More War (Part C)

God is said to harden a heart not doing anything. Just leaving it to itself, and this is part of the explanation for what was happening at some point God says to the wicked. Okay I like everything now but just turn you over to yourself. You want that you God.

Isaiah 63 verses three and four. I believe God says I just saw Paul choose their delusions.

They are free to reject me.

They are not free to choose the outcome of that rejection.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua.

Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7. Now here's Pastor Rick in Joshua Chapter 12 with his continuing study called unwanted but need I like a lot more the way I think now, but I like a lot better. The way I look to then why so what is such is life. So you have to do with what you have one of my love to do with time when am I going to do when I stand before the Lord. What am I going to say I got a few speeches ready to try this with okay about this work, but I think we should from time to time ponder that.

Always, there is something for the believer to do, if nothing else. Prayer the prayer of Jabez. Just consider the man's life is shortcomings.

He had how articulate his prayer prayer was verse 18. Joshua Mae wore a long time with all those kings. Verse 19. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel except the headlights, the inhabitants of Gibeon on all others.

A choking battle. Well the mentions that to say that they were compliant.

They were obedient to what God said and it also would've blended opportunity for the historian to say. Will there were cities that did ass for peace, but they did not and this God will always be justified in his judgments. For centuries the Canaanites got away with their sin and avoided annihilation.

God was giving them time.

But the time is now run out and the time has arrived for judgment.

The list is in again. Leviticus 18.

For example, and they did what they did, they behave the way they behave because of the gods, they believed in you want to change how someone behaves. You have to start working on how that person believes what they believe they can believe in God's behavior still be not anywhere near where it should be but without that change a society cannot gain altitude and that's what were seeing in in these lands, everyone is sinned in some way. Of course, but here in the land of Canaan. Their sin was was just grotesque.

It had become so bad that as with the antediluvian's were known for their violence to sodomites were known for their impurity.

Now the Canaanites for their impurity and violence they they were being dealt with.

It was a base society hostile to God's ways the great tribulation will make all of this look very small. The great tribulation will be global and it will bear many of the same marks. Jesus said in Matthew 24 for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time. New nor ever shall be, how much is in those words.

This not been anything like wait a minute, we saw another wave of the war in Europe. The two of them in the Pacific. All you mean all the terrible atrocities to the ages and you're telling me that this this coming a war on earth. A time. On earth, unmatched in its horror.

Jesus saying just that. And then in Matthew 25 he goes on to say that there is going to come when he will judge the wicked nations that people judgment against the Canaanites is just one instance of his judgment on the wicked. As I mentioned, there were those before the flood that were lost in the flood.

The antediluvian's that perished. There were those of Sodom and Gomorrah. They are great instances of his mercy that everybody likes the Passover, Rahab did not. You and I have not many others. Genesis chapter 15.

When God is saying to Abraham I'm going to give you all this land you hope you won't own it in your lifetime. One paper but it's yours. The people that are here now they're not as violent as the going to be going to be much worse. But I I'm going to let it run until it gets to be much worse. Genesis 1516 and the fourth generation they shall return here, the descendents of Abraham. For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete it not gotten so bad. God is saying that swift judgment is justifiable, but it is now in Joshua's day.

That's what Joshua was doing his complete their reached God's had you could say and so they did not merit judgment. Daniel says, and in the latter time of their kingdom. When the transgressions have reached their fullness. A king shall arise. Having fierce features who understands sinister schemes catch that when the transgressions have reached their fullness. Now some of that applies to and tickets epiphanies but the bulk of it goes to antichrist. The times we live in now and so God is saying to mankind to the prophet Daniel I'm letting the clock ticked on judging individuals. One of the time, but as a race of people, not individual races, the human race. I'm letting it run until the fullness of the Gentiles.

So God has got his eyes on the clock.

There is a clock we we just can't see it and we can well Romans chapter 11 Paul speaking about the state of the Jews.

His heart ached, why they why they couldn't believe in that of more enemies watching his Gentiles get saved in slight.

One of the Jewish people getting saved the ones that held the articles they carried the documents from them go. Moses and Elijah. You know all the prophets what is going on bonus to serious thing with sin and why we get sick sin no other reason. Sin is happened to everyone why does anything go wrong. Sin, why don't you love all my sermons sin. I want the record to show that he was one arrogant pastor don't does not even funny. Romans 11 verse 25 for I do not desire brethren.

That's Paul for you not backing down was full of love that you should be. I'd I do not desire that you should be ignorant of this mystery, less you should be wise in your own opinion, the blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in sorry sing to the Gentiles.

Don't go looking down at the Jews because they can't believe because you get big headed and puffed up thinking your better and you're not. God is doing his work and is going to happen that the Gentiles will become so rank that God will deal with them. Also, then, is all Israel will be saved but it's going to be.

Of course, through great tribulation, and much of Israel will be lost.

The people that is verse 24. It was of Yahweh to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them that they might receive no mercy but that he might destroy them as Yahweh had commanded Moses an unbeliever stumble all over this would go to so mean and that's why you okay that works go wrong with that. You go shake your fist and got God a puny little thing at the end of your wrist you go ahead and see how far they cut your nose off to spite your face. You better think about maybe trying to line up with God's logic because we do not have enough information to say we know it all. We have enough information to know to make the right decisions. As I mentioned, they were incurably wicked and God box them in. According to their own ways and turn them over to their own ways, as he will do in the days of antichrist because they did not have love for the truth.

He gave them over to straw.

He will give them over to strong delusion, and when he says that the Lord is harden their hearts as he do that the Harding Park carding machine and we use this device menaced Clay made out of clay if you take Clay and you do nothing with it or leave it in the sun.

It hearts. God is said to harden a heart by not doing anything to it is leaving it to itself, and this is part of the explanation for what was happening at some point God says to the wicked. Okay I like you reaching now, but just turn you over to yourself.

You want that you God. Isaiah 63 versus two, three and four. I believe her goddesses are just up all choose their delusions. They are free to reject me. They are not free to choose the outcome of that rejection and God. I should add never forces anyone to resist him what it what it God. What is the last thing that Jesus called Latin last title Jesus called Judas Iscariot friend. He calmly said to friend is staying damn are you my friend Judas. You would think it we when we think of it was us with him. I can't do this. He doesn't that's and so God is often blamed, especially in the Old Testament God is accused of what he allows to happen. We do the same when some tragedy happens we see God why why did you why did you let that happen.

And it is available way of saying it's your fault and God says if you understood everything that is, you would understand. It is my fault you would also understand it is the best choice things as they are. There are no got your moments on God you not to come your Bibles I would guide him. He is being here is this is not what you will be wrong every time and so these are and Joshua Ledoux. They understood this in their days they knew what would happen if these people allowed to continue to grow to the point where another flood would be and would would've had to take anyway. He hunted them down left none to rise up. That was his goal and had Israel not waged much war then Israel would've been hunted down and again never repeat from the peeps from the people, never a peep about what must we do to be saved. Verse 21 and at that time Joshua came and cut off the Anakin from the mountains from heaven Ron from deeper did those places mountains of Judah and from the mountains of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. Now we come to the Anna Kim. They were door-to-door salesman in California selling stuff this vacuum cleaner. Anyhow, that the here clan of tall people. This is what it is what it these are and the this had to have had special satisfaction not only Caleb but for Joshua also because both of those men had to restrain themselves and suffer the loss because of other people's unbelief so Joshua could a set of environment, Joshua's was wait a minute I got a suffer 40 years in the desert because of them. That's what happened. I would've felt what you were about what you want to start a church in wilderness brother hope holy tissues you are anyway. So now Caleb and Joshua turned loose. Now they are taking out the Giants, which at that time with the Canaanite Giants.

Later, they became the New York Giants. Then they moved to San Francisco.

Willie Mays would have a lot more home runs in any of the parking candlestick anyhow and if you attend this church and you don't know what a grand slam is triple play.

You have got to go on the Internet Google's things are also going to be a pastoral visit anyway, the Giants, the Jews feared them and now the Jews are vanquishing them and Joshua and Caleb get the last word in Tokyo was in the grasshopper verse 22 will come back to the Giants in a moment, and how can you not talk about the Giants and talk baseball pages you can start American anyway. Verse 22. None of the Anna Kim were left in the land of the children of Israel, they remained only in Gaza in Gath and in Ashdod those are going to be.

Those are Philistine cities, there will be strongholds of the Philistines Goliath was from Gath had like leather vest and head Giants Gath chapter wheel with wings on it anyway. Okay biker Joseph from out of town here.

They might come and get us. Verse 23 so Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh had said to Moses and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel, according to their divisions by the tribes, then the land had rest from war. While they were still people to put out but they were no longer a threat. A major threat of visible bread. As far as amassing armies and chasing the Jews out of the land of his Joshua, the man of honor. He honored his word to Rahab beyond his word to the Gibeonites and ease is the man who honored the promises made to God as as a servant of the Lord, and of course these wars that we read about in all that goes with them illustrate the Christian conquest in our own lives over the unseen works of evils, principalities, powers, spiritual wickedness in high places. Satan's determination to resist and to hinder us from obeying God just a simple one. You shall love your neighbor just that if I don't have love, regardless of how much I know or think I know anybody here will would dare walk around with a placard that said, I am an we don't do that we know better, but we still behave what you might be still behave that way, but love that covers a multitude of sins.

I'm always fighting to love. Why doesn't come natural like my love for goodies is nothing like putting camouflage on your face all dark and sneaking glances at the kitchen and getting cookies and right. We got some other stuff here almost done going to come back to the Giants. Joshua chapter 12 now. Will this be any relatively fast one. This distribution of the land east of Jordan because to have tribes already have it west of Jordan that will come were going towards that now but is this chapter summarizes the kings that were defeated. Verse one.

These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated in those whose land they possessed.

On the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun from the river Arnon to Mount Herman and all the Eastern Jordan plane Mount Herman today is a resort for the Jews a go skiing up there. I mean it's you know on the Syrian Lebanese Jewish border and is units a snowcapped mountain hoot. I wonder how many people are you going on the slopes and you know this is an Joshua minutes and we don't have that here you can like go to the Grand Canyon and say you, Joshua wiped out chariots right here right let's see verse going down the verse three it says general office far as a CF are above the salt sea below the slopes of Pisco and of course it skipped a lot of words. Those are the ones that stand out are about is the sea of Aqaba down at the Red Sea, so that tells you how far south. He dealt with some of the enemies who he felt were a threat. The slopes of the world Kirov that saw the sea of Galilee. The slopes of Pisco S Mount Nebo from where that area where Moses got to look at the promised land and had to wait 1600 years of leaders before he got into the promised land.

Sandals on the ground and he wasn't really too impressed with the surroundings he had been to better places in his just like a focused on Jesus is what he was. He and Elijah first for the other king was all King of the Shannon use some of you like the Old Testament names don't use all King of sand in his territory, who was of the remnant of the Giants who dwelt in Ashtoreth verse six. Then Moses the servant of Yahweh and the children of Israel had conquered and Moses the servant of Yahweh had given it a possession of the Ruben ice to get-ites and half tribe of Manasseh is talking about the people under Argo who was a giant who was of the remnant of the Giants us talk about these Giants a moment to different tribes different names.

The Anna Kim Eamon the my favorite Nizam zoom and because they sound scary. I mean, was set under the bed Sam zooming in and then shortened to zoom in zoos using so the various giant peoples as first Samuel 17 and a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines named Goliath Gath whose height was six cubits and a span well he is anywhere from 6 foot 92949. The discrepancy is and how many cubits it was a really there are two sources or three. The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Septuagint which may be encountered in cahoots. They have it at the 6 foot nine, the Masoretic text which we used in most Bibles use it for the Old Testament the scribe scribal material.

There hasn't 9 foot nine. How many cubits he was walking some of you may think he's like the 50 foot giant well when David cut the head off of Goliath. He was able to carry around with him so that kind of brings a scaled down, does it not, I mean the head wasn't in control is a big no question but it wasn't like the Michelin man.

So when we talk about science and the Bible. I know there's some that always think that they're the super beings that had relationships with demons and fallen Angels. You know you mess up the virgin birth of you start injecting that in this restriction does not support so many good Bible commentators have gone that route and many others have not. I am, I do not believe the Giants were these 15 foot tall people going around, but I do not dispute that they could've been his tallest 10 foot tall. I mean it with the height of a vascular regulation basketball rim is at 10 feet.

Some of you can't jump to have no vertical stuff you have a hard time taking a piece of lint out of their hair. Deuteronomy tells us about our log for only arcing of the sham remained of the remnant of the Giants.

Indeed, his bedstead was an iron bedstead, is it not in Rob all of the people of Amman which is modern day Jordan, nine cubits is its length and for cubits. It's with. According to the standard Schubert cubit so his bed was 13 1/2 feet long and 6 feet wide. It's not a California King size that is the Arabian King size of the bichon kings. So you say will of his bed was that big affiliate subpoenatheir entertainment center at the foot so he's probably up his body, almost 10 foot tall himself so I know which of Goliath being about 9 foot tall, one of Goliath border slingshot is still a loss. That's work but anyhow, just incidentally that's if you have this theory about 20 feet Giants 50 feet Giants running around the descendents of demonic activity I I dispute that vigorously I would dispute that sometimes too hard so and I don't want to wait to have to get to heaven to be right I want to be right right now so verse eight now in the mountain country in the low lands in the Jordan plane in the slopes in the wilderness and the South. There know the Marine Corps hymn we have for in every climate in place and where we could take a gun.

This is what the Jews are saying here that they fought in the mountains, low lands, the planes of slopes, the wilderness, every compartment are real life has to be addressed. You can I say about of a part of your life less valiantly, that long or that's the slopes of the world and every part of ourselves that is the spiritual lesson extracted from in an application taken from a real event that the facts are that is where they fought its historical nothing about that is magical. What is beneficial is to look at something like that to say there are every area of my life. I want to bring under the authority of the God of Moses is the God of Peter who is my God. Also, verse 24, the king of tis raw. He tis relator became the was the first capital city when the kingdom of Israel split it would became a nice well-to-do town on the rail bone but they were pagan as they come. And of course it was then moved away from their the end of verse 20 versus 31 king, so here in chapter 12 Joshua has recorded 31 kings that have been created on the east side of Jordan in the promised land is the main body of land in Jordan in the West for the tuna have tribes receive their territory under thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com. Glad we were able to spend time with you today to do next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio