1 00:00:01,100 --> 00:00:05,600 Going to turn to read some verses in God's word will read 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:11,600 from the Book of Judges. And the chapter 7, the Book of 3 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:21,200 Judges and a chapter 7. Will commence at the first 4 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,900 twelve? That's judges the chapter seven 5 00:00:25,500 --> 00:00:35,800 and the first is 12, Reading at the first 12 in and the 6 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:40,300 midianites and the amalekites and all the children of the 7 00:00:40,300 --> 00:00:45,100 East, lay along in the Folly, like grasshoppers for multitude. 8 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:51,000 Under camels were without number as the Sound by the seaside for 9 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,800 multitude. And when Gideon was come behold 10 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:59,600 there was a man that told a dream onto his fellow and said, 11 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:05,099 behold I dreamed a dream and lower kick of barley bread, 12 00:01:05,099 --> 00:01:10,300 tumbled into the host of Midian and came onto a tent and smooth 13 00:01:10,300 --> 00:01:16,700 it and it fell an overturned. It that the tent lay along And 14 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:20,300 this fellow answered and said, this is nothing else. 15 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:25,500 If the sword of Gideon, the son of joash amount of Israel for 16 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:30,200 into his hand of God, delivered million and all the host and it 17 00:01:30,208 --> 00:01:32,700 was. So when Gideon heard, the 18 00:01:32,700 --> 00:01:37,300 telling of the dream and the interpretation are off that he 19 00:01:37,300 --> 00:01:42,400 worshipped and returned into the host of Israel and said arise 20 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:45,500 for the Lord. Hath delivered into your hand 21 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,800 the host of Of Midian. And he divided the 300 man into 22 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:55,500 three companies and he put a trumpet in every man's hand with 23 00:01:55,500 --> 00:01:59,100 a pitchers and lamps within the pitchers. 24 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:03,900 And he said unto them. Look on me and do likewise, and 25 00:02:03,900 --> 00:02:09,000 behold, when I come to the outside of the camp at shall be 26 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,200 that as I do. So, shall you do when I blow 27 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,200 with the trumpet? I and all that are with me. 28 00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:22,500 Me then blow ye the trumpet also on every side of the camp and 29 00:02:22,500 --> 00:02:26,300 say the sword of the Lord and of Gideon. 30 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,700 So get in on the hundred men that were with him came, onto 31 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:35,700 the outside of the camp and the beginning of the middle watch 32 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:40,400 and they had, but newly set the watch and they blew the trumpets 33 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,400 and break the pictures that were in their hands. 34 00:02:44,100 --> 00:02:48,500 On the three companies, blew the trumpet and break the pictures, 35 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:52,000 and he'll the lumps and their left hands. 36 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:56,600 And the trumpet in the right hands to blow with all and they 37 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,300 cried the sword of the Lord, and of Gideon. 38 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,500 And there stood every man in his place, drowned about the camp 39 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:12,400 and all the host Ron and cried and fled, as we come to this 40 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,200 portion of God's word, And now be read together from the 41 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:20,500 chapter 7 of Joyce Giraud right throughout this whole chapter 42 00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:23,900 and especially in the first is that we read together. 43 00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:29,600 We can consider this account of the victory that God gave to get 44 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:34,900 Ian unto the Israeli Army. Over the combined armies of the 45 00:03:34,900 --> 00:03:40,200 midianites and the amalekites on the all the children of the East 46 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:43,700 as they are termed there in the first whale. 47 00:03:45,300 --> 00:03:50,700 There are a number of lessons that we can learn from these 48 00:03:50,700 --> 00:03:55,000 verses and from that victory, that God gave to his people. 49 00:03:55,900 --> 00:04:00,800 And one of those lessons we can learn is that God is more 50 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,700 interested in quality than and quantity. 51 00:04:05,300 --> 00:04:11,400 He is not tied to numbers, he is not impressed with numbers and 52 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:15,700 certainly we can say that grit numbers can be Beneficial. 53 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:20,200 But great numbers also can be misleading. 54 00:04:21,300 --> 00:04:26,200 Create numbers 10 to make man to be proud and boastful. 55 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:31,900 They also present a danger. That what we have is off 56 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:35,900 ourselves that we ourselves are sufficient. 57 00:04:36,300 --> 00:04:40,600 That progress has been made and that has been made by your own 58 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:46,200 achievements. And so often times and God says 59 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:52,900 that numbers are small and he works through small numbers that 60 00:04:52,900 --> 00:04:56,500 was the case. Here, we find with the army that 61 00:04:56,500 --> 00:05:01,700 was led by Gideon. We see how God cut down their 62 00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:04,000 numbers. He caught the numbers of 63 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:10,700 Israel's Army They had 32,000, they were going against an army 64 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:17,100 of 135,000, and so, the odds were greatly against them over 65 00:05:17,100 --> 00:05:21,100 for 21. And yet God, cut those numbers 66 00:05:21,100 --> 00:05:27,000 down further, as we find in the first six of this chapter, until 67 00:05:27,500 --> 00:05:37,500 they had 30 men are 300 men going against 135,000, man. 450 68 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:43,300 men against one man. A seem to be in a possibility, 69 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,700 but God was with them. And God had already given a 70 00:05:48,700 --> 00:05:54,600 promise that promise we read back in the chapter, 23 of joy 71 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,000 schewe. And there we find the Lord had 72 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:02,200 given a promise early on, and in that first, we have the promise 73 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:07,600 before us, and the first 10, God said, One man of you shall chase 74 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:12,500 a thousand for the Lord. Your God, he it is that Fighters 75 00:06:12,500 --> 00:06:17,900 for you as he has promised you. And so there is a promise here, 76 00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:22,500 but Gideon was depending on a promise here, that these three 77 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:27,700 hundred men were depending on that, with God, they were still 78 00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:32,300 in the majority. So people let us never depend on 79 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:36,000 numbers, nor despised the day of small things are. 80 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:41,800 Despise the fact that our dependency is in the Lord alone. 81 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,500 I want to look at these verses that we read together. 82 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:51,000 We have here, Gideon's Chosen Few, your we could call them, 83 00:06:51,300 --> 00:06:56,300 the people that God chooses, and users for these men, they were 84 00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:00,000 special men. They were man that God, God 85 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:05,600 could trust first thing that I note here with regard to these 86 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:12,200 300 men, it is their closeness to their leader, their closeness 87 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:16,500 to Gideon. I mean notice here how that 88 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:19,900 closeness closeness came about, if you look back into the 89 00:07:19,900 --> 00:07:27,100 chapter 6 and to the first 34 we read, but the spirit of the Lord 90 00:07:27,100 --> 00:07:30,400 Came Upon Gideon and he blew it. Trumpet. 91 00:07:31,500 --> 00:07:37,700 And I'll be a user was gathered after him, they followed after 92 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:42,100 him, they were gathered to get in by means of the trumpet. 93 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:47,000 He blew the trumpet. And these man came close to him, 94 00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:52,200 they gathered themselves onto him by means of the trumpet 95 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:54,600 call. Now we have something very 96 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,500 similar to that over there and I say. 97 00:07:57,900 --> 00:08:02,700 And then the chapter 27, the last verse of Of the chapter 27. 98 00:08:02,700 --> 00:08:06,900 Let me read it to you. And it shall come to pass in 99 00:08:06,900 --> 00:08:12,200 that day that the great trumpet shall be blown and they shall 100 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,800 come, which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria and the 101 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:22,300 outcast in the land of Egypt on shall Worship the Lord, and the 102 00:08:22,300 --> 00:08:29,300 holy Mount of Jerusalem. We find here in these verses and 103 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:33,700 and not first there. In Isaiah The Mention Of The 104 00:08:33,700 --> 00:08:36,400 Trumpet people. Gathered together. 105 00:08:37,500 --> 00:08:41,500 People following after the sound of the trumpet. 106 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:47,700 Now, as we read it there and I say, we find that it applies. 107 00:08:47,700 --> 00:08:50,500 First of all, in the first sense, it is. 108 00:08:50,500 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaking of that protection of the restoration of the Jews 109 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:01,500 after the Babylonian captivity, but it has a further application 110 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:06,300 to the preaching of the Gospel. It is the gospel trumpet, that 111 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:09,400 can be looked at. Here not by which Sinners are 112 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:13,700 gathered to Christ for salvation, those that are added 113 00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:16,200 to the church and we won't take time. 114 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:20,500 It is a message in itself. If we were to consider that 115 00:09:20,500 --> 00:09:24,800 first there and I sayin a chance, 27, and 13. 116 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,600 But we see the blowing of the trumpet there at had an 117 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:34,300 Awakening effect, and we can see who it was, that were awakened, 118 00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:38,900 those who were ready to perish those I cast some people. 119 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,700 This is the condition that the sinner is in. 120 00:09:41,700 --> 00:09:45,000 This is the state and the position that the center finds 121 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:49,200 himself in today. He is one who is ready to 122 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:51,500 perish. And the scripture, makes it 123 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:55,500 clear that those who die without Christ will perish without 124 00:09:55,500 --> 00:09:58,400 Christ. The man, a woman, a young person 125 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:02,200 leaves us scene of time with like Christ as their savior, but 126 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,100 thank God. So God creates selfish and they 127 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:09,600 will perish forever and beat. Eternally damned inhale, others. 128 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:14,700 The teaching of the word of God. But here we have a trumpet blown 129 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,500 and it awakened Sinners to their need. 130 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:20,900 And it shows in the state that they're in that they are not 131 00:10:20,900 --> 00:10:24,300 near to the Lord, that the right casts from the Lord that are 132 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:27,800 ready to perish in their sin. Should they die in their sin at 133 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,300 any moment? But we can see that those who 134 00:10:30,300 --> 00:10:34,800 were invited that they come, they respond to the Gospel 135 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,300 called because we read and not versus there and not first that 136 00:10:38,300 --> 00:10:41,800 they do come. So they hear the Gospel called 137 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:46,000 and the throne They hear it, Blow on it awakens and they're 138 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,600 safe, where they are the see, the state that they're in. 139 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,200 And so they come to the one who blows the trumpet, who would 140 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:57,000 have the trumpet to be blown? And of course, we find that 141 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,900 incoming, the are delivered, the are delivered from being from 142 00:11:00,900 --> 00:11:03,600 perishing and it's very similar to that. 143 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:09,600 Well-known gospel, version, John 3:16, we read that God. 144 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,000 So, loved the world. That he gave his only begotten 145 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:18,200 son that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish but have 146 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,400 everlasting life. And people here is the means of 147 00:11:21,408 --> 00:11:24,000 Salvation. And as we read here of the 148 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:30,300 closeness of these men to Gideon, it is a picture of the 149 00:11:30,300 --> 00:11:34,500 closeness of those who are redeemed that are brought by the 150 00:11:34,500 --> 00:11:38,000 means of the Gospel, trumpet call to the Lord. 151 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:40,700 Jesus Christ. Because Gideon is a type. 152 00:11:40,700 --> 00:11:44,900 He is a Picture of the Lord, Jesus Christ and many ways. 153 00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:49,400 And means that by the gospel that Sinners are saved, they are 154 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,500 shown their need of Christ are shown their sinfulness and are 155 00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:57,300 shown the danger of their sin and their Sean Christ and his 156 00:11:57,300 --> 00:12:01,900 atoning work as the only way of Salvation And Thus the word of 157 00:12:01,900 --> 00:12:05,800 God applied to the spirit of God, that brings them into that 158 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:09,600 saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 159 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:15,000 These men were close together. Then they were near enough to 160 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,000 see him and to hear him near enough and fight to touch him as 161 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:25,000 we read in the first 16 there that would be brought before us. 162 00:12:25,100 --> 00:12:31,900 There were no longer are far off from him and people, we will 163 00:12:31,900 --> 00:12:35,400 never be brought into that close relationship with Christ. 164 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:40,000 Apart from her, stop from responding to the gospel. 165 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:44,200 Call. A sinner will never be saved. 166 00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:49,700 Never ready for Heaven, until he comes to the Lord, Jesus Christ 167 00:12:49,900 --> 00:12:54,000 and repentance of faith, and puts their trust in the Lord, 168 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:58,500 Jesus Christ for salvation. That's the Simplicity of the 169 00:12:58,500 --> 00:13:04,200 Gospel that is the very basis of gospel preaching and Iran's have 170 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,100 sold to the young or old. We want to lay emphasis even 171 00:13:08,100 --> 00:13:13,600 upon that fact in just now it showed you you hear or 172 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:18,500 understand nothing else, understand this not only s you 173 00:13:18,500 --> 00:13:23,700 come to Christ as you are a sinner and put your trust in 174 00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:30,000 Christ relying on him and his atoning work on Calvary unless 175 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:34,500 you come to Christ to have your sin dealt with unwashed, by the 176 00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:38,700 precious blood of Christ washed away at clams, from your sin by 177 00:13:38,700 --> 00:13:42,000 the blood of Jesus Christ, my friend, you'll never be Saved. 178 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,600 And you're absolutely sure of hell if you die in that 179 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:49,000 condition. And so here we have man and 180 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,400 though they were afar off. They were brought by the gospel 181 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,300 call. If you like to their leader, it 182 00:13:57,300 --> 00:14:00,400 is a picture of Sinners being brought to Christ. 183 00:14:00,400 --> 00:14:03,500 These men, then they were close to the Lord. 184 00:14:03,900 --> 00:14:07,300 We see that closeness to. And the fact that there was 185 00:14:07,300 --> 00:14:14,900 communion between Gideon, And his on his man, he talked to 186 00:14:14,900 --> 00:14:19,100 them, they heard his voice and of course, they had confidence 187 00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:23,700 in him when others laughed and they were in a seemingly 188 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:29,600 impossible situation. A situation not humanly 189 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:31,600 speaking. Would say there was no, hope 190 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:37,000 they still trusted their leader. Their still trusted Gideon under 191 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,300 was compliant with his instruction and the first 17, he 192 00:14:41,300 --> 00:14:46,200 said to them, look on me and do likewise, and they kept their 193 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,300 eye on him, on their listen, to him on their waited for him, on 194 00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:53,500 their dead. On their said, exactly, as he 195 00:14:53,500 --> 00:15:00,700 told them. Now, perhaps humanly, it didn't 196 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:05,200 make much sense to them. What they were told to do here, 197 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:11,500 they're facing a mighty Army. 135,000. 198 00:15:12,900 --> 00:15:18,000 There's three hundred of them. He divides them into three 199 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:23,300 sections, 100 and ass action. Hi, other going to fierceness 200 00:15:23,300 --> 00:15:25,500 Army. What does he tell them to do? 201 00:15:25,500 --> 00:15:30,800 What does he give them? He gives them a trumpet to blow 202 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:39,100 and he gives them a picture. Northland where facile, with a 203 00:15:39,108 --> 00:15:42,700 lighter, note to carry in their other hand. 204 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:47,100 And he sees when we're going to start this bottle, keep your eye 205 00:15:47,100 --> 00:15:51,800 on me, when I blow the trumpet, you blow the trumpet and break 206 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,800 the pictures that are in your hand and everything will be. 207 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,900 Well, I'm sure these men were inclined to wonder how can this 208 00:15:59,900 --> 00:16:04,900 be and yet people they did what they were told to do. 209 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,600 There was has nothing of human contrivance. 210 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,400 There was nothing of human planning, there was nothing of 211 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:17,000 human and to like they were doing exactly as Gideon said to 212 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:21,800 do. And now people, if we are to 213 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:26,000 have Factory in our Christian Life, and if we are to serve the 214 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Lord and fight against his enemies, then this is what we 215 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,000 need to do. We need to be close to the Lord. 216 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:34,800 That is. We need to be saved. 217 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:36,300 Can't do. This. 218 00:16:36,300 --> 00:16:41,100 Does the enemies of Christ. We need to have communion with 219 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:46,300 him to hear him. Until have confidence him to 220 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:51,400 trust him and to comply with his word and to obey his word 221 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:56,800 completely Hebrews 12. And the second first are we are 222 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,700 to be looking unto. Jesus only those who have such a 223 00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:05,599 relationship with the Lord can be used to fight for the Lord. 224 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:11,500 So here we have their closeness brought to their Leader by means 225 00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:15,500 of the trumpet call. and in their closeness they were 226 00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:20,200 communing with him and in their closeness, they had confident 227 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:28,400 confidence in him and there was compliance to his word The 228 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:33,400 closeness. How close are you with Christ 229 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,500 today? Have you closed in with his 230 00:17:36,500 --> 00:17:41,200 offer of Mercy? How close are you to Christ 231 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:44,900 today? We have their cry and the first 232 00:17:44,900 --> 00:17:46,700 20. This is what they're saying. 233 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:50,500 This is what they were told to shut out the sword of the Lord 234 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:53,900 and of Gideon. The sword of the Lord. 235 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,200 What was the significance of this? 236 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,800 It put fear into the hearts of the enemy. 237 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,600 We can see the very mention of the sword of the Lord, and the 238 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:11,600 first 21, the enemy fled Fled for fear of what they shouted. 239 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:16,500 Of course, as signifies the word of God as we haven't, any fasion 240 00:18:16,500 --> 00:18:21,500 six and 17 the sword of the spirit, which is the word of 241 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:24,300 God. And again, Hebrews 4 and 12 for 242 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:28,500 the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any 243 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:34,300 two-edged sword. The sword of God, we have. 244 00:18:34,300 --> 00:18:40,900 I can 1547 the then, Young boy, nine-year-old, King Edward, the 245 00:18:40,900 --> 00:18:44,100 sixth. He was crowned King of England 246 00:18:44,500 --> 00:18:48,300 and three swords were placed before him indicating his 247 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:51,300 dominion. Over the Three Kingdoms of 248 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:56,400 England and France and Ireland, but he said bring another sword. 249 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,600 The sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. 250 00:19:01,300 --> 00:19:07,200 That is to be preferred before these three without that sword. 251 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,100 We are nothing. We can do nothing. 252 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:15,400 We have no power. He looked for the word of God. 253 00:19:15,700 --> 00:19:19,700 I know that the new King King, Charles, the Third that he might 254 00:19:19,700 --> 00:19:24,100 learn that lesson, well, to the word of God people. 255 00:19:24,100 --> 00:19:29,100 It is not human reasoning. It is not by rational arguments, 256 00:19:29,100 --> 00:19:34,000 as not by philosophy. It's not by Novelties as not by 257 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,700 activities that appealed to the flesh. 258 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:39,800 It is bye. The word of God that we serve 259 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,100 the Lord and we fight the battles of the Lord. 260 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:48,800 Christ is the perfect example of this and as time of being 261 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,900 tempted of the devil, in the wilderness there in Matthew 4 262 00:19:53,300 --> 00:19:57,800 and his response always was it is written and he quoted the 263 00:19:57,800 --> 00:20:01,700 word of God that was a sword that put the devil to flight, 264 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:06,700 the word of God, nothing else. But the word of God and Romans 265 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:11,400 for Paul's whole argument and answer was this and what saith 266 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,700 the scriptures What saith the scriptures. 267 00:20:14,700 --> 00:20:19,100 Doesn't matter what others say. The scriptures the final Rule 268 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,700 and every mother there is to find Authority as not. 269 00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:26,200 What does other say, not? What does the government say? 270 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:31,000 Not what the politicians say, as not, what does the king say it 271 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:33,200 is? What does God say? 272 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,300 It is not? What is logical or what is 273 00:20:36,300 --> 00:20:39,400 convenient, or what? My feelings were. 274 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,900 Tell me it is always, what does God say? 275 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,600 Say it is the word of God people. 276 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,900 This is the sword that we need. This is the weapon that romanism 277 00:20:49,900 --> 00:20:54,900 fears and this is the weapon that apostasy fears. 278 00:20:55,100 --> 00:20:58,900 It is the sword of the spirit, the word of God, let then our 279 00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:05,300 crybaby, the sword, the word of God, let that be continually the 280 00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:09,100 watchword, and the cry that comes from our hearts and our 281 00:21:09,100 --> 00:21:11,500 lips. This is what the word of God 282 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:15,600 says. This is what the Lord has said. 283 00:21:16,900 --> 00:21:20,600 and then we can see, of course, their character And their 284 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,600 character is reflected and what they courage. 285 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:29,200 As we made reference earlier, on to the first 16, we can see 286 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:33,700 there, what the the courage and not verse 16. 287 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:40,700 I need to fighted the 300 man into three companies on a put a 288 00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:46,300 trumpet and every man's Hound, an empty pitchers and lamps were 289 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:51,900 then the pitchers The picture, of course, speaks of the 290 00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:58,600 believer. there were empty pictures with light inside them, 291 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:02,600 speaking of the believer, we know it speaks of the believer 292 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:06,000 because when we turn there to Second Corinthians in the 293 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:12,500 chapter 4, We have it in the first six and seven, let me read 294 00:22:12,500 --> 00:22:16,600 that to you from second Corinthians for the first six 295 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,900 for God. Who commanded the light to shine 296 00:22:20,300 --> 00:22:24,400 out of Darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of 297 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:29,000 the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 298 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:33,800 But we have this treasure in Earthen vessels. 299 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:38,800 That the Excellency of the power may be of God and not a boss. 300 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:45,400 We have this treasure in Earthen vessels that picture at was an 301 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:51,300 Earthen vessel. That is what these men had the 302 00:22:51,300 --> 00:22:54,500 late. This is what we have. 303 00:22:55,300 --> 00:22:59,800 It is the light this treasure. It is the light of the knowledge 304 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,100 of the glory of God and people. Here's the point. 305 00:23:05,100 --> 00:23:08,900 The believer, he must be emptied of self. 306 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:13,100 If the pitcher were full, the light would be extinguished. 307 00:23:13,100 --> 00:23:14,900 We can think of that earthen pot. 308 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:21,200 If it was full of liquid, full of water. 309 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,500 And there were often used to currently water if it was full 310 00:23:26,500 --> 00:23:30,400 of water and the light was incited, the late would go out, 311 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:35,000 there would be only darkness and the the picture is here before 312 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:38,100 us. So it is with the believer, the 313 00:23:38,500 --> 00:23:41,200 earthen pot, how to be emptied out. 314 00:23:41,500 --> 00:23:46,300 No water in it before the lake could Shane within endear people 315 00:23:46,300 --> 00:23:50,500 that Child of God needs to be emptied of self and self. 316 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:55,900 Well on self confidence in order for the light of the glory of 317 00:23:55,900 --> 00:23:59,200 the Lord. Jesus Christ to stay alight. 318 00:23:59,300 --> 00:24:03,900 There need to be humility. Humility even like, like Gideon 319 00:24:03,900 --> 00:24:07,000 Wars. Get in was a humble man. 320 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:12,300 He was nothing in his own eyes back there and the chapter 6 in 321 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:17,000 the first is 14 and 15 when the Lord was instructing Gideon, 322 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:21,300 what he was about to do and how he would lead the Israelites and 323 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:23,700 deliver the Israelites he said, who am I? 324 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:30,300 And he talked about his family, his family were / and he said of 325 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:33,900 himself that he was the least of his family. 326 00:24:34,300 --> 00:24:38,600 There was no pride and Gideon. Here we have A man and he was 327 00:24:38,600 --> 00:24:42,500 nothing in his own eyes and people who are we today? 328 00:24:43,700 --> 00:24:46,500 We have, we are nothing of ourselves. 329 00:24:46,900 --> 00:24:49,600 Anything that we have, that is worth. 330 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,800 Having God has given it to us. We are completely dependent on 331 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,200 God for everything. We are nothing of ourselves. 332 00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:03,100 We might think ourselves to be something great. 333 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:07,000 God's is your nothing but an old wretched sinner. 334 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:13,300 Who is only fit fuel for hell, that's what you're worth. 335 00:25:15,500 --> 00:25:20,100 But apart from the salvation of God, my friend. 336 00:25:21,300 --> 00:25:25,700 That's where every man and woman stands in the natural state of 337 00:25:25,700 --> 00:25:29,000 sin worthless and Bound for hell. 338 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,300 Nothing of anything that we should be proud of. 339 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:36,900 But God in his Mercy has saved us and brought us into his 340 00:25:36,900 --> 00:25:40,300 family amid his to the urge with Christ. 341 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:46,300 To be Sons and Daughters of God and the family of God, enjoying 342 00:25:46,300 --> 00:25:49,300 the blessings that are found in the family of God. 343 00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:54,700 Thus all of the grace of God, that's all of the grace of God 344 00:25:55,500 --> 00:26:00,700 people, we must be broken before God, if the light is to shine 345 00:26:00,700 --> 00:26:06,900 before others, these men had a bright and Shining late a bright 346 00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:12,000 testimony for the glory of God. That's what God requires of us 347 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:17,800 to be a humble people to be emptied of self-will and of 348 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:23,300 self-importance. And of self-sufficient say that 349 00:26:23,300 --> 00:26:26,400 is what the lord requires of us, man. 350 00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:30,600 Who have their hearts that are broken because of sin. 351 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:37,600 I grieve the Lord. What Grieves the Lord are 352 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,200 grieved because of God's goodness to us and therefore 353 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,500 were grieved at the boldness of the enemy against God. 354 00:26:47,900 --> 00:26:55,300 Broken because of sin. Broken because of the sight of 355 00:26:55,300 --> 00:27:00,900 sin broken because of the acceptance and the promotion of 356 00:27:00,900 --> 00:27:06,300 sin. We look at our own Province or 357 00:27:06,300 --> 00:27:11,400 nation and we can see the acceptance and the promotion of 358 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:16,900 all kinds of depravity of sodomy of the killing of babies in the 359 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:20,400 mother's womb of I of idolatry people. 360 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,600 We need to be broken because of that. 361 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:29,800 We need to see the awful death of wickedness and depravity, 362 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,800 that there is because of that and how often we can journey 363 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,900 through life, without even realizing the awful depth of 364 00:27:38,900 --> 00:27:41,900 depravity, that there is around us. 365 00:27:43,700 --> 00:27:47,200 We see the awful state of the church today. 366 00:27:48,100 --> 00:27:52,300 What influence has a Church of God today and our land? 367 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:57,300 The enemy's laughs but the Church of God the enemy mocks at 368 00:27:57,300 --> 00:28:01,700 the Church of God no longer. Is there any influence? 369 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:07,700 In the nation, coming from the Church of God, mocked and 370 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:12,200 laughed. Why? 371 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,300 Because God's people look upon the sin of the nation and the 372 00:28:18,300 --> 00:28:22,600 can easily just pass them by and go over their head. 373 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:28,500 Thanking the other night. Of the Reverend Alexander Payton 374 00:28:28,900 --> 00:28:33,500 one of the covenanting ministers and he was preaching, preaching, 375 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:38,500 Mighty message on The Fellowship of the, sufferings of Christ, 376 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,600 but it was asking for is the church and Scotland today and 377 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:44,900 they said it is not among the great clergy. 378 00:28:46,500 --> 00:28:49,300 Just I'm tell you where the church of Scotland is for the 379 00:28:49,300 --> 00:28:54,700 Church of God and Scotland is. It is for a young man or a young 380 00:28:54,700 --> 00:29:02,600 woman is at the dike side, praying beside the dikes of the 381 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:07,300 hedges or the ditches around Scotland, broken for the state 382 00:29:07,300 --> 00:29:09,900 of the nation. Even on to say, some of you who 383 00:29:09,900 --> 00:29:12,800 are listening me today are more broken. 384 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:18,900 By the death of a cow. Or by an ill day in the 385 00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:23,600 marketplace. When you are by the state of the 386 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,800 Church of God today, is it not so. 387 00:29:26,900 --> 00:29:32,600 Now, we're more concerned often times about our own state that 388 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,700 were in as far as our living is concerned. 389 00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:39,500 We talked about the state of the nation and the awful cost of 390 00:29:39,500 --> 00:29:43,700 living and what we need to be doing and what the government 391 00:29:43,700 --> 00:29:47,100 should be doing and government should be thrown more money out, 392 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,400 and giving it to people not a bit of it. 393 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:55,600 We're more concerned about material, things about the 394 00:29:55,600 --> 00:30:00,800 economy. They are about the state of the 395 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,500 Church of God today. The Lord wants man and woman on 396 00:30:04,500 --> 00:30:08,600 young people. To be concerned and to be 397 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,700 broken. Before God. 398 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:18,000 About the state of the land about Sin and the acceptance of 399 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,200 sin. We need men and women and young 400 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:25,400 people who have a testimony, the chains bright before others, 401 00:30:25,700 --> 00:30:29,500 like John the Baptist. We remember Howard was scared of 402 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:31,700 him. He was a bright and Shining 403 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:35,000 Light over there and John under chapter three. 404 00:30:36,500 --> 00:30:40,700 We've also got their constancy, these men in the first 21. 405 00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:44,900 We can see there, how they were constant, and their stand for 406 00:30:44,900 --> 00:30:47,900 the Lord verse 21. And they stood, every man and 407 00:30:47,900 --> 00:30:52,400 his players round about the camp and all the host Ron and cried 408 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:54,800 and they fled. They were found in their place. 409 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,700 They remained in our place until they're our leader called there 410 00:30:58,700 --> 00:31:02,200 stood there. They remained there and not 411 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,900 place they stood for they were appointed. 412 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:07,900 There were not easy. Lead to be moved. 413 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:10,200 Yeah, we're not moved by the thoughts of others. 414 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,300 They were not move by thoughts of self or threats, or, or 415 00:31:14,300 --> 00:31:16,600 complaints every month did in his place. 416 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:19,800 Like, like, the psalmist. David over there and the psalm 417 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:23,900 62 in the first 60 said, I shall not be moved. 418 00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:28,800 I shall not be moved with sometimes saying that him there 419 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:32,800 to be a Daniel der to Standalone, der to have a 420 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:35,700 purpose firm under to make it known people. 421 00:31:35,700 --> 00:31:40,300 These Men Daniel stood David's to the Lord wants man who will 422 00:31:40,300 --> 00:31:43,500 stand on stand for he has appointed them. 423 00:31:43,700 --> 00:31:46,100 Not easily moved from their place. 424 00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:51,900 These are days of bottle to Eveready said, a day of the 425 00:31:51,900 --> 00:31:57,600 battle for the souls of man, for God's word, for God's work, for 426 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,200 our children, for our grandchildren, a bottle with all 427 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,800 of the attacks of the atheists, on the Liberals on the 428 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:08,600 sodomites, all who are against the word of God, and against the 429 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:13,600 cause of Christ, and the devil attacks us and he attacks us 430 00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:19,200 with Temptations and accusations and with suggestions suggestions 431 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:24,600 to give Remember the psalmist and the opening, first off the 432 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,000 psalm 11, how the enemy came to him. 433 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:32,100 And at a time when he was in difficulty, and they're said to 434 00:32:32,100 --> 00:32:37,400 him, that he should flee as a bird to his Maiden this. 435 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,400 It flee as a bird to your Mountain, get away from this. 436 00:32:41,900 --> 00:32:45,700 You've no need to stay here. Conditions are bad. 437 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,200 You're in trouble. You're having difficulty. 438 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:53,100 Why don't you just take yourself off somewhere else where it 439 00:32:53,100 --> 00:32:55,900 scammer and you'll have a better pace? 440 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,100 That's what the enemy would want God's people to do. 441 00:33:01,700 --> 00:33:07,000 Just give up and stand aside from the Battle for Souls. 442 00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:17,000 All people God's work. God wants special people people 443 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:22,800 that he can trust humble people, trusting people obedient people 444 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:27,200 who will stand for him, stand for him in the face of All Odds 445 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,000 and keep on standing until the factory comes. 446 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,400 Tell me friend, are you willing for that even today? 447 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,800 Are you willing to be numbered with God's remnant? 448 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:46,800 A handful of people. Are you willing to embrace to 449 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:53,100 adhere to God's word to believe the Lord to trust the Lord to 450 00:33:53,100 --> 00:33:57,000 stay close to the Lord to look to him at all times friend? 451 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:02,900 Are you willing to be like one of those of God's Chosen Few Oh, 452 00:34:02,900 --> 00:34:06,600 that this day in God's mercy, God's grace. 453 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,100 He would have it to be. So that everyone and this 454 00:34:10,100 --> 00:34:14,000 meeting young and old will be saved, and you'll be able to say 455 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,400 it a day, going out to meeting well. 456 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,100 Apart from anything else. I'm saved. 457 00:34:20,100 --> 00:34:22,400 I've been brought close to the Lord. 458 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:26,900 Jesus Christ by the gospel message, and the Lord called me. 459 00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:31,199 I heard the trumpet called in the gospel, when the Lord called 460 00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:36,500 me, And he said, come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy 461 00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:40,400 laden and I will give you rest. I heard the call on the gospel 462 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:44,800 and out of come. Just the way, these idioms men 463 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:48,600 heard the call and Kim and you be able to say, and I was 464 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:51,800 received just as Gideon. Receive those, man? 465 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:55,699 So, Christ will receive the sinner who comes and repentance 466 00:34:55,699 --> 00:34:59,100 and faith and puts his trust in the Lord, Jesus Christ in. 467 00:34:59,100 --> 00:35:03,000 Receive you take you into the family and bless There, my 468 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:07,100 friend is that so with you today and then tell me going on from 469 00:35:07,100 --> 00:35:12,500 there, are you willing to take yours down to stand for the Lord 470 00:35:12,700 --> 00:35:17,400 to live close with him to look upon Him continually to hear his 471 00:35:17,400 --> 00:35:21,300 voice and his word? To not only hear his voice to 472 00:35:21,300 --> 00:35:26,500 obey his voice, no matter what all else say is that you will 473 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:30,500 obey the voice of the Lord on go on with the Lord. 474 00:35:30,900 --> 00:35:34,100 May the Lord be pleased. Is to bless his word to her 475 00:35:34,100 --> 00:35:34,100 Hearts today. Is to bless his word to her 476 00:35:34,100 --> 00:35:35,100 Hearts today.