WEBVTT 00:00:07.230 --> 00:10:50.570 Welcome to Sure Foundation Baptist Church everybody open your hymn books and turn to page 409 page 409 and your hymn books the fight is on 409 the fight is on on the first the fight is on the trumpet sound is ringing out the cry to arms is heard of far and near the Lord of Hosts is marching on to victory. 00:10:51.560 --> 00:10:58.240 The triumph of the Christ will soon appear. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:02.240 The fight is on, O Christian soldier. 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:07.320 And face to face with stern array. 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:12.970 With armor gleaming, colors streaming. 00:11:12.970 --> 00:11:20.030 Though right and wrong today, the fight is on. 00:11:20.030 --> 00:11:28.260 But be not weary, be strong and in his might hold fast. 00:11:28.260 --> 00:11:33.840 If God be for us, his armor o'er us. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:38.800 We'll sing the victor's song at last. 00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:45.190 The fight is on, O lousy soldiers. 00:11:45.190 --> 00:11:50.590 Brave and true Jehovah lead, and victory will assure. 00:11:50.590 --> 00:12:02.630 Go buckled, God has given you, and in his strength forever we'll endure. 00:12:02.630 --> 00:12:14.500 The fight is on, and face to face in Mergley. 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:30.860 The street is on, be strong in his might. 00:12:30.860 --> 00:12:50.060 If God be for his band, we'll sing in victory. 00:12:50.060 --> 00:13:08.100 The bone's got his glorious name, the more the fight is on. 00:13:08.100 --> 00:13:38.870 And face to face with certain wrong, strong and if God-- 00:13:38.870 --> 00:14:03.260 Brother Stephen, can you please open us up with a word of prayer? 00:14:03.260 --> 00:14:06.540 Next song in your hymn book is gonna be song 473. 00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:08.460 Song 473. 00:14:08.460 --> 00:14:09.690 Chip ahoy. 00:14:09.690 --> 00:14:11.890 Not chips ahoy, ship ahoy. 00:14:11.890 --> 00:14:14.850 Song 473. 00:14:14.850 --> 00:14:19.290 Verse. 00:14:19.290 --> 00:14:25.990 I was drifting away on life's pitiless sea. 00:14:25.990 --> 00:14:32.500 And the angry waves threatened my ruin to be. 00:14:32.500 --> 00:14:37.270 When away at my side there I didn't scry. 00:14:37.270 --> 00:14:53.120 I cropped a whole ship up above. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:15:11.100 The angels I heard sweet song. 00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:14.500 The captain's kind ear. 00:15:14.500 --> 00:15:57.330 My wiccan pets washed away. 00:15:57.330 --> 00:16:00.450 The blood I saved. 00:16:00.450 --> 00:16:23.790 The lore I swayed. 00:16:23.790 --> 00:16:31.230 The strong to save. 00:16:31.230 --> 00:16:34.160 That's him today. 00:16:34.160 --> 00:16:59.550 No. 00:17:31.350 --> 00:17:33.340 That's him today. 00:17:33.340 --> 00:17:35.320 That's him today. 00:17:35.320 --> 00:17:37.310 That's him today. 00:17:37.310 --> 00:17:39.300 That's him today. 00:17:39.300 --> 00:18:05.450 That's him today. 00:18:05.450 --> 00:18:28.180 That's him today. 00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:50.160 That's him today. 00:18:50.160 --> 00:19:06.110 That's him today. 00:19:06.110 --> 00:19:44.030 That's him today. 00:19:44.030 --> 00:20:10.580 That's him today. 00:20:10.580 --> 00:28:38.720 That's him today. 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.900 That's him today. 00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:14.820 That's him today. 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:23.110 That's him today. 00:29:23.110 --> 00:29:31.550 That's him today. 00:29:31.550 --> 00:29:46.760 That's him today. 00:29:46.760 --> 00:30:15.610 That's him today. 00:30:15.610 --> 00:30:26.340 That's him today. 00:30:26.340 --> 00:30:37.050 That's him today. 00:30:37.050 --> 00:30:58.340 That's him today. 00:30:58.340 --> 00:31:14.960 That's him today. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:29.350 That's him today. 00:31:29.350 --> 00:31:49.660 That's him today. 00:31:49.660 --> 00:32:04.210 That's him today. 00:32:04.210 --> 00:32:32.440 That's him today. 00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:53.310 That's him today. 00:32:53.310 --> 00:33:14.320 That's him today. 00:33:14.320 --> 00:33:28.260 That's him today. 00:33:28.260 --> 00:33:54.120 That's him today. 00:33:54.120 --> 00:34:10.070 That's him today. 00:34:10.070 --> 00:34:39.250 That's him today. 00:34:39.250 --> 00:34:45.210 That's him today. 00:35:09.590 --> 00:35:15.550 That's him today. 00:35:15.550 --> 00:35:21.930 That's him today. 00:35:21.930 --> 00:35:30.180 That's him today. 00:35:30.180 --> 00:35:45.820 That's him today. 00:35:45.820 --> 00:36:16.870 That's him today. 00:36:16.870 --> 00:36:22.940 That's him today. 00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:59.720 That's him today. 00:36:59.720 --> 00:37:05.790 That's him today. 00:37:05.790 --> 00:37:11.740 That's him today. 00:37:11.740 --> 00:37:20.320 That's him today. 00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:34.290 That's him today. 00:37:34.290 --> 00:37:58.240 That's him today. 00:37:58.240 --> 00:38:08.570 That's him today. 00:38:08.570 --> 00:38:18.510 That's him today. 00:38:18.510 --> 00:38:34.490 That's him today. 00:38:34.490 --> 00:38:49.010 That's him today. 00:38:49.010 --> 00:39:17.030 That's him today. 00:39:17.030 --> 00:39:37.060 That's him today. 00:39:37.060 --> 00:39:53.010 That's him today. 00:39:53.010 --> 00:40:21.950 That's him today. 00:40:21.950 --> 00:40:42.390 That's him today. 00:40:42.390 --> 00:41:06.340 That's him today. 00:41:06.340 --> 00:41:18.320 That's him today. 00:41:18.320 --> 00:41:41.140 That's him today. 00:41:41.140 --> 00:42:01.060 That's him today. 00:42:01.060 --> 00:42:23.130 That's him today. 00:42:23.130 --> 00:42:40.850 That's him today. 00:42:40.850 --> 00:43:03.520 That's him today. 00:43:03.520 --> 00:43:16.830 That's him today. 00:43:16.830 --> 00:43:39.400 That's him today. 00:43:39.400 --> 00:44:01.330 That's him today. 00:44:01.330 --> 00:44:23.330 That's him today. 00:44:23.330 --> 00:44:35.920 That's him today. 00:44:35.920 --> 00:44:58.040 That's him today. 00:44:58.040 --> 00:45:26.720 That's him today. 00:45:26.720 --> 00:45:32.730 That's him today. 00:45:32.730 --> 00:45:38.770 That's him today. 00:45:38.770 --> 00:45:46.700 That's him today. 00:45:46.700 --> 00:46:02.680 That's him today. 00:46:02.680 --> 00:46:18.750 That's him today. 00:46:18.750 --> 00:46:33.290 That's him today. 00:46:33.290 --> 00:46:57.210 That's him today. 00:46:57.210 --> 00:47:08.360 That's him today. 00:47:08.360 --> 00:47:19.270 That's him today. 00:47:19.270 --> 00:47:33.530 That's him today. 00:47:33.530 --> 00:47:55.950 That's him today. 00:47:55.950 --> 00:48:10.190 That's him today. 00:48:10.190 --> 00:48:37.330 That's him today. 00:48:37.330 --> 00:48:59.070 That's him today. 00:48:59.070 --> 00:49:14.210 That's him today. 00:49:14.210 --> 00:49:43.440 That's him today. 00:49:43.440 --> 00:50:06.860 That's him today. 00:50:06.860 --> 00:50:28.830 That's him today. 00:50:28.830 --> 00:50:50.800 That's him today. 00:50:50.800 --> 00:51:13.210 That's him today. 00:51:13.210 --> 00:51:36.040 That's him today. 00:51:36.040 --> 00:51:58.000 That's him today. 00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:26.040 That's him today. 00:52:26.040 --> 00:52:47.470 That's him today. 00:52:47.470 --> 00:53:08.090 That's him today. 00:53:08.090 --> 00:53:28.490 That's him today. 00:53:28.490 --> 00:53:46.190 That's him today. 00:53:46.190 --> 00:54:07.130 That's him today. 00:54:07.130 --> 00:54:36.690 That's him today. 00:54:36.690 --> 00:54:57.860 That's him today. 00:54:57.860 --> 00:55:18.660 That's him today. 00:55:18.660 --> 00:55:40.730 That's him today. 00:55:40.730 --> 00:56:02.950 That's him today. 00:56:02.950 --> 00:56:20.450 That's him today. 00:56:37.540 --> 00:56:57.680 That's him today. 00:56:57.680 --> 00:57:19.960 That's him today. 00:57:19.960 --> 00:57:41.580 That's him today. 00:57:41.580 --> 00:58:02.510 That's him today. 00:58:02.510 --> 00:58:23.170 That's him today. 00:58:23.170 --> 00:58:46.500 That's him today. 00:58:46.500 --> 00:59:03.450 That's him today. 00:59:20.180 --> 00:59:33.420 That's him today. 00:59:33.420 --> 01:00:05.140 That's him today. 01:00:05.140 --> 01:00:19.770 That's him today. 01:00:19.770 --> 01:00:37.850 That's him today. 01:00:37.850 --> 01:00:59.980 That's him today. 01:00:59.980 --> 01:01:17.910 That's him today. 01:01:17.910 --> 01:01:32.980 That's him today. 01:01:32.980 --> 01:01:55.440 That's him today. 01:01:55.440 --> 01:02:09.460 That's him today. 01:02:09.460 --> 01:02:35.620 That's him today. 01:02:35.620 --> 01:02:52.770 That's a beautiful song because David was encountering some hard time. 01:02:52.770 --> 01:02:57.730 Possibly that was during the time that he was fleeing from Saul. 01:02:57.730 --> 01:02:59.710 David said his spirit was overwhelmed. 01:02:59.710 --> 01:03:02.740 David said they are stronger than I. 01:03:02.740 --> 01:03:06.910 They hold more power than me. 01:03:06.910 --> 01:03:12.370 But David humbled himself and he sought the Lord. 01:03:12.370 --> 01:03:14.970 Do you know what David was saying here? 01:03:14.970 --> 01:03:18.240 Don't doubt in the night what you are sure about in the light. 01:03:18.240 --> 01:03:20.190 David was at a low in his life. 01:03:20.190 --> 01:03:22.150 He was running for his life. 01:03:22.150 --> 01:03:25.950 And David had already been anointed by Samuel. 01:03:25.950 --> 01:03:28.260 David had already defeated Goliath. 01:03:28.260 --> 01:03:31.550 David had already seen God's hand. 01:03:31.550 --> 01:03:33.770 But now he was hiding in a cave. 01:03:33.770 --> 01:03:36.290 Yet he did not doubt the Lord 01:03:36.290 --> 01:03:38.240 because he knew the promise of God. 01:03:38.240 --> 01:03:40.650 Go back to Judges chapter 20. 01:03:40.650 --> 01:03:43.420 Judges chapter number 20. 01:03:43.420 --> 01:03:48.110 So God told them to go up again the second day. 01:03:48.110 --> 01:03:51.430 Look at what happened on the second day. 01:03:51.430 --> 01:03:53.790 Judges 20 verse 25. 01:03:53.790 --> 01:03:55.330 The Bible says this. 01:03:55.330 --> 01:03:59.330 "And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second day, 01:03:59.330 --> 01:04:02.520 and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel. 01:04:02.520 --> 01:04:06.460 Again eighteen thousand men all these drew the sword. 01:04:06.460 --> 01:04:10.630 They suffered another great defeat. 01:04:10.630 --> 01:04:14.190 The Benjamites won again, you know, 01:04:14.190 --> 01:04:17.110 while being severely outnumbered." 01:04:17.110 --> 01:04:20.100 You know, the Benjamite plus the Gibeahites, okay? 01:04:20.100 --> 01:04:24.340 "And between those two days Israel have lost forty thousand men." 01:04:24.340 --> 01:04:26.400 That's a great loss. 01:04:26.400 --> 01:04:28.330 That's forty thousand lives. 01:04:28.330 --> 01:04:30.580 So I say the first lesson. 01:04:30.580 --> 01:04:33.510 Don't doubt in the night what you are sure about in the light. 01:04:33.510 --> 01:04:34.490 Lesson number two. 01:04:34.490 --> 01:04:38.640 Don't change your position as a response to opposition. 01:04:38.640 --> 01:04:44.140 Don't change your positions as a response to opposition. 01:04:44.140 --> 01:04:47.080 Because the children of Israel could have given up after two major defeats. 01:04:47.080 --> 01:04:50.110 These are no small defeats. 01:04:50.110 --> 01:04:55.060 They could have re-evaluated their stance against the sodomites. 01:04:55.060 --> 01:04:57.040 They could have let us go, right? 01:04:57.040 --> 01:04:59.020 They could have toned down the preaching. 01:04:59.020 --> 01:05:01.180 They could have been secret sensitive. 01:05:01.180 --> 01:05:03.240 They could have changed their convictions. 01:05:03.240 --> 01:05:04.560 But notice what they did. 01:05:04.560 --> 01:05:06.670 Look at verse 26. 01:05:06.670 --> 01:05:10.750 Then all the children of Israel and all the people 01:05:10.750 --> 01:05:13.720 went up and came unto the house of God and wept 01:05:13.720 --> 01:05:18.680 and sat there before the Lord and fasted that day until even 01:05:18.680 --> 01:05:23.130 and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 01:05:23.130 --> 01:05:24.050 They did not blame God. 01:05:24.050 --> 01:05:30.630 They did not change their positions as a response to the opposition. 01:05:30.630 --> 01:05:31.610 Instead they sought after God. 01:05:31.610 --> 01:05:33.580 They humbled themselves. 01:05:33.580 --> 01:05:34.570 They wept. 01:05:34.570 --> 01:05:35.550 They fasted. 01:05:35.550 --> 01:05:36.540 And they offered offerings. 01:05:36.540 --> 01:05:43.450 That's why we should never let the outcome decide what is true. 01:05:43.450 --> 01:05:44.780 Let the Bible decide. 01:05:44.780 --> 01:05:46.210 Amen. 01:05:46.210 --> 01:05:51.550 Don't flee from the battle when you get fired for the cause of Christ. 01:05:51.550 --> 01:05:54.530 Don't let the outcome change your conviction. 01:05:54.530 --> 01:05:56.500 Don't let the outcome change your position. 01:05:56.500 --> 01:06:01.610 Don't apologize to the sodomites when your old sermons are being scrutinized. 01:06:01.610 --> 01:06:07.380 Don't abandon the battlefield when you suffer great loss. 01:06:07.380 --> 01:06:10.540 And don't back away from the men of God when the battle is raging. 01:06:10.540 --> 01:06:16.420 In the future, you may suffer real physical persecution. 01:06:16.420 --> 01:06:18.560 You may even be put to prison. 01:06:18.560 --> 01:06:21.840 Your friends at church may be killed for the cause of Christ. 01:06:21.840 --> 01:06:24.290 Will you still be faithful? 01:06:24.290 --> 01:06:34.570 To me that's a legit question because you may have known some terrible persecutions in time past. 01:06:34.570 --> 01:06:37.790 But a great tribulation in the end time will be much worse. 01:06:37.790 --> 01:06:45.470 The Bible says, "Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." 01:06:45.470 --> 01:06:47.510 You have seen nothing yet, okay? 01:06:47.510 --> 01:06:51.590 So when you actually encounter physical persecution, will you change your positions? 01:06:51.590 --> 01:06:53.570 Will you tone down the message? 01:06:53.570 --> 01:06:56.470 Will you change your convictions? 01:06:56.470 --> 01:07:00.470 When your family turns against you, will you soften your standards? 01:07:00.470 --> 01:07:05.910 When your children turn against you, God forbid, will you stay faithful? 01:07:05.910 --> 01:07:08.850 When your pastor commits wicked sins, will you still serve God? 01:07:08.850 --> 01:07:13.430 These are real questions for you to ask yourself. 01:07:13.430 --> 01:07:17.220 I mean, I like the attitude of Job. 01:07:17.220 --> 01:07:19.160 "Though he slays me, yet will I trust him." 01:07:19.160 --> 01:07:23.600 Job is saying, "I'm not going to let the opposition change my position." 01:07:23.600 --> 01:07:27.630 Let the Bible decide. Don't let the outcome decide. 01:07:27.630 --> 01:07:29.660 Don't let the outcome decide what's true. 01:07:29.660 --> 01:07:32.600 Let God decide. Let the Word of God decide. 01:07:32.600 --> 01:07:37.970 Also realize that we will not win every single battle, 01:07:37.970 --> 01:07:40.420 but we will win the war in the end. 01:07:40.420 --> 01:07:43.990 Don't just assume that because you are saved, 01:07:43.990 --> 01:07:45.960 you will win every single battle. 01:07:45.960 --> 01:07:48.250 God sanctioned the fight. 01:07:48.250 --> 01:07:50.230 He wants us to fight a good fight of faith. 01:07:50.230 --> 01:07:51.280 He wants us to be a good soldier, 01:07:51.280 --> 01:07:55.200 but he did not promise every single victory in this world. 01:07:55.200 --> 01:07:57.940 Because the Antichrist, you know, 01:07:57.940 --> 01:08:01.160 the Bible says in Revelation 13, 37, 01:08:01.160 --> 01:08:05.100 and it was given unto him to make war with the saints 01:08:05.100 --> 01:08:07.080 and to overcome them. 01:08:07.080 --> 01:08:11.330 So the Antichrist will win the war against the Christians 01:08:11.330 --> 01:08:15.650 in this life, on the earth, okay? 01:08:15.650 --> 01:08:19.420 We will not win every single battle. 01:08:19.420 --> 01:08:24.200 Job said this to his wife. 01:08:24.200 --> 01:08:27.140 What shall we receive good at the hand of God, 01:08:27.140 --> 01:08:29.580 and shall we not receive evil? 01:08:29.580 --> 01:08:30.560 Sometimes bad things happen. 01:08:30.560 --> 01:08:32.520 Sometimes we will suffer defeat, 01:08:32.520 --> 01:08:34.490 but we will win the war in the end, 01:08:34.490 --> 01:08:38.370 but we may not win every single battle. 01:08:38.370 --> 01:08:44.250 Judges chapter 20, look at verse 26. 01:08:44.250 --> 01:08:48.210 And sometimes God allows us to go through defeats, 01:08:48.210 --> 01:08:51.170 to go through trials just to make us get closer to Him. 01:08:51.170 --> 01:08:56.730 Because notice what the children of Israel did after two defeats. 01:08:56.730 --> 01:08:58.660 Look at verse 26 again. 01:08:58.660 --> 01:09:01.000 Judges 20, verse 26. 01:09:01.000 --> 01:09:06.150 "Then all the children of Israel and all the people went up 01:09:06.150 --> 01:09:08.110 and came unto the house of God, 01:09:08.110 --> 01:09:11.350 and wept and sadded before the Lord, 01:09:11.350 --> 01:09:13.310 and fasted that day until even, 01:09:13.310 --> 01:09:16.520 they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord." 01:09:16.520 --> 01:09:19.900 You know what? They were closer to God. 01:09:19.900 --> 01:09:24.840 After the first defeat, they wept and they asked counsel of the Lord. 01:09:24.840 --> 01:09:27.810 But after the second defeat, not only did they wept, 01:09:27.810 --> 01:09:33.360 but they also fasted and offered offerings. 01:09:33.360 --> 01:09:37.250 See, when you go through trials and persecutions and defeats in your life, 01:09:37.250 --> 01:09:40.030 draw closer to God, right? 01:09:40.030 --> 01:09:42.250 Let God comfort you. 01:09:42.250 --> 01:09:48.680 Stop complaining to others and simply pour all your cares on God, 01:09:48.680 --> 01:09:51.850 because He cares for you, right? 01:09:51.850 --> 01:09:53.830 Psalm 34, verse 18 says this, 01:09:53.830 --> 01:09:56.810 "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, 01:09:56.810 --> 01:09:59.790 and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 01:09:59.790 --> 01:10:01.770 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, 01:10:01.770 --> 01:10:05.680 but the Lord delivereth him out of them all." 01:10:05.680 --> 01:10:09.120 See, when you suffer defeat, when you suffer pushbacks, 01:10:09.120 --> 01:10:11.310 just draw closer to God, right? 01:10:11.310 --> 01:10:14.500 Pray fast, just pour all of your cares upon God. 01:10:14.500 --> 01:10:20.900 So I said, lesson number one, don't doubt in the night 01:10:20.900 --> 01:10:22.840 what you are sure about in the light. 01:10:22.840 --> 01:10:24.980 Lesson number two, don't change your positions 01:10:24.980 --> 01:10:28.170 as a response to opposition. 01:10:28.170 --> 01:10:31.650 Lesson number three, in this hard fought battle, 01:10:31.650 --> 01:10:35.160 don't grow impatient, God will deliver you when he chooses to. 01:10:35.160 --> 01:10:39.050 Don't grow impatient, God will deliver you when he chooses to. 01:10:39.050 --> 01:10:43.020 Look at verse 27, Judges 20, verse number 27. 01:10:43.020 --> 01:10:48.810 "And the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, 01:10:48.810 --> 01:10:52.490 for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days. 01:10:52.490 --> 01:10:56.740 And Phineas, the son of Eliezer and the son of Aaron, 01:10:56.740 --> 01:10:59.720 stood before it in those days, saying, 01:10:59.720 --> 01:11:03.700 'Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin, 01:11:03.700 --> 01:11:06.680 my brother, or shall I cease?' 01:11:06.680 --> 01:11:11.890 And the Lord said, 'Go up, for tomorrow I will deliver them into thy hand.'" 01:11:11.890 --> 01:11:17.410 Here's the thing, if they give up after the first and the second defeat, 01:11:17.410 --> 01:11:20.360 they will never see God's victory, right? 01:11:20.360 --> 01:11:26.880 If you skip church, when life is not going well, you may never see the victory. 01:11:26.880 --> 01:11:32.350 If you skip Bible reading when you lose your jobs, you may never see the victory. 01:11:32.350 --> 01:11:37.910 If you skip praying when the battle is raging, when your friends turn against you, 01:11:37.910 --> 01:11:40.080 you may never see the victory, right? 01:11:40.080 --> 01:11:48.410 Here, we see God told them, "Hey, go up again, tomorrow I will deliver them into thy hand." 01:11:48.410 --> 01:11:54.220 But we also see a person, Phineas. 01:11:54.220 --> 01:11:58.860 Phineas was the grandson of Aaron, 01:11:58.860 --> 01:12:03.020 again proving that this event took place earlier in Judges. 01:12:03.020 --> 01:12:08.040 I don't think Phineas was the judge or even "leader" here, but Phineas was the priest. 01:12:08.040 --> 01:12:15.340 But I do think it's kind of interesting that when a priest assumed the role of spiritual leadership, 01:12:15.340 --> 01:12:19.210 inquiring God, the victory followed. 01:12:19.210 --> 01:12:23.450 Don't get me wrong, it was not only due to Phineas' inquiry to God, 01:12:23.450 --> 01:12:27.890 because Israel as a whole, they humbled themselves and they sought the Lord too. 01:12:27.890 --> 01:12:31.860 And the priest's presence does not just automatically guarantee victory, 01:12:31.860 --> 01:12:34.830 but without spiritual leadership, there will be no victory. 01:12:34.830 --> 01:12:39.660 That's why we need pastors, right? We need godly pastors. 01:12:39.660 --> 01:12:43.620 And we sought two bad priests in the last two chapters, 01:12:43.620 --> 01:12:48.690 and here we finally sought a good priest that sought the Lord, right? 01:12:48.690 --> 01:12:58.090 Look at verse 29, Judges 20 verse 29, "And Israel said liars in wait round about Gebeah. 01:12:58.090 --> 01:13:02.450 And the children of Israel went up against the children of Benjamin on the third day, 01:13:02.450 --> 01:13:06.440 and put themselves in a raid against Gebeah, as at other times. 01:13:06.440 --> 01:13:10.420 And the children of Israel and the children of Benjamin went out against the people, 01:13:10.420 --> 01:13:14.410 and were drawn away from the city, and they began to smite of the people and kill, 01:13:14.410 --> 01:13:18.400 as at other times, in the highways of which one goeth up to the house of God, 01:13:18.400 --> 01:13:21.380 and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel, 01:13:21.380 --> 01:13:25.370 and the children of Benjamin said, "They are smitten down before us," 01:13:25.370 --> 01:13:31.400 as at the first, the children of Israel said, "Let us flee and draw them from the city onto the highways." 01:13:31.400 --> 01:13:36.300 So basically, Israel made Benjamin think that they were running away, 01:13:36.300 --> 01:13:40.270 but they were setting up an ambush, okay? 01:13:40.270 --> 01:13:47.360 And the sympathizers and the sodomites thought they were going to defeat them just like the other two times, right? 01:13:47.360 --> 01:13:53.560 That's, you know, that's pride in its full display, right? 01:13:53.560 --> 01:13:56.530 They thought, you know, they were defeated twice. 01:13:56.530 --> 01:13:57.520 "Hey, I'm going to do it again." 01:13:57.520 --> 01:14:00.490 But the Bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction." 01:14:00.490 --> 01:14:05.980 To me, that's also practical because the sodomites and the sympathizers, 01:14:05.980 --> 01:14:08.940 they may think, "Finally, we get them fired!" 01:14:08.940 --> 01:14:10.980 "Finally, they don't have a building!" 01:14:10.980 --> 01:14:13.130 "Finally, we bomb their building!" 01:14:13.130 --> 01:14:14.100 "We win!" 01:14:14.100 --> 01:14:18.540 But they don't know that their destruction is coming, right? 01:14:18.540 --> 01:14:21.840 Look at verse 33. 01:14:50.570 --> 01:15:00.180 So 25,100, you know, Benjamites and the Gibeides, they were killed in this battle. 01:15:00.180 --> 01:15:03.060 It was a great victory. 01:15:03.060 --> 01:15:04.930 But don't miss the wording here. 01:15:04.930 --> 01:15:10.480 "It was not the children of Israel that smote Benjamin, but the Lord." 01:15:10.480 --> 01:15:11.400 Notice verse 35. 01:15:11.400 --> 01:15:15.020 "And the Lord smote Benjamin before Israel." 01:15:15.020 --> 01:15:20.410 Because at the end of the day, we should give God glory for the victories, right? 01:15:20.410 --> 01:15:21.900 It is all God. 01:15:21.900 --> 01:15:24.820 Don't take credit for yourself. 01:15:24.820 --> 01:15:29.320 And look at verse 36. 01:15:29.320 --> 01:15:34.960 "So the children of Benjamin saw that it was smitten, for the men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, 01:15:34.960 --> 01:15:39.890 because they trusted unto the liars in wait, which they had set beside Gibeah. 01:15:39.890 --> 01:15:46.170 And the liars in wait hasted and rushed upon Gibeah, and the liars in wait drew themselves along 01:15:46.170 --> 01:15:49.150 and smote all the city with the edge of the sword." 01:15:49.150 --> 01:15:53.120 Basically, you know, long story short, they set up an ambush, 01:15:53.120 --> 01:15:58.090 so they killed a bunch of men of Benjamin, jumped onto verse number 43. 01:15:58.090 --> 01:16:01.980 "Thus they enclosed Benjamin round about and chased them, 01:16:01.980 --> 01:16:05.950 and choked them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the sun rising. 01:16:05.950 --> 01:16:11.900 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men, all these were men of valor." 01:16:11.900 --> 01:16:17.050 So basically, among the twenty-five thousand one hundred men that died, 01:16:17.050 --> 01:16:22.000 eighteen thousand of them were from the main pursuit, right? 01:16:22.000 --> 01:16:27.030 Because they were running away, and then Israel killed them from the main pursuit. 01:16:27.030 --> 01:16:32.970 Look at verse forty-five, "And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of Ramon, 01:16:32.970 --> 01:16:41.810 and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and pursued hard after them unto Gaidon, 01:16:41.810 --> 01:16:48.410 and slew two thousand men of them." So between the twenty-five thousand seven hundred men, 01:16:48.410 --> 01:16:53.390 eighteen thousand were killed during the main pursuit, and then seven thousand were killed, 01:16:53.390 --> 01:16:57.380 that was the remaining fleeing troops. Look at verse forty-six, 01:16:57.380 --> 01:17:02.360 "So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men that drew the sword, 01:17:02.360 --> 01:17:08.340 all these were men of valor." Okay, so here we have a hundred men difference between verse thirty-five 01:17:08.340 --> 01:17:14.320 and verse forty-six, because verse thirty-five said we have twenty-five thousand one hundred 01:17:14.320 --> 01:17:22.330 men that were killed, but then in verse forty-six, I mean it seems to be one hundred men short. 01:17:22.330 --> 01:17:28.300 To me that's not a contradiction, but simply just a rounding thing, okay? So a total of twenty-five thousand people 01:17:28.300 --> 01:17:37.170 killed, but the exact number is twenty-five thousand seven hundred. Look at verse forty-seven, 01:17:37.170 --> 01:17:44.220 "But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, onto the rock Ramon, and abode in the rock Ramon 01:17:44.220 --> 01:17:54.160 for four months." So you still have six hundred men that successfully fled, fled from the men of Israel. 01:17:54.160 --> 01:17:59.100 They were saved for four months. They were in hiding for four months, but that's not the end. 01:17:59.100 --> 01:18:05.320 Look at verse forty-eight, "And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, 01:18:05.320 --> 01:18:13.450 and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of every city as the beast, and all that came to hand. 01:18:13.450 --> 01:18:16.420 Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to." 01:18:16.420 --> 01:18:24.410 So if you do the math, you have 26,700, you know, Benjamites plus the men of Gibeah, 01:18:24.410 --> 01:18:31.770 and 25,700 men were killed, leaving 1,000 men left, okay? 01:18:31.770 --> 01:18:39.260 And I, you know, kind of believe that the remaining 1,000 men, they were probably killed in verse forty-eight, 01:18:39.260 --> 01:18:44.240 because as they came to the city of Benjamin, they basically burned the city and they slayed people, okay? 01:18:44.240 --> 01:18:51.200 So I believe the majority of the 26,700 sympathizers plus the sodomites, they were killed, okay? 01:18:51.200 --> 01:18:58.120 So again, here's a lesson. Don't grow impatient. God will deliver you when he chooses to. 01:18:58.120 --> 01:19:08.510 And we will win the war in the end. We may lose some battles, we may have some setbacks, but God will give us the final victory. 01:19:08.510 --> 01:19:17.850 As Lord Jesus Christ said, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 01:19:17.850 --> 01:19:28.540 Our job is to be a good Christian soldier and keep marching and keep fighting, keep preaching against false doctrines, and we will win the war. Amen? 01:19:28.540 --> 01:19:34.470 But also I can do think that women and children of Benjamin, they were killed as well. Look at verse 37 again. 01:19:34.470 --> 01:19:47.210 Judges 20 verse 37, "And the liars in wait hasted and rushed upon Gevia, and the liars in wait drew themselves along and smote all the city with the edge of the sword." 01:19:47.210 --> 01:19:53.210 So they sacked the city, and then in verse 48 the Bible says they set on fire all the cities that it came to. 01:19:53.210 --> 01:19:59.930 So it's likely that they not only killed the men but also women and children. 01:19:59.930 --> 01:20:09.870 And also based on verse 48, they smote the people in Benjamin and the men and the beasts and everything that came their way. 01:20:09.870 --> 01:20:16.990 Again, I'm not going to say whether they are justified or not because some people will say that the children of Israel, 01:20:16.990 --> 01:20:24.960 they were being overly cruel and they shouldn't have killed all the women and children, just all the beasts, livestock, whatever. 01:20:24.960 --> 01:20:30.930 But others think that that's what ought to happen when you are sheltering the sodomites. 01:20:30.930 --> 01:20:39.980 And others think that that's kind of like why God wants Israel to wipe out certain hidden nations due to the abominations they have committed. 01:20:39.980 --> 01:20:44.910 Again, there are multiple views on that. I'm not going to be dogmatic on either way. 01:20:44.910 --> 01:20:54.280 But turn the Bible to Deuteronomy chapter number 20 because the overarching principle in the book of Judges says 01:20:54.280 --> 01:20:59.420 people do that, people do what is right in their own eyes. 01:20:59.420 --> 01:21:04.380 So again, I could not say that because I don't see God sanctioning them to kill everyone. 01:21:04.380 --> 01:21:09.310 But again, I see the point because they are committing sodomy, they are sheltering the sodomites. 01:21:09.310 --> 01:21:16.140 You are in Deuteronomy chapter 20, look at verse number 16. 01:21:16.140 --> 01:21:22.050 The Bible says, "But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, 01:21:22.050 --> 01:21:32.400 thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; but thou shalt utterly destroy them, namely the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Parasites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 01:21:32.400 --> 01:21:37.380 And the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, 01:21:37.380 --> 01:21:47.340 that they teach you not to do after all their abominations which they have done unto their gods, so should ye sin against the Lord your God." 01:21:47.340 --> 01:21:52.490 So here God authorized a genocide killing everyone, women and children. 01:21:52.490 --> 01:21:55.730 You know what? He has justified for doing that, right? 01:21:55.730 --> 01:22:06.010 Everything that God does is justified because they were committing abominations, probably diseases, you know, from the sodomy. 01:22:06.010 --> 01:22:13.460 Maybe they burned the whole city and killing even the animals just to kill all the disease, right? 01:22:13.460 --> 01:22:21.440 I don't really know if that's the intention. I don't see God commanding them to sack the cities in chapter 20. 01:22:21.440 --> 01:22:29.370 So I'm not going to assume too much, but we can still learn something from this that your sins have consequences. 01:22:29.370 --> 01:22:36.310 Don't be a sympathizer. Don't side with the enemies of God. Don't be more loving than God, okay? 01:22:36.310 --> 01:22:44.280 Or you will suffer devastating consequences. Those people died for sheltering the sodomites, for protecting wickedness. 01:22:44.280 --> 01:22:53.380 To me, the people of Benjamin are like those faith leaders and Christians who speak against me and side with the sodomites. 01:22:53.380 --> 01:22:59.350 You know what? The Bible says God is not mocked. They will reap what they sow and they will suffer devastating consequences. 01:22:59.350 --> 01:23:08.160 Just like the men of Benjamin. The sympathizers will lose. They might even be physically killed. 01:23:08.160 --> 01:23:14.350 But personally, I do think that this is one of the most encouraging chapters in this book. 01:23:14.350 --> 01:23:21.260 Because it gives us comfort when we may not seem to have immediate victories. 01:23:21.260 --> 01:23:25.170 This chapter gives us comfort when we suffer great defeats. 01:23:25.170 --> 01:23:30.650 Because let's be honest, the Christian life is not an easy life. 01:23:30.650 --> 01:23:36.120 The Christian life is a life filled with trials and tests and multiple battles. 01:23:36.120 --> 01:23:44.250 To me, you may be a father carrying the weight of providing for your family. 01:23:44.250 --> 01:23:49.400 You may get up early and just go to bed late. 01:23:49.400 --> 01:23:52.730 You may start to wonder, "Should I get up tomorrow again?" 01:23:52.730 --> 01:23:56.270 But if you ask that question, God will tell you, "Go up." 01:23:56.270 --> 01:24:02.590 Maybe tomorrow you are so tired of working, maybe you cry out to God, "Should I go up again?" 01:24:02.590 --> 01:24:06.120 And God will tell you, "Go up." 01:24:06.120 --> 01:24:09.360 Do the right thing. Keep pushing hard. 01:24:09.360 --> 01:24:12.990 Because the Christian life is not an easy life. 01:24:12.990 --> 01:24:16.950 You may be a mother taking care of the home, watching the kids, and you may feel overwhelmed. 01:24:16.950 --> 01:24:20.910 I've seen ladies taking their kids, going in and out, in and out. 01:24:20.910 --> 01:24:25.380 And maybe next week, you may ask God, "Hey, shall I keep doing that?" 01:24:25.380 --> 01:24:27.550 And God will tell you, "Go up." 01:24:27.550 --> 01:24:30.620 Because just keep doing what you're supposed to be doing. 01:24:30.620 --> 01:24:35.620 You may go so wanting and nobody gets saved, and you may start to wonder, "Should I go up again?" 01:24:35.620 --> 01:24:37.550 "Should I knock on doors again?" 01:24:37.550 --> 01:24:40.020 But God will tell you, "Go up." 01:24:40.020 --> 01:24:43.890 Don't be bothered by the defeats in your life. 01:24:43.890 --> 01:24:49.670 See, we may even pray for something and just watch everything fall apart anyway. 01:24:49.670 --> 01:24:53.590 But unanswered prayer is not unheard prayer. 01:24:53.590 --> 01:25:00.780 Just keep doing what you've been doing, and God will choose to deliver you, and God will deliver you when he chooses to. 01:25:00.780 --> 01:25:08.920 And people may find the same sin over and over again, and they may eventually feel tired of the struggle. 01:25:08.920 --> 01:25:13.840 But maybe that's God's way for you to fully surrender and yield to him. 01:25:13.840 --> 01:25:20.410 Just go up. Keep fighting. Don't let the outcome decide what your position is. 01:25:20.410 --> 01:25:26.780 Because as Christians, we may lose the first battle. We may lose the second battle. 01:25:26.780 --> 01:25:32.700 We may suffer one defeat after another, but God will help us win the war in the end. 01:25:32.700 --> 01:25:40.690 See, that's what Israel did. After the first defeat, they junior. After the second defeat, they junior. 01:25:40.690 --> 01:25:47.070 And when they have done all, they just stood and saw the salvation of the Lord, right? 01:25:47.070 --> 01:25:51.720 So let me just give you the three lessons from this hard fought battle again, from this civil war. 01:25:51.720 --> 01:25:55.670 Number one, don't doubt in the night what you are sure about in the light. 01:25:55.670 --> 01:26:00.060 Number two, don't change your positions as a response to opposition. 01:26:00.060 --> 01:26:05.160 Number three, don't go impatient. God will deliver you when He chooses to. 01:26:05.160 --> 01:26:08.120 That's close in a word of prayer. Thank you all for this chapter. 01:26:08.120 --> 01:26:12.070 And thank you for this great lesson that you have given us, 01:26:12.070 --> 01:26:16.340 so that we can be persistent in our Christian life. 01:26:16.340 --> 01:26:21.290 Pray that we'll keep fighting and just not worry about the defeats and the setbacks. 01:26:21.290 --> 01:26:23.270 And just hold fast on your promises. 01:26:23.270 --> 01:26:25.260 And I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. 01:26:25.260 --> 01:26:40.160 Amen. Last song of the night is going to be song 412, very fitting song. 01:26:40.160 --> 01:26:52.390 412. 412. Onward Christian soldiers. 01:26:52.390 --> 01:27:02.090 On the first. Onward Christian soldiers. 01:27:02.090 --> 01:27:06.040 Marching as to all. 01:27:06.040 --> 01:27:12.410 With the cross of Jesus. 01:27:12.410 --> 01:27:16.000 Going forth. 01:27:16.000 --> 01:27:22.250 Christ the royal master. 01:27:22.250 --> 01:27:26.500 Leads against the foe. 01:27:26.500 --> 01:27:31.800 Forward to battle. 01:27:31.800 --> 01:27:40.300 See his banditian soul. 01:27:40.300 --> 01:27:46.190 Marching as to all. 01:27:46.190 --> 01:27:55.720 With the cross of Jesus. 01:27:55.720 --> 01:28:04.420 For the sign of tri-Satan's hope. 01:28:04.420 --> 01:30:58.680 Do you please close that? 01:30:58.680 --> 01:31:27.500 Amen, you are dismissed.