longer. Once you have to leave your
house and you can't eat, mom's home-cooked meals and you don't
have a nice bed warmed and ready for you.
Once you go on to the real world, And you're no longer have
to be forced to come into church, and you actually have to
make decisions on your own and Satan is right there waiting to
give his options to you. Just wait till then, just wait
till then, and so, Sometimes what God will do?
Instead of giving you a sermon is put you on a sick bed.
It doesn't have to be that way, but he can do it that way.
He can, he can and he has broken many bones and I'm not talking
about, I'm not talking about psalmist language.
Here of what it feels like to be convicted of sin.
I'm talking about real broken bones.
And if you think, I'm coming up with my own ideas here, I want
you to, I want you to see what I'm saying, and the final verse
versus of our study tonight, it's in the Book of Job.
It's in chapter 33, And I want you to see what is said here.
About the ways of God. Job is very tricky book to teach
from because a lot of the things that job's friends say were
right, but applied wrongly and some things are off.
So you have to be, you have to be very careful of how you teach
and preach from The Book of Job. And the best way to know what to
use is to see how the rest of the scripture uses that same
truth, right? But look at Job 33.
Verse 9 that I think this is incredibly insightful and verse
19. We read man is also rebuked with
pain on his bed and with continual Strife in his bones.
Who's doing the rebuking here? God is doing the rebuking here.
So that his life loads bread, meaning your so battered that
you have no appetite. And his appetite the choices
food. His flesh is so wasted away that
it cannot be seen. And his bones that were not seen
stick out. Remember what I told you it's
often it's not the light tops in life.
That get our attention. It's the major interventions.
Look at verse 22, his soul draws near the pit and his life to
those who bring death. This is serious.
And the spirit is attributing, this as a work of God that God
can rebuke a man in such a way to get his attention to get his
attention. Notice the words in verse 19
carefully men is also rebuked meaning.
This is just one of his ways of rebuking, And I think that this
kind of rebuking is reserved for the ones who win their rebuked
in this way. Right?
Hey, hey, repent, be careful surrender.
Time is short when they don't get that rebuke.
That's fine. I can listen.
And he allows Providence to have his way and he brings a man or a
woman to the very brink of death itself.
You read the remaining versus you can do that on your own
time. There's a Redemptive element to
this but look at verse 29, quickly.
Why does God do this behold? God does all these things just
in case you thought I was adding that.
Twice. Three times with a man.
So patient. And you about tells me how
stubborn of us, I've had a handful of conversations, with
people who reached out to me, to ask me.
I need to sit with you, I need to tell you what happened to me,
it's a fine. Come sit, they sit with me and
they tell me of how they almost died near it, car accident near
death, experience, something, whatever overdose.
I don't know what it is so many different things and they look
at me and you can see this concern on their face.
How they've come so close to meeting their maker.
Only for the gospel to be given to them for them, to be somewhat
receptive, to it, to get back and to never be seen again.
Behold. God does all these things twice
three times with the same person.
You know, there's some people who just like won't die even
though they should be dead. I know a couple of those people
say how are you alive? You fell off that roof.
You got hit by this car and they're just, they don't know.
And it's like, oh well what do you need to wake up, man?
Right twice. Three times with a man for what
purpose verse 32. Bring his soul from the pit,
see, God is willing to crush you.
Now, before you spend eternity away from him suffering, under
his judgment under his Wrath, that's why it hurts me.
Sometimes, when people really have the strong stance about
suffering in the world. Well, how can God do this and
how can God allow this? Well, listen, if you keep it in
light of Eternity, you're not going to have that much
objection. When you realize the suffering
in this life, oftentimes is God's megaphone to get the
attention of a generation. Then you're going to understand
that suffering in light of Eternity is actually merciful,
it's merciful. I know that's controversial but
I believe this book not popular opinion and so we see here that
he does it to bring his soul from pit from the pit that he
may be lighted with the light of Life.
Yes, he will make your days dark so that you could come to this
light of life. Does he have two with some?
Can God avoid using this? Absolutely.
It's contingent upon the hardness of your heart though.
Look back at verse 14 for God, speaks in one way and into
though, men does not perceive it.
What with the what this text is saying is God, has many ways of
communicating to people. That's not to say that the word
of God is not sufficient, is that God uses the truth of the
word of God. To be made known to you through
different Avenues, including sticking you on a sick bed.
To help you realize that you are.
But a man you are but dust and Ashes.
I hope that everyone in here knows the Lord.
I trust that. Especially for those that I
know. but maybe somebody will watch this Bible study months
from now weeks or not, maybe they're watching right now or
maybe you're in this place and I don't know you and You don't
know Jesus. God speaks in one way into
though. Men does not perceive it.
I don't want you to have to get beaten up by sin before you
realize you need a savior Why don't you realize it now and
perceive that in God's Providence?
He's getting your attention tonight?
Yeah. Yeah.
That he really wants to save you.
And make a treaty with you and be an alliance with you and
adopt you and redeem, you and fill you with his spirit.
So that not only, would you be safe from his wrath, but that
like we heard earlier, you would be conformed to his son's image.
So that even in moments where you know that you would act in a
certain way, had it not been for Christ, he would receive so much
glory in your life. And so, we conclude today with a
very, very sobering. Reality of not just the syrians,
but if Sinners oftentimes, The Sinner needs to be awakened.
To realize I need to make peace with my God.
And I need to do this ready for this.
Some of you, your fellowship will not be distasteful and
Until you realize the heartache of what it's like to be with
somebody who's not in Christ relationally and in friendships,
Right. They told the ammonites were
done here. We're done here.
Why don't you just trust God's wisdom beforehand?
Why don't you just trust God's wisdom before hand before you
see what somebody who is not yoked to Christ?
Can do to you who was and who is yoke to Christ?
Avoid it, avoid it now. With all that being said, let's
pray. Lord, we ask you that the truths
that we heard in this this study.
Would be chained around our hearts.
And we ask Lord that. All these principles.
Would play out in real life situations.
We are forgetful. We we are creatures that need to
hear the same truth over and over again.
But we just pray fully with genuine hearts.
Lord, we ask that your Holy Spirit would keep us from losing
sight of what we saw in your word.
And Lord, for the person who doesn't really know you.
And they're not even concerned about knowing you because
they're very comfortable in life.
Although we just pray that you would have mercy on them to get
their attention in any way possible, if it will open them
up to giving their souls to you. And Lord for us as a church and
for the different Ministries represented here.
May we implement the wisdom of David and actual Warfare and our
spiritual warfare to be quick to see temptation.
And to deal with it to be quick to see potential trouble in our
relationships. And to deal with it, to confront
it to communicate it. Lord, we need you and so many
things we need you. And Lord, When sin temps us, and
it may even tempt us. The very moment, we say, Amen,
to this prayer, sin is right there to whisper in our hearts.
may we never forget that unrepentant, sin will always
lead us into greater more Unthinkable sin and unrepentant,
sin will always bring with it a price that we don't want to pay
but we will have to pay So Lord as we go into this dark evil
lying world, may your truth be louder than every other voice
and finally met this brief study cause us to see the value of one
another and to say I'm here for you, would you be here for me?
And when I'm weak, would you not judge me and hurt me?
But would you list me up? And when you're weak, I will be
there to pray for you to speak to you too.
Help you in any way that you need.
Lord, may that be the culture of Maranatha, Bible Church.
And every other church, that is visiting here.
We give you glory and we sing to you because your word is
incredible and you are awesome and so receive our praise on
this Friday evening in Jesus name.
Amen, let's stand church, let's Worship the Lord.