Justice and Mercy - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible lowered no gums to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior will and additional chambray Junior inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace will will will and will will and will be all and all will will will will will will will will will all will will and well it's hard to believe were already here in the middle of summer seems that the summer months pass more quickly than the wood are wonderfully sick to fully as many of you know, my wife and I both had back in the month of December so the past six months have been very challenging for us. I have recovered very well. My wife, between being in the hospital and the rehab was away from home for hundred and one days even after coming home. It's been a very difficult time. She's had a lot of pain.

Type of report that she is doing better. I mentioned this again because she is the office manager of our radio broadcasts and so without her at the office.

I know things have gone rather slowly in these past months we haven't been able to have sure your mailing list quickly as we normally would appreciate your patience should continue to need your support – that you pray for us as we desire to continue this radio broadcasts paragraphs Baptist Bible. Our box 17/37, Cincinnati, OH 45217 and all be all and he he last message from the book of Joshua we observed in chapter 6, a sure promise of faithful obedience and great victory.

They were still looking at chapter 6 and we consider God's wrath on the wicked city and God's mercy only sinful woman and God's blessing on the faithful leader so that when they marched around the city for seven days and seven times on the seventh day, that the wall fell on the shoulders easily entered the city so when I look at Joshua chapter 6 verse 17 and the city shall be accursed, even it and all that are there in the lower. Only Rahab the harlot shall live.

She and all letter with her in the house because she messengers that were sent the city shall be accursed. All unit, all living things were to die and they were to take the spoil those things were minivan you want to be taken to the house of God. So first of all we see God's wrath on the wicked city.

God clearly commanded them to destroy. Look at verse 18 and he and anywise keep yourself in the accursed thing, let me make yourselves accursed when you take of the accursed thing and make the camp occurs in trouble. The instruction is very clear.

They were not to take any of the spoil for themselves. The body could come back later and I will. I just didn't understand that that really wasn't me. It was like actually says you're not to take anything less.

The whole camp of Israel be accursed.

Verse 21 and they utterly destroy all that was in the city. Both man and woman, young and old and hops and she and pass with the edge of the sword. Somebody rechecked and says that troubles me must leave it difference between God in the Old Testament and God in the New Testament. I like to think only about God being a God of love, but here without any question.

Clear instructions from God that they were to go into the city destroy both man and woman, young and old, and even animals. Verse 24 and they the city with fire and all that was there and only the silver and the gold of the vessels of brass and iron they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord's makes us think of some New Testament references to same… The God of years gone by. Not the same today but the term of the New Testament and found in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 31 it is a fearful thing to fall in the hands of the living God, then chapter 12 verse 29 for our God is a consuming fire. So the same God that told his people in Old Testament times to destroy the city is depicted in the New Testament as being a consuming fire. This instruction to destroy the city. Was not something new. This didn't come as a surprise to Joshua because the directions had been given even before they started the journey back in Deuteronomy chapter 20 we read beginning with the 16th verse, but of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God. Death gives the foreign inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing brief, very plain. Directions are given anything that breeze must die, but thou shalt utterly destroy them.

Namely, the Hittites, and they have a right to the Canaanites and the parasites the highlights of the Jebusites as the Lord thy God hath commanded the that they can teach you not to do after their abominations. Now we get some insight as to one of the reasons as to why God says they are to be destroyed.

If you spare them. They worship false gods and you live among them your app to be influenced and you would worship the gods that they worship God is a jealous God will not have his own worship a false God. The very first commandment is that effort have no other God before me in a violation of that obviously is idolatry and God's holiness hates idolatry. So let's take teach you to do after their abominations which they have done under their gods, so should you sin against the Lord your God to destroy these pagans who worship false gods.

Now the people of Canaan were very wicked. They were idolatrous. Incest was pregnant among them. They worship restaurants involved in the worship of this false God were all kinds of orgies and ungodly activities in the name of religion and they also engaged in human sacrifice, sometimes burning their own children or putting them on an altar offer them under their God's and God despise that God hates sin.

God hates idolatry is that these are wicked people, you can rest assured there was not one innocent person in the land of Canaan. That was but today people say that we sometimes about Noah's day, the flood, think about all the people that God I can promise you on the authority of God's word. There was not one innocent, so crown in the for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. These Canaanites.

Not only were extremely wicked but they sin against you. I first of all creation declares the existence of the true and living God. According to some 19 displays his handiwork so they had the ability to observe the very earth upon which they live in the sky and it was over them with the sun, moon and stars and God tells us in the book of Romans chapter 1 that the creation is enough testimony want to be convinced there is a cradle one true and living God. Not only did they have met benefit which is available to all human beings living on this earth. Obviously, but they had heard the report of what God had done for the report about the Red Sea being dried up now to find out that these people worship the God that was able to give them safe passage across the Red Sea as he held the waters back to the been enough said.

We want to find out more about this God only inquire after going went on to discover more about what this happened when they heard about them defeating the two kings that invaded them early on the success that they had they had heard about all the marvelous miraculous works that God had displayed on behalf of his people, but they didn't repent. I didn't acknowledge him as the true and living God, that God's judgment that came on Jericho is really a picture of the final judgment that's going to come upon the wicked walls of Jericho could not protect from destruction.

I felt secure. We built these walls they may have stood the test in some former time they were attacked. Now with the God of heaven supporting the efforts of his people to take the city walls were not sufficient, then close the gates to the city gate to the wall could not keep out the judgment of God and sinners cannot protect themselves from the judgment that is to come. Somebody may feel I don't fear judgment because I'm just not all that bad but that's not the description we get of human beings. When we look at God's word.

There is none that understand that there's another ticket. I forgot the name everyone turned to their own way. Born with a sinful nature connected to the fallen parent Adam and so sinners unable to protect themselves. They may hide behind their wall of self-righteousness, but that is not protect the they may attempt to build the wall of religious activity, but that is not protect judgment is coming in the ruins of Jericho stood as a memorial. It was a constant reminder what anybody would come that way and see here wants to this city with its walls to protect now. The walls are flat on the ground in the city is burned with fire. This is a reminder that God hates idolatry. Anytime a person looked on vaccine.

If they can understand the situation, they would know God hates idolatry. It was a reminder to Israel not to be influence by the pagan worship around them doesn't tolerate. You can't say well it over some good things in this other related I think I might get some benefit out of it and I don't believe God, but I just like to add on something know God said specifically. He did not want his people to be influence binder involved with the pagan worship. He despises idolatry for the more it was a lasting memorial. As a reminder to the greatness of God's power in delivering his people to modify look at that from the human standpoint to check laxity a secure and if they observed the people marching around the sketch that what's that all about those poor souls think they are going to take that city by just marching around the but it was the power of God that brought down the walls to the ground that it was a memorial a lasting memorial to prove what God is able to do in defense of his people. Furthermore, it was a reminder that they must not lean on the arm of the flesh. All of us know what the Scriptures say in that regard, the arm of flesh will surely fight, but how many times we forget how many times we depend on our own ingenuity, our own thoughts, our own plans our own strength that were defeated were surprised the repeatedly told that the arm of flesh will famous and then as we look at that scene. The city destroyed everybody in it to death. You cringe as you think about it, but to learn some things about God.

First of all, God is holy. Isaiah chapter 40 verse 25 to whom then would need like it may or shall not be equal saith the holy one share of forms is recorded in Isaiah chapter 6 saying whole, holy, holy, perpetually in his presence. It's hard for us to fathom what that means that God is holy, since we are sinners by nature. We are influenced by our own inclination and like the fashion of God that suits our preferences, being holy abhors will punish sinners would send his judgments when they are necessary. First Peter chapter 1 verse 16 says because it is written, be holy, for I am holy. Some considerably recently while we know that we can't be perfectly holy, so why does God say that, well, it's a fact. First John chapter 1 tells us that if we claim that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not this. What's it about what would you expect God to say 75% holy and if you don't make that transfer 50 to say outright striving for 50% so I got another 50% of recognition on the salmonella lactate like it I can't live up to this no you not going to be sentenced to be perfect in this life, but God says here's the statement the holy even as I am holy, is holy. For the more we see that God is just, whatever God does is just it may not meet your criteria, you may not be able to understand the hardware for his movement in some particular direction, but he is just anything that it does is in keeping with his justice. Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse four. He is the rock.

His work is perfect for all his ways are judgment, a God of truth without iniquity, just and right if he so much of my replies seem fair to me. They obviously haven't come to grips with the fact that the God we worship is holy and is just in the ninth chapter the book of Romans where the apostle talks about the Lord raising up Pharaoh put it where he was, for the purpose that God's name might be glorified in the destruction that he brought upon Egypt. That's not fair. How could God hold them accountable when God put in that position. Now you must understand that what Pharaoh did in that position he did not because God was forcing him. God is not the author of sin. Pharaoh did what he did have his own evil heart out of his own self-centered thoughts and attitudes. Somebody says it doesn't seem fair that God would hold Pharaoh accountable for his actions. As the apostle wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He knew in advance that that question would be Ray said, who are replies against God, the thing formed say to the one the creative channel play rise up against the Potter raises question can read Romans chapter 9 without coming to the grips with the fact that God is just and only does even if you don't understand.

Psalm 145 verse 17 the Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works everything into it always plans always decrease always works is righteous, he is holy and that, furthermore, not only is God holy not only suggest he is a God of wrath.

Psalm 21 verse eight thine hand shall find all thine enemies thy right hand shall find out all those that hate the thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath and the fire shall their well over 100 references in the Old Testament alone to the wrath of God, something that cannot be ignored because God is holy, he hates that which is evil is going to punish sin.

He has published many will punish Revelation chapter 6 verse 17 for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand.

So, as his wrath has been meted out numerous times through the ages is coming today called the great day of his wrath.

And who shall be able to stay all dreadful thing to think about the wrath of the important hope for any of us is in his mercy that is given us the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, whom Satan have a choice to choose the right to force into the program today slick at the same time in the Lord richly bless and the Baptist Bible hour is come to you under the direction of Elder Lucero Bradley Junior address all mailed to the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217. That's the Baptist Bible are Cincinnati, OH 45217 will in all and in