Battlefield Records (Part B)

Riding on the other side.

She these glorious showed up. Action servants everything God leads to courage leads to action conviction and presence of the Holy Spirit. Conviction is not always have to be in the form of review conviction means convinced you can. God can convince us to do something very gently and sweetly sweet Lord serving faith includes knowledge and that knowledge needs to action.

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 Judges, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue his message called battlefield records in Judges chapter 5 I love those Old Testament prophet because I got to the point they got to the truth to it right away and their opponents knew it try to silence them for even told Amos Goble pre-somewhere else really don't want to hear it anymore just to scope go preach somewhere else as they said to him my card is prattling's gotta stop what he rises as if a mansion walking a false spirit and speak alive saying I will prophesy to you of wine and drink.

Even he would be the prattle of these people the sarcasm packed in the back, a drunken come along to follow him, but a true prophet comes along, backs up what you say will know we can have them all had that same problem that region of Galatia. He marched into that Galatian region.

A brief gave birth to churches everywhere. He said, look at what your following and look at listen what I have looked at listen they did and they said where we follow Christ all went back did more things went back to Jerusalem reported these. He went back to Antioch and it is absence. They began to mingle. What Paul said with falsities and other religions so they begin to turn from it all together find it still going on in the book of Revelation in the first two chapters.

Churches that were infested with the balance in the Jezebels. Paul says I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you grace. The grace of Christ to a different gospel now we have our youth, they go off again to the world of universities sudden mingling with the mighty watered-down Christians are abject atheists or whatever is out there that's not following the Scripture and the next thing you know that turning away to a different gospel. So you we say to them. I'm amazed you turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different good news and then Paul adds, which is not another. There are some who trouble you and want to pervert the good news of Christ's. There are people that want to trouble you. It irritates them that you are impressed by God's word and that impression has left the image of Christ on you they want the image of Caesar on you of anybody but Christ. This got to surely be room for something else to impress you. When Jesus said give to God the things that belong to God and give the things that belong to Caesar to Caesar. That's when they gave him a calling and he said whose images on whose impression is on it. We watch our youth and our children, our loved ones gobble up this junk and the fight is on in this bed, you better be fighting not giving up listening to them come back from the universities and pollute your mind will do it. Someone learn something new.

They can't wait to share it. That's fine if it's good as it's been said bad news says wings well good news is still trying to find shoes.

Good news travels very slowly, it seems, but the bad news. Oh boy. Everybody knows the bad news right away says in verse eight.

Then there was war in the gates because that's what apostasy brings.

They chose not God's. Then it was warned gates. That's how it reads in verse eight, and Deborah knew it. She was a prophetess, the spirit of God was operating in her and threw her and to her everybody that followed the Lord understood this as we do today. Apostasy brings conflict. Conflict that you not prepare for that's the next call is not to shield her spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel. There were weaponless Southwest sham glad he is an ox goad could have the blacksmith the apostasy cut off the blessings from God work prepare for conflict with God, work, prepare for conflict with men. Such was the condition of the people were chosen God's such as a condition to those who go out and say you know what I'm tired Christianity it's hard. Jesus promised it would be hard. That's the whole thing about take up your cross. But he also promised it would be fruitful.

My heart verse nine is with the rulers of Israel who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless Yahweh never says my love those men that stepped up. Thank you, Lord.

That's what she saying in the song she was blessed to see the leaders join the struggle. When she spoke. They could've said you know what. So what five tribes, at least in any part of another tribe did just that we not interested so the singer of the song Deborah song we today we would apply this to our heart we would say the same thing. My heart is with the rulers of Israel who offered themselves willingly.

My heart is with the leaders who got in the fight instead of against and why you doing that make any sense about the Medicare function again. Pre-doesn't mean that they're doing their own thing in different everybody else there, God's people, let them leave verse 10 she says in her song speak you will ride on white donkeys who sit in Judges attire walk along the road this some a lot of these Hebrew phrases are our idioms that are difficult to translate it. They don't work if you translate them literally and so that's why you have different translations, yet different translators trying to get at the heart of it, and they may use different words with most of the time they come up with the same meaning just in the phrase in a different way. Here the overall meeting is those with the speak to you who ride on white donkeys were that was rare. I mean you you is a prized possession like having you know, you ride in limousines or something you know that was that the people who were well-to-do, the upper class. Generally, and leaders would often be part of that he says and who walk along the roads we have a contrast you have those writing white donkeys and style in these white keys donkeys. They were very big donkeys, goofy looking to us.

In some ways their feet almost dragging on the ground as they rode, but those who walk in the royalties of the commoners in the middle class people so you have those writing writing white donkeys and you had those walking on the road without the white donkeys.

It would sort of excess if you think about it. It's one of the first she will be riding a white donkey when she comes.

All right, verse 11. Thanks. Those of you who are here, the scream team. Thanks for helping out.

Still quiet. All right, verse 11. Far from the place far from the noise of the archers among the watering places there they shall recount the righteous acts of Yahweh, righteous acts for his villagers in Israel and the people of Yahweh show go down to the gates this far from the noise of the archers that's relatively easy you know in the safe zone. Your away from the combat and among the watering places. They shall recount the righteous acts of Yahweh, the righteous acts of his villagers and Israel. Well, the village life and around the watering hole where were the people gather and mingle and talking word would spread and then he says in the people of the Lord or of Yahweh show go down to the gates. That's the hub of the cities or even a village. The harbor where leaders of the city would would gather so the mighty acts of God would be discussed and would spread and it is so all part of the song of victory. Verse 12 Awake Way.

Deborah awake, awake, sing a song arise.

Bar rock and lead your captives away son of other known this just electric electricity in the song awake, awake, as you know, so you get to that point you every song got a partly not every song is socially just like through and through in her songs you like and and many songs is that part that you really like and this would be one of them.

I would think when if you were singing this because of the repetition awake, awake, Deborah awake, awake, sing a song and you could just throw some energy into the song as you were at the same time enjoying the meaning.

Verse 13 then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles, Yahweh came down for me against the mighty will survivors here in his again. You know would be nice survivors is not an incorrect translation of the Hebrew word remnant is the idea when you think of survivors you think of you know crashing people didn't die in the crash but documented since sort of descriptive of What Was Taking Pl. in Israel.

There was a crash of the culture, but because of the apostasy. Anyway, the remnant would prevail over the Canaanite nobility.

Nessie singing the song after the victory. That's that's fine but that's what it means in verse five, verse 14 for me from where those whose roots were in Amalek after you Benjamin with your peoples from a current rulers came down and from Zebulun. Those who bear the recruiters staff. So here are those engaging in the battle against the Canaanites that the remnant that is dealing with the nobles of the Canaanites. In verse 13 she now names some of the tribes of Ephraim even had to deal with the Amalekites. They were cut heavy concentration of them in their territory so they wanted their inheritance.

They had to get rid of the Amalekites and that's what that means in verse. The first part of verse 14 first sentence from make her that rulers came down that's Manasseh west room of the Joseph son Manasseh had a son make her he was a warrior and he was known as a warrior while in Egypt, and his descendents are those from Manasseh, and that tribe was split one half of the tribe lived on the west side of the Jordan and the other half of the tribe on the east side of the Jordan. And so here are those on the east side they came down for battle with broad particles and west side those in the East did not will get to them later. Those that were in that group of Gilead who did not go to battle and its poetic way of her mentioning and making a distinction between that warrior element in Manasseh and that other element of the tribe to the east of Jordan that did not show up for battle. So is very clever of move on her part to bring up their descendent maker and and attach that name that talent name to that part of the tribe that showed up for duty and is going to intensify a bit as we move on as far as application goes up when looking at the story that took place in Israel's history and of course when I just think over here to just get a history lesson on this route know we are here to hear from God what he has to say.

Through this Scripture using his history to do it and he is going to have and it cheers and corrections cheers chastening's come from the word of God. No way around it. Our flesh needs to chastening spirit needs to cheers.

We are supposed to be responsible and honest enough to sort it out. Once we are exposed to it and this those who still in verse 14. The bottom the end of it. Those who bear the recruiters staff. These were likely the leaders who had the ability to muster the troops to get them that literally. It's the staff of the scribe, but it is getting the men up for for war and she is applauding that in those tribes.

And so there is a call to arms was made by this element of the people in the promised land of the Jews, in contrast to those that will be coming to shortly in verse 15 and the princes of this car were with Deborah as Issachar. So was Mubarak sent into the valley under his command. Among the divisions of Ruben. There were great resolves of heart and now it begins. So here's Issachar. He they they rally with with the barracudas and from Naphtali incidentally get that in chapter 4, but Ruben Ruben is should we go, what you want to do a great resolves of heart. We think this is a good habit.

He never moved and that's going to be made very clear, Ruben, Gad, Asher, Dan and Manasseh, East, and that element of Naphtali opted out of the battle you listen to that you see yourself as a Christian do I do this do I serve with you I choose not to serve, for whatever reasons. Maybe you have great resolves.

I'm going to serve what you just don't getting a little ahead of myself because the stories going to tell better than I can says among the divisions of Ruben were great resolves of heart. They chose to talk about it, to analyze it, but no action discussing without discussion without doing inactive intentions.

Yeah, there is there's a tragedy in all of that relies on Mount Carmel, who incidentally will take the false prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth down to kiss Sean the valiant kiss Sean and execute them. That's what much of this battle is going take place for Deborah on this day but anyway that's a side note, first Kings, Eliza came to all the people. Is that how long will you falter between two opinions of Yahweh is God, follow him. If Baal is follow him, but the people answered him not a word they wanted proof is the truth wasn't enough they wanted something that they could see God tolerated that we are living in the age of truth, which thus says the Lord. We have the gospel record and the Old Testament in her prophecies. New Testament prophecies to we are appealing to reason not so much to the miraculous James chapter 1 we know this one be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourself that's what Ruben was doing there were just hearing and talking and then we are. We really want to do with the never did anything false is always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth again. Analyzing without action discussing without doing inactive intentions. The troops of Ruben they saw no action because of inaction amongst the leaders and so there's bad leadership for you.

They just would not make a decision.

Verse 16.

Why did you sit among the sheep foals to hear the piping's of the flocks the divisions of Ruben have great searching's of heart. What a rebuke of your from the tribe of Reuben with you. One of the soldiers you are ready for action. What you are getting the call. You waiting for your leaders to give you the commander never comes. By the time you decide I'm going to go on my own wars over and so she has the sarcasm in the song forever against the tribe of Reuben, what is your deal you just enjoying the sheep from me what was happening with you, you're missing or action. They sincerely debated the pros and cons of entering the battle but that's all they did just debated debate was a good point or not this will that's a good one.

I have Jack go there. The center that objected some. I should have said enough.

This is what we're doing.

Let's go. In this case. Action did not speak louder than words and actions spoke louder than action.

Verse 17 Gilead state beyond the Jordan, why did Dan remain on ships. Asher continued that this seashore and stayed by his inlets, but sarcasm there, never letting it out. You see it all ended before the song came up sheep I'm pretty hot what message would come Ruben's not coming. That's not sending the forces we need these tropes back in sync fine. I'm going to go without them Deborah when she bends revocable battle.

She gets her the pain out and she rounded off again, this is going into the this is going on record.

This is a battlefield record who didn't show up. The Transjordan Gad remained there Gilead. That's the east side of Jordan, the Transjordan Tribes. The hand that is withered won't help that hand was withered because it lost its identity.

He forgot how it got into the land why it was there. He forgot who the brethren were the God of the brethren their own God. High joy of serving was missed. We see this we see Christians have. This was on going to. I'm going to when people pledge I'm going I'm going to give this to. I don't want to eat you know just to eat and if you say you're going to do it and you better do it but I don't want to hear it until nicely, catching you start making these promises to God he's going to look for you to fulfill them.

You'd be better off not making the promise if you not going to fulfill it.

Why did Dan remain on ships and peer out at sea for fishing for fish while you say that we know better description. You can fish were more things in fish Jesus at all make you fishers of men. But it was safer was convenient convenient. This was the season the fish are biting Lord. Politic jumping into the net. No surprise that Dan never subdued the larger part of her territory, but even shamefully migrated north Concord, weaker people just so that they could promote their own idolatry.

Asher continued at the seashore and stayed in his inlets itself.

Catchy little dinghy just don't want to see Asher my condition, member of UC that never I see that sarcasm.

They preferred this honorable peace over duty.

That's one of the lessons half of Manasseh, and all of Gad along with Ruben stayed out of the fight. Dannon, the just in Asher's mentioned Scripture carefully notes those who showed up for battle, and those who opted out unwilling to risk unwilling to be disturbed willing to let others do the struggling willing to let others all the chili just so that they could stay comfortable. Verse 18.

Zebulon is a people who jeopardize their lives to the point of death.

Naphtali also on the heights of the battlefield there is.

That's the point. She making is a list of the other tribes. This this Zebulon, Naphtali. They showed up for battle. They put their lives at risk yo didn't you stay by your inlets rally little boats riding on the other side which is sheep.

These warriors showed up.

Action servants faith in God leads to courage leads to action that the conviction and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Conviction is not always have to be in the form of rebuke conviction means convinced you can. God can convince us to do something very gently and sweetly sweet is Lord serving faith includes knowledge and that knowledge leads to duty leads to action. And I'm fortunate enough to pastor a church. We have a lot of people from Zebulun and Naphtali. They come out and they serve to do so much. You can even keep track of it, few people know how much everybody is doing pastors no they know how many people in it and few people know how much the pastors do not talk about myself and the other pastors they do quite a bit and Doug God knows that's what's important. So you gotta walk with God to develop the fate Naphtali also on the heights of the battlefield, so she singles out these two nobody tribe semisolid shooter showed up.

In fact, Judah and Simeon not even mention why is that likely because they were busy fighting the Canaanites and their own territories over on the other circumstances. That's probably why they're not magic is a not rebuke so you can get to give him the benefit of the doubt because the doubt is removed by no rebuke turned their way. And so, in contrast to the battlefield absentees.

These two tribes are singled out along with the others that showed up to the glory of God and may the world not out, serve us, may they not be more courageous than us.

Verse 19 the Kings came and fought. Then the kings of Canaan fought and tear neck by the waters of Megiddo. They took no spoils of the silver so the Kings came and they fought and the kings of Canaanite but they were defeated.

Of course he did not they would. They did not get the spoils that they wanted. Now this of course. What part do I want to come a ghetto. The ideal battlefield a lot to say about me cattle the Valium get a good Israel.

You get up on their skills all around and you look down at me ghetto this fast evolving most of the farmland.

The is one of the ideal battlefield world moon. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

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