RUNNING FROM THE ENEMY? DO YOU KNOW WHY?

Transcription

1 RUNNING FROM THE ENEMY? DO YOU KNOW WHY?

2 Deut 32:28-30 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them. 29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! 30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? Last week we studied on God telling us that five shall chase a hundred and a hundred will chase ten thousand because He s with us. He told us, that our enemy may come at us one way and flee seven ways because the Lord is with Us, if we are obedient to Him, believe in Him, and have a conviction of what He has told us. Today, let s look at the reverse of this, how the Lord tells His same people how one enemy soldier chases a thousand, and two enemies chase ten thousand of His people. Deut. 28:28 says, they are a nation or people void of counsel. The word void is: א ב ד abad (aw-bad'), which is interpreted as figuratively perish, vanish of memory. Of counsel is: ע צ ה etsah (ay-tsaw'); meaning, hearty counsel or advice, particularly speaking of testimonies of God. Basically the scripture is saying, y all must have forgot, Who I AM, What I can do, and what I AM has and will do for you! Then the Lord goes on to say, neither is there any understanding in them. Here s were God is a little bothered, perturbed at them. First off, the syntax of the scripture actually reads, and there is not in them understanding. The phase and there is not any is the Hebrew word: א י ן ayin (ah'-yin); meaning, see nothing or see nought. The Hebrew reference of ן ayin (ah'-yin) is that of being in the condition of not; meaning, the sense of being determined not to see. God is saying, you literally do not want to see Me! The word understanding is: תּ בוּן tebunah (taw-boon'); which means, discernment, incline your mind to reason. So, with all this Hebrew transliteration, let s just make it plain and simple. What God is saying in Deut. 28:28, is the people kept wanting to forget what they saw God do in their mist and for them (vanish of memory). Didn t want to take check their hearts to take a counsel or advice of the Running From The Enemy 2

3 things God told them and showed them. Therefore, they did not want to incline their minds to reason in themselves knowing they were not following Him and sinning against God. So, because they just wanted to live their own way, they closed their eyes not wanting to see themselves in the light of God s truths. Basically, they wanted to live just as He says in Isa. 47:10: You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, No one sees me. Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, I am, and there is none besides me. Now, let s be honest, how many of us are the same way with God, just wanting to do our own thing, so we close our eyes? Come on now! Verse 29 goes on to say, O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! O that is: לוּא lu (loo); if, only if they were wise : ח כ ם chakam (khaw-kam'); to be wise or become wise, act wise that they understood : שׂ כ ל sakal (saw-kal'); to be prudent, give attention or attentive to that they would consider their latter end! : (latter end) is the word: א ח ר ית Acharith (akh-ar-eeth'); the after-part, end. Latter end is a Hebrew euphemism of a person s life their course of life. It is meant to explain a future, i.e. a happy life, suggesting the idea of a prosperity, promised to the righteous, or the idea of problems, issues and hang ups that come to the unrighteous. The ultimate issue of a course of action of their life. So, what the Lord is saying to them and us is, they should rethink ignoring Him, closing their eyes to only do what they want to do and consider acting or being wise, give attention to your choices because they will ultimately define your course of action righteousness / unrighteousness; God with you or God against you! Prosperity vs. problems. Prosperity is not just referring to monetary but fruits of the Running From The Enemy 3

4 spirit and rightness with God ultimate issue of a course of action of life. Verse 30 says, How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up? We don t need to break down this with the original Hebrew to understand what God is saying. The Contemporary English Version says it: How could one enemy soldier chase a thousand of Israel's troops? Or how could two of theirs pursue ten thousand of ours? It can only happen if the LORD stops protecting Israel and lets the enemy win. God is plainly and simply saying, it is us who walk away from Him, and in not walking with Him, in His will for our lives, we make ourselves vulnerable to the enemy. Most of the time, it s because we don t want to see Him, we don t want His counsel, because we choose to want to walk in our own ways. Therefore, He allows us to do so, and we are then chased by our enemies because we are outside His will and purpose for our lives, and that is primarily due to our lack wisdom in ourselves regarding the latter end א ח ר ית) Acharith (akh-ar-eeth') - ultimate issue of a course of action of their life). The word wisdom is once again, a purely ecclesiastical (or Biblical) word. The origin of the word comes straight from the Bible and know where else. The word wisdom in Hebrew is ח כ מ ה chokmah (khok-maw'); and in Greek is σοφία, ας, ἡ sophia, and both fit the English dictionary definition of: knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight, soundness of judgment. Running From The Enemy 4

5 Job 28:12-28 But where can wisdom be found? Where does understanding dwell? 13 No mortal comprehends its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the living. 14 The deep says, It is not in me ; the sea says, It is not with me. 15 It cannot be bought with the finest gold, nor can its price be weighed out in silver. 16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir, with precious onyx or lapis lazuli. 17 Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it, nor can it be had for jewels of gold. 18 Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies. 19 The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it; it cannot be bought with pure gold. 20 Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell? 21 It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing, concealed even from the birds in the sky. 22 Destruction and Death say, Only a rumor of it has reached our ears. 23 God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells, 24 for he views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. 25 When he established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, 26 when he made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, 27 then he looked at wisdom and appraised it; he confirmed it and tested it. 28 And he said to the human race, The fear of the Lord that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have a rich understanding. His praise endures forever! Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Running From The Enemy 5

6 Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Sin, wrong and disobedience is always because of a lack of wisdom, and the connection between them is very close. Sin, wrong, disobedience is (1)Ignorance of self. (2)Ignorance of God. (3)Ignorance of future consequences. Wisdom is not just knowledge of something, but can be summed up know how and God has already given us the know how, like He did the Isrealites. Prov. 2:6-7 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: Wisdom is given us through the awesome Grace of God through faith in Jesus. Meaning God s grace fills us with knowledge of Him and righteous judgments. Through Christ we can immediately become "truly wise". Not in human wisdom but spiritual wisdom (which also cuts through human wisdom) that leads us to more true knowledge of God. Jesus was the expressed image of God s wisdom for us (Heb. 1:1-3), Jesus is the incarnate Word of God, instructing us in the true knowledge of God on how to be wise unto salvation and eternal life. To learn of ourselves and see the latter-end, to make sound judgments! The wisdom of God dwells within us, by faith in Him. Will we be like the Israelites and be chased by our enemies or chase our enemies? Running From The Enemy 6