Those who are called to reign with Christ, did evil in the sight of the Lord by Gary Gray

on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 8:10pm Gideon, Judges Chapter 6 - Section One, Verses 1-6 - Part One, Verse 1

Vss 1-6 Seven year oppression from Midian against the children of Israel for their sins.

Judg 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

Judg 6:2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

Judg 6:3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;

Judg 6:4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till you come to Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

Judg 6:5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without

number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

Judg 6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried to the LORD.

VERSE ONE Judg 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

(a) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD:

(b) and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian

(c) seven years.

...................................................................................................

(a )And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: Israel means "He will rule as God", see the strongs as follows.

ISRAEL: H3478 Yisra'el (yis-raw-ale') n/p. 1. he will rule as God 2. Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob 3. (typically) of his posterity [from H8280 and H410] KJV: Israel. Root(s): H8280, H410

It can be said this way and hear it, "Those who are called to reign with Christ, did evil in the sight of the Lord".

"Those who are called to reign with Christ, did evil in the sight of the Lord".

"Those who are called to reign with Christ, did evil in the sight of the Lord".

"Those who are called to reign with Christ, did evil in the sight of the Lord".

Where else can anyone do evil but in the sight of the LORD? Can we hide from God?

(Heb 4:13 [AKJV]) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Perhaps the emphasis here is meant to be that of a conspicuous lack of the fear of God. Somehow these people have degenerated into a place where they have no regard for the God of their fathers, no sense of the ever present Holy One who knows and sees all. There is that condition in all men which wants to offend their God, disregard Him, sin against Him, turn their backs on Him. Even in His coming to walk among us did we have this insideous nature which despised Him.

(John 1:11 [AKJV])

He came to his own, and his own received him not.

He knew this all along, God is omniscient, that is to say He knows all things. He has always known all things. Never has there or ever will be a thing that God learns as something He did not previously know. He came to us knowing, He would be rejected even when we saw how wonderful He is.

(Isa 53:3 [AKJV]) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

But He still came for you even as He is calling to you now. He will not stop calling until you come or until you die and are eternally out of reach in the confines of hell and outer darkness awaiting that day of eternal judgment when all of death and hell shall be cast into the lake of eternal fire. For those who come, for those who respond yes to Him, He continues to call, deeper and deeper until that day when the prize is secured. Not just your prize of eternal glory, incorruption and immortality but His prize:

(Titus 2:14 [AKJV]) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

"and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

And for those who have not responded to His calling, He calls and calls and calls yet still, even until you die. What if tonight you die? Why would you not respond to the God who made you and loves you?

(Isa 53:3 [AKJV]) He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Does that describe you? He knew that from the begining, yet He came and He calls you now, come, throw down your sins, confess them to Him and come; He is so willing to receive you and change you that He died on a cross and bled out the cleansing blood to make you clean and acceptable to Him, He rose from the dead that you may partake of His very Spirit, the Spirit of the living God and be changed into His glorious image forever. He sat down at the right hand of the throne of His Father that you may sit down with Him in His throne. Even knowing everything there is to know about you, He died to save you. He died to make you His. Will you deprive Him of His reward, or will you honor Him and say yes Lord Jesus I am yours, do with me as you will.

(John 1:12 [AKJV]) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Israel had known 40 years of peace after the defeat of Jabin in 1296bc. We see that in Judges chapter 4 verses vss 23-24

(Judg 4:23 [AKJV]) So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the children of Israel.

(Judg 4:24 [AKJV]) And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.

It says, "So God subdued". Israel had known 40 years of peace after God defeated Jabin in 1296bc. But apparantly not 40 years of holiness. Just 40 years since God had done wonders for them Yet, at some point the children of Israel began to flounder again. They did not remember their God. Someone remembered, the record is here for us to look at now, but these did forget their God and all His wonder.

So now here in 1256bc we see the record saying the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.

(b) and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian The Lord will do what it takes, according to His infinite goodness and wisdom to bring us to Him but in the process, some may be lost for all eternity. Now is the time to turn to Him for even as He did with these ones, He will do to all. God does not change.

(Gal 6:7 [AKJV]) Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.

(2Pet 2:19 [AKJV]) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of

whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage.

of those who serve corruption, it can be said, "of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage".

"of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage".

At first the children of Israel gave themselves to their first enemy, their own lusts and desires, their own sin. Then God turned them over to their second enemy, the hand of Midian. Isn't that the way it works? We give place to a little thing and everything starts pouring in. When we allow sin, death and destruction soon follow. A crack, when it comes to sin getting in, a crack is as a door is as a flood gate. Just think about the little mouse in your house. Oh he isn't going to hurt anything, look how cute he is. He just has a little hole he comes and goes from. Lets feed him, just right here, so he only stays just right here in this spot. That way we know he doesn't get in the places and things we care about. After all what harm can a little ol'e mouse do? The next thing you know the walls of your home have become infested with rodents, they are living and eating and defecating and breeding and dying in the walls and ceiling of your home. The smell permeates the house, even those walking by can smell it, the neighbors can smell it. All the food and food surfaces are contaminated with their droppings. It is their droppings that they use to tell the other mice where to go. So they make their droppings in all the places and things you care about. So every precious place and all that you care about are infested, fouled and defiled. All is a waste. In no time at all the entire house is contaminated, defiled and condemned; sickness, allergies and desease flourish and it becomes altogether uninhabitable. Who would want to live in such a place? Certainly not God, even man himself has become putrified by this condition of the abundance and infestation of his own sin.

That's what we see here, Israel gave in to sin and God has given them over to their ememies.

(Rom 6:16 [AKJV])

Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?

(c) seven years. Suddenly now things are out of control for Israel, even as they become for all of us who choose to serve sin. No longer does Israel decide about her affairs, about her station, it is now decided for her and for a determined amount of time. Seven years! The time is set. Cry all you want, strive all you want, pray all you want, but the time has been set and God will not change His decree. Sentence must be paid. Want freedom? It will come when the lesson is learned and at God's appointed time. It is Him who is in charge. We failed to recognize that so now we have an opportunity to become oh so aware that God is in charge, not us. Until then, be glad that God will not be angry forever. Be grateful that the time will be fulfilled. Be careful how you receive the chastisement of God. Be glad you are alive on this earth to be chastised and not dead and in an eternal hell from which there is no escape.

Seven years. A set aside time. A temporary time. We know 7 speaks of completeness, rest, perfection, sanctification and now we understand that 7 is often times speaking to judgement. We can easily see all these attributes of the number 7 apply in this case. All we have to do is read the verse, "Judg 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. He set them apart unto judgment. He set them apart for a holy purpose. Judgment is a holy purpose and a benevolent one. He could simply send the disobedient to hell right away and not fuss with them and still serve a holy justice. The number 7 is shown twice, once in the scripture address, Judges 6:1, 6 and 1 are 7, and once in the verse as the time decreed, "seven years". It is a temporary decree. It will end. And soon. We see here by the fact that the decree is temporary, that God must have something ultimately good planned for the Children of Israel and again, by this we ought to see the same intention of God for us, for God does not change, God is immutable. He is, has always been and will always be perfect and He does not change. The same benvolence, the same good intention and purpose He has for one, He has for all both then and now and forever. That means you my friend.

(Jas 1:17 [AKJV])

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no ficklenss, neither shadow of turning.

This verse speaks explicitly of God's imutability. He does not change.

In the decreeing of 7 years is found much reason for rejoicing. Is found the benevolence of God. Is found the desire in God's heart for His children to be reconciled to Him, to know the glory of relationship and communion with Him. His intention is nothing less than evident, it is trumpetted aloud to anyone paying attention. God wants all to be well with you. Otherwise why only seven years? Why not send them all into the depths of hell now and be done with them? Be done with the repeated heart ache they bring? Our God is a God of redemption, He wills not that we die, not that we perish, but rather that we share in His glory.

(Ps 30:5 [AKJV]) For his anger endures but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

God has a grand design for everything He does and it is your best interest He has in mind as well as His. Consider it earnestly, God's best interest for Himself includes your best inerest. It is better for Him that you do well. His well being is eternally tied to your well being and you can be sure that every measure taken to win your affection, to corral you into His will for you, is the absolute best and most efficient way possible and is aimed at the absolute best outcome for you and for Him. Even if it means seven years as it did for the children of Israel in this instance.

(2Tim 3:16 [AKJV])

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: Here is more evidence, plainly written and easy to understand, God intends for us to be instructed in righteousness, ..in righteousness.

(2Tim 3:17 [AKJV]) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works. ... Reading about this experence of the children of Israel is for our being made perfect, being thoroughly furnished unto good works. The very judgment brought by God through the use of Midian was for the very same purpose. And such measure will be employed upon any of us when ever the infinite wisdom of God deems it necessary for our best interest, for our well being, for our turning to and being restored unto Him that He may secure us in Him for all eternity.

Even in what we are reading here in this first verse of Judges 6 we see powerful, everlasting truths of hope and warning for us. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable ...

In 1st Corinthians 10, Paul was talking about the deadly mistake of the children of Israel who after having been delivered from the bondage of Pharoah and Egypt were entangled in their own sin to such a degree that the wrath of God killed many of them! And this he says is our example!

Lets look at it for a moment. 1st Corinthians 10: 6-11

(1Cor 10:6 [AKJV]) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

..."examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things", Why? Look at what happened to them. Notice, God is good, He is benevolent, He can not tolerate sin, He is not a tyrant, He will not ask of us that which we can not do. Sin separates us from God and that is not His will for either Himself or for us. It is the worst thing that can happen and He wants the best for Him and for us. Let's continue to read some things He is warning us not to do by this old testament example which is meant to apply to new testament saints.

(1Cor 10:7 [AKJV]) Neither be you idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

If nothing is more important than to sit down to eat and drink, and rise up to play, then we are idolators. Jesus said it this way,

(John 3:19 [AKJV]) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

and this way,

(Mark 12:30 [AKJV]) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

(1Cor 10:8 [AKJV])

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

What a warning to those who have been made alive by Christ and are slipping into sin. What a warning to those who are backslidden. He says this is our example! 23,000 were slain in one day. It is a warning to new testament saints, let's look at the example and the desired result:

(Acts 5:1 [AKJV]) But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

(Acts 5:2 [AKJV]) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

(Acts 5:3 [AKJV]) But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

(Acts 5:4 [AKJV]) Whiles it remained, was it not your own? and after it was sold, was it not in your own power? why have you conceived this thing in your heart? you have not lied to men, but to God.

(Acts 5:5 [AKJV]) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

(Acts 5:6 [AKJV]) And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.

(Acts 5:7 [AKJV]) And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.

(Acts 5:8 [AKJV]) And Peter answered to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much.

(Acts 5:9 [AKJV]) Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried your husband are at the door, and shall carry you out.

(Acts 5:10 [AKJV]) Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.

(Acts 5:11 [AKJV]) And great fear came on all the church, and on as many as heard these things.

The desired result...the fear of the Lord

"And great fear came on all the church, and on as many as heard these things."

Judg 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

They had lost their fear and therefore sin easily overtook them, so God brought the hand of Midian upon them seeing, among other things, in His infinite and unfailing wisdom, that their fear of God should be renewed.

(1Cor 10:9 [AKJV]) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Paul is clearly and most assuredly tying the old testament example to our conduct with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is saying as it happened to them, so it can happen to you. He said neither let us tempt Christ. Who is us? In verse one he says, "Moreover, brothers", in Chapter 1 verse 2 he says, "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and ours:".

Let us not tempt Christ.

(1Cor 10:10 [AKJV]) Neither murmur you, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

(1Cor 10:11 [AKJV]) Now all these things happened to them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the world are come.

It is even more serious for us to heed these warnings! How much more able are we who have been bought by the blood of Christ and endued with the Spirit of God to walk in His ways? Christ came! He died, shedding His blood on the cross! He gave us His Holy Spirit! He calls us Sons! He calls us to use this power of the Holy Ghost and cooperate willingly, with effort, with zeal and joyfulness with the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost unto holiness for the reward of Jesus Christ who bought us with His own blood.

(Titus 2:14 [AKJV]) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

What is peculiar in a world where sin is the norm? Holiness! What is peculiar in a world of darkness? Light. What is peculiar in an unrighteous world? Righteousness. What is peculiar in a world that diregards God? Regarding Him in all things all the time!

Let us remain focused and balanced, even though we must see as a bright and brilliant light, the glorious and hope filled intentions of God in times of judgement, there is yet a real and serious eternal danger. God can not tolerate sin in the camp, sin in the house. His benevolent intentions are universal, He intends and will accomplish the best for Him and for His elect, ... that often means some will perish, it often means many will perish. We see in Paul's example using the time of Moses as he address the Corinthians that people died! It was found in the heart and mind of God that that was the best thing to occur. Yet there was a remnant saved from death.

Look here at this example in Gideon's time, during this seven years they had again been reduced to but a few and to a pitiful, week and impoverished state. Those who survive the ordeal are the ones who can be helped by this hope of a temporary judgment having in design the restoration of a people to their God for all eternity! In this we need to be fearful and cautious; for who knows who will live through the season of chastisement to see the hope and who will not?

When death befalls you, you want to be found in the favor of God and in holiness and not be found in the company of the devil and in the chains of sin. For the chains of sin are fastend upon the beds of hell and to die therein is to remain therein. But to die in Christ is to remain in Him for all eternity.

Will you be found in Him? That is your choice to make and God has afforded you the power to make that choice; the very Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is here now, He is here with you right now and will be with you forever, if you so choose. God has done all in Christ on the cross for you, He does all even now with the very presence of His Spirit, He is here now with you. All hinges upon the choice you make.

Make the choice now my friends for when Judgment comes full on, we do not know who will die and who will live through it. When it comes, it comes. And it is coming. And we need to be in Christ when it does. Latch on to Him and never let go!

(1Tim 6:12 [AKJV]) ... lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called,...

Paul again sums it up so well as one inspired by the God who loves us and gave Himself for us, in his warning which is tied to the glorious hope and intention of God not only for us but for Him. What He did on the cross was also for Him. ..For Him. ... For Him.

(Titus 2:11 [AKJV]) For the grace of God that brings salvation has "appeared",(shined down on, mainfested...delivered), to all men,

(Titus 2:12 [AKJV]) "Teaching", (instructing, disciplining, making us able, raising us up in), us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; You see we have what we need to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

(Titus 2:13 [AKJV]) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; The hope is something different, something not yet received, something much better but in the future.

(Titus 2:14 [AKJV]) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. He is purifying a people unto Himself, a peculiar people zealous of good works. It's for Him!

He will have a people unto Himself. He will have a new heaven and a new earth. He will come for His bride. Nothing dirty can be there. Not one speck of dust, not one iotta of sin. No darkness at all, no corruption at all. It will be glorious and holy. Now is the only time we have to respond and as Young put's it:

(1Tim 6:12 [YLT]) be striving the good strife of the faith, be laying hold on eternal life, to which also thou wast called, and didst profess the right profession before many witnesses.

(1Tim 6:13 [YLT]) I charge thee, before God, who is making all things alive, and of Christ Jesus, who did testify before Pontius Pilate the right profession,

(1Tim 6:14 [YLT]) that thou keep the command unspotted, unblameable, till the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

(1Tim 6:15 [YLT]) which in His own times He shall shew--the blessed and only potentate, the King of the kings and Lord of the lords,

(1Tim 6:16 [YLT])

who only is having immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable, whom no one of men did see, nor is able to see, to whom is honour and power everlasting! Amen.