Series: Lessons From the Lives of the Judges THE HIGH COST OF LOW LIVNING JUDGES 6:1-10 Text: Introduction: As we move through the book of Judges, a clear pattern has emerged. The children of Israel would serve the Lord as long as they had a strong leader. When that leader passed from the scene, they fell back into their sins. When they sinned, God used the pagan nations living around them to chastise Israel. He allowed their enemies to afflict and oppress Israel to show them the high price of low living. In chapter 6 we are introduced to a man named Gideon. His name means he who cuts down. When Gideon appears, he is an unlikely choice to be a deliverer. He is hiding out of fear for Israel s enemies, v. 11. Gideon was guilty of fear and faithless, but he was God s choice to be the next judge of Israel, and God used him in a wonderful way. Just before we look into the life of Gideon, we are going to consider the text that lies before us today. These verses set the stage for the ministry of Gideon in - 1 -
Israel. They also hold some powerful lessons for our lives as well. These verses serve as a parable that speaks about The High Cost Of Low Living. They teach us the truth that disobedience to the will of the Lord in our lives carries a price higher than we would ever want to pay. Let s notice the lessons that can be gleaned from these verses, and how they can be applied to our daily lives. Note: 1. THE SIN THEY EMBRACED (VS. 1) Judges 6:1 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. The Bible simply says that the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. We do not know what their sin was, but we can assume that it was the same sin they had been guilty of in the past. Judges 2:19 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. - 2 -
Judges 3:5-7 5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. 7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. They were prone to walking the same foolish pathway. They were guilty of falling into the same trap. We too know the areas that we are weak in. If we are going to succeed in the fight with sin there are a few steps that we must take. Don t play near the trap. If you know there is an area of danger in your life, stay away from that danger. Genesis 39:12 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. 2 Timothy 2:22 22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, - 3 -
faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Ephesians 4:27 27 Neither give place to the devil. Look for the avenue of escape. God will make a way out of our temptations, but it is up to us to use it! 1 Corinthians 10:13 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Consider yourself dead to sin and its influences Romans 6:13 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a - 4 -
price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Determine in your heart to serve God and Him only Romans 6:13 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. Notice not only the sin they embraced but also: 2. THE SUFFERING THEY ENDURED (VS. 1-6) Judges 6:1-6 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. 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. 3 And so it - 5 -
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; 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 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. 6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. These verses record the terrible price Israel paid for their foolishness in sinning against God. What they suffered serves to remind us that we do not get away with sin! We might think we can hide it. We might think no one will find out. The truth is, God knows, and in His time, He will expose it for what it is. Numbers 32:23 23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out. Luke 12:1-3 1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing - 6 -
covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Let s examine what Israel endured because of their sins. A. They Suffered Invasion (vs. 1-2) Judges 6:1-2 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. 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. Israel was oppressed by the Midianites. The Midianites were the descendants of Abraham just like the Israelites were. They descended from a man named Midian. Midian was the son of Abraham. The word Midian means strife. - 7 -
B. They Suffered Imprisonment (vs. 2) Judges 6:2 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. The oppression of Israel by the Midianites resulted in Israel losing its will to fight. They ran away and hid in the mountains while the enemy overran their land. Their sin made them weak. It caused them to lose their will to fight. It left them utterly defeated. C. They Suffered Impoverishment (vs. 3-6) Judges 6:3-6 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; 4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. 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. 6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD. - 8 -
Everything Israel loved was taken away from them. They planted their fields, v. 3, and their enemies came and took away their crops. They saw all of the livestock taken away, v. 4. They were left with no sustenance. They were literally made weak. They were literally at the end of their rope. Everything they valued was taken from them. Everything they needed to sustain life was gone. They were left with nothing. Notice not only the sin they embraced and the suffering they endured but also: 3. THE SECURITY THAT WAS EXTENDED (VS. 7-10) Judges 6:7-10 7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, 8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; 10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. - 9 -
When the oppression of Israel becomes too great, they called on the Lord again. God heard their cry. No matter how many times we fail Him; no matter how many times we turn away into sin, He is always there to forgive, receive us and restore us, when we repent and turn back to Him in faith. God heard their cry, but He did not give them a deliverer immediately. God sent them an unnamed prophet instead. He sent them a man of God with a word from Heaven. This prophet s message was designed to remind them of who they were. It was a message designed to confront their failure in light of God s faithfulness. The prophet s message was designed to remind them of how good the Lord had been to them. It was designed to remind them how they should have been living because of their relationship with the Lord. Let s examine that message for a few moments. A. They Are Reminded of God s Deliverance (vs. 8-9) Judges 6:8-9 8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you - 10 -
forth out of the house of bondage; 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; God had moved in supernatural power to deliver Israel from their bondage in Egypt. God gave them a deliverer named Moses. God demonstrated His power of the Egyptian gods through the plagues that fell on the land. God brought them out in great power, parting the Red Sea, and allowing them to walk over on dry ground. If for nothing else, they should have been faithful to God because of His grace and salvation in their lives. B. They Are Reminded of God s Deeds (vs. 9) Judges 6:9 9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; Not only did God deliver them from Egypt, God went with them every step of the way. He drove out their enemies. He led them. He fed them. He never failed them, even when they failed Him. He gave them a good land and blessed them far beyond what they deserved. They should have been faithful to Him because of His blessings on their lives. - 11 -
C. They Are Reminded of God s Demands (vs. 10) Judges 6:10 10 And I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice. God reminds them that He s, not the gods of the pagans, but is their God. His words here remind us that He is a jealous God. Exodus 20:5 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; Exodus 34:14 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: He will not allow those He has redeemed to go after other gods. Israel is made to see that they are suffering because they failed to keep God first place in their lives. They have allowed other things to come ahead of Him and they are paying a high price for their low living. - 12 -
Close: Low living carries a high price! What will our disobedience cost us if it continues? What price are we willing to pay for our sin? Whatever it is, your sin is not worth what it will cost you in the long run! - 13 -