Battles

2 Chronicles 20: 15b +17: ...”for the battle is not yours but God’s...you need not fight in this battle, station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed, tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.”

When faced with a huge army of several enemies, the people of Judah and King Jehoshaphat gather before God to fast and pray. The Judahites having come from all over the land pray to God, reminding Him of and recalling themselves, His promises. Acknowledging their powerlessness and fear, all people; men, women and children come to God to ask for help. After their prayer, God to His people though a priest. What God tells them is both exhilarating and frightening. The people are told they must face their enemies and as they do, they will see God fight for them. Their involvement is called for but in a way that is perhaps very unlike what they expected. God will do the fighting for them.
This is similar to the account in Exodus 14:12-13. At the time of this event, Pharaoh had decided to chase the escaping Hebrews. When they reached the shore of the Sea of Reeds, the Hebrews realized they are caught between the sea and the pursuing Egyptian Army. In fear and doubt they cry out to Moses who tells them, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again, forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.”
Again, an impossible military situation looms and the people are fearful. Moses, their leader, knows God will rescue them and so, tells the Hebrews not to fear, and to watch the salvation God will bring. Their only duty, was to be silent and watch it happen.
In these two impossible battle situations, God is the deliverer of His people. Their part is to be still and watch - to see God work on their behalf. The only rescue from impossible situations comes from the One not troubled by the impossible. God, alone, is able, when nothing else and no one else can; to help, to save, to rescue. Crying out to God in the face of hopeless circumstances is the move of wisdom and faith. Then, when He answers we can face the situation and watch His deliverance. Watching and not running away; facing it straight on and not giving up; trusting, not giving into fear: that will lead us to see the deliverance of God.

A Promise Kept

“As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit is abiding in your midst, do not fear!” Haggai 2:5

God’s promise, found in Exodus 29:46 is: “They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God..”
Reading in Hagagi of this promise God made at the time of the Exodus, I was struck with the utter faithfulness of God to His word. He upholds a promise made nearly 950 years in the past to a people who have only continually been unfaithful to Him. God remembers His promises - no matter how long in the past He made them. He keeps His promises, no matter how hateful, arrogant or foolish His people.
This faithfulness of God is a great relief, a comfort, a true refuge. He cannot be shaken. He will not go back on His word. He is sure and certain, the Rock, our one true Hope; most worthy of trust.

Judges

Our pastor talked about how we are living in a time now similar to the time of Judges of the bible. I have been rereading Judges and finding this an interesting and helpful insight to reading the book and our culture. I was especially struck by Ch2 vs 1-3

Judges 2:1-3
Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you into the land that I had promised to your ancestors. I said, “I will never break my covenant with you. For your part, do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; tear down their altars.” But you have not obeyed my command. See what you have done! So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversaries to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’

How true these words ring for us today in our postmodern culture. As we make deals with our culture to live comfortably with them are we not making covenants with those we should? Do we stand guilty of not tearing down the altars as we are called to do? Do we find ourselves in a covenant with a culture that stands in direct contradiction to God's command for our lives? Do we not find now that we have adversaries all around us and are easily ensnared in the gods of this world? If they can not reach us how easily they try to reach our children and those less mature in the faith?

Our modern day Christian can heed the lessons of Judges and learn from the struggles they faced for an unwillingness to obey and to destroy the false altars and stand firm in the convenant with God.

Jesus, was loving and the example of who we are to be. He went to the tax collectors and the prostitutes but he never made claims it was okay that they stay that way. That they were that way He found them, to be sure, but the understanding was something would change. Jesus never condoned the sin, he always loved the sinner.

In our culture we too easily buy into the lie that we can not do both, we either have to accept and condone through our loving tolerance or we are intolerant. That could not be further from a biblical basis. We are called to love all, even the sinners, but we are never called to condone or uphold the sin.

What do you think? Anyone want to read Judges and discuss?