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Keep your place in Zechariah chapter 9 and we will get there in just a minute. So this morning We're going to be talking about the topic of horses horses in the Bible. Keep your place in Zechariah chapter 9 I don't know how many of you know this about me, but generally and and pretty Strongly, I do not like horses at all. I grew up with horses and if my dad's watching this I apologize I do not mean any disrespect, but I grew up with horses My whole life, you know growing up and you know, there's I just do not like them at all They're they're very difficult to take care of and they're very strong animals I'm one of the things that we're gonna talk about in the Bible This morning is one of the reasons that I actually do not like horses. There was many times growing up Especially, you know, we weren't dealing with when you kids you think about horses you kids are thinking about a horse coming up to you and you pet its nose and And and you you can feed it an apple and the horse, you know rubs its head Those are not the kind of horses that I grew up around Okay, so the kind of horses that I grew up around were the kind of horses that were very they were not broken They were not trained and you know, they were very they're very green if you want to look at it that way There was many times when I was growing up and especially, you know We were trying to get one of these horses to go somewhere that it didn't want to go You know, we're talking about a 2,000 pound animal that's basically all muscle, you know And I were trying to I remember there was times we were trying to get horses or a horse in a trailer and I was just thinking as a little kid watching this as you have several men and Ropes and all these things trying to get this horse to go in a trailer and I remember just having the thought as a kid I can still remember standing there as this horse is like kicking dents in the trailer and Breaking welds and breaking hinges of doors that are you know, 50 pound doors just snapping them Like they're nothing I can remember thinking, you know, someone's gonna die today, you know when we're trying to deal with some of these animals So the point is is that horses are very strong animals. Okay horses are very strong animals and in the Bible That is one of the reasons that they're brought up in the Bible so much I mean, it's basically 2,000 pounds of solid muscle is what you're dealing with with a horse and in battle Throughout history. This is why horses were used, you know throughout military history if you've ever looked and studied, you know older You know battles or older wars, you know horses many times, you know were the difference in who won or who lost The battle, you know, there's there was two different kinds of Calvary you would think about a man riding a horse is is a Calvary There was light Calvary where you could have you know, you know soldiers that move faster They could go and they could find the other army. They could do reconnaissance missions They were very good at riding horses, you know to get around another army to flank another army it was a very strategic advantage to have You know horse soldiers in a battle or Calvary's and and then you know, if you look at the older more medieval battles You have you know heavy horse Calvary and this is the horse Calvary that would just charge straight into an oncoming Army, so that being said, you know horses in the Bible were very strong and they're very you they're used for war They're used for war and many times They were the difference in who won and lost the war But let's look at what the Bible says about horses and especially horses and chariots horses could also Pull a lot of weight they could pull a man in a chariot they could pull trailers and and and wagons and things like this They're very good for logistics and you know, generally if you want to have a strong army, you know horses are essential and especially in the older times Before, you know mechanized, you know warfare as we have today look at Zechariah chapter 9 in verse number 9 Let's do what the Bible says about horses Let's see what the Bible says about horses in the Bible I'm really excited about this sermon because the Bible is not super positive about horses So the Bible is kind of against horses and look at why this morning look at Zechariah chapter 9 and look at verse number 9 So Zechariah chapter 9 Verse number 9 in verse number 10. There's a very distinct contrast between these two verses So, of course verse number 9 is is a prophecy of Jesus Christ Okay, this is a prophecy of Jesus when he enters Jerusalem so we're coming up on on this season You know as Easter is right around the corner, but Jesus in Matthew 21 He rides this is a prophecy of what Jesus does how he enters Jerusalem in Matthew chapter 21 We won't get into that right now But look at verse number 9 of Zechariah chapter 9 rejoice greatly Oh daughter of Zion Shout Oh daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto me unto thee He is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass upon the colt the foal Of an ass now turn to Joshua chapter 9 turn to Joshua chapter 9. So here we see Jesus he did not ride into Jerusalem. He did not ride into Jerusalem on a horse. Okay, he rode on on On a donkey essentially on the on an ass the Bible says on the colt the foal of an ass So there's a very significant Point to this and how Jesus entered Jerusalem. First of all, yes It was fulfilling this prophecy in Zechariah chapter 9, but throughout the Bible and we're not going to study it extensively But let me just show you one case throughout the Bible riding on a donkey or riding on an ass Well, it's signified humility or lowliness of mind or or even peacekeeping Peacekeeping so many times we studied through the book of Judges many times the judges had sons that would ride upon Donkeys or ride upon asses this this signifies their humility it signifies signifies Their desire for peace. Look at Joshua chapter 9. Look at verse number 4 So Joshua as he's going in to conquer on the promised land He's just winning all these battles and he's winning all these victories and the inhabitants of Gibeon They hear about how Joshua is just destroying all the armies So they go and they're gonna try to kind of pull a fast one on Joshua and look at verse number four So these men of Gibeon they hear what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai and they did work While only that means they were like they were cunning they were trying to trick him they were thinking of They're kind of they're gonna con Jacob there are not Jacob Joshua. I'm sorry and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their asses and wine bottles old and rent and bound up and old shoes and clouded upon their feet and old garments upon them and all the bread of their provision was dry and Moldy and they went to Joshua and the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel We become from a far country now therefore make ye a league with us So what these guys did? Was they wanted to make it look like they were from a long ways away because Josh was coming in and he's conquering the promised Land and these guys they're they're next. They're one of the people that are next. They're right in the promised land so what they do is they they get all this old stuff and they put on old clothes and they want to look lowly and They want to look friendly and they want to make peace They want to make a league with Joshua and what they do is they don't come in riding on a on a horse They come riding on an ass they come riding on a donkey to make to show that they're good. They're lowly. They're humble They want to make peace with Joshua. Yes, they're they're fooling Joshua Here, but you know it worked but that all that to say this that riding a donkey is a humble thing It's a it's something that somebody that wants to make peace Will do now look at verse number 10 go back to Zechariah chapter 9 in verse number 10 The horse the horse is a symbol of war in the Bible The horse is a symbol of war now Jesus as he was here the first time he rode in To Jerusalem on an ass Jesus was here to make peace the first time there will be a time when Jesus comes back on a horse and That will be to make war and we'll talk about that this evening. Look at verse number 10 of Zechariah chapter 9 and I will cut off and I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem And the battle bow shall be cut off and he shall speak peace under the heathen and his dominion shall be from sea to even sea from the river even to the ends of the earth So the horse here and the chariot that it pulls is really contrasting verse number nine where Jesus is coming in to make peace the Messiah rides into Jerusalem as a Peacemaker and that's ultimately what Jesus did is he made peace between you know, not us in the world But between us and God so Jesus was the ultimate Peacemaker in that sense now the horse and the chariot that it pulls in verse number 10 it equals power It equals might It equals and that's why it was used by the way in War turn to Psalm chapter 20 or just look at the front of your bulletin Psalm chapter 20 in verse number 7 Well, isn't this good isn't it good to be powerful I mean what's wrong with having a powerful army What's wrong with having an army that has horses and chariots because if we're the good guys Don't we want a strong army that we can defend ourselves against evil and all this Well, look at Psalm 20 in verse number 7. It's not necessarily the horse or the chariot that's bad alone by itself It's this it's some trust in Chariots and some in horses But we will remember the name of the Lord our God Psalm 147 verse number 10 you turn to Proverbs chapter 21 turn to Proverbs chapter 21, I'll read for you Psalm 147 in verse number 10 It says he delighteth not in the strength of the horse. This is God He taketh not pleasure in the legs of man The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in Those that hope in his mercy, so it's not the horse by itself. It's not the chariot by itself It's those that trust in the horse and trust in the chariot instead of trusting in the Lord Look at Proverbs 21 in verse 31, of course a very famous verse in the Bible. The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but Safety is of the Lord So let's look at a few examples in the Bible about you know people taking this this This philosophy of where they get their strength in the wrong way turn to Deuteronomy chapter 17 The problem wasn't the horse the problem wasn't the chariot The problem was people that trusted in the horses and trusted in the chariots instead of fearing The Lord God look at Deuteronomy chapter 17 Look at Deuteronomy chapter 17 in Deuteronomy chapter 17. We're seeing instruction to the children of Israel They're gonna come into the land and the Bible knows God knows that you know what you're gonna want a king You're gonna want a king just like everybody else has a king. It's like when you do choose King the Bible gives some instruction for when they are going to make the mistake of Asking for a worldly King God is giving them in some instruction on how to choose the king What kind of king to choose and how the king should behave himself look at Deuteronomy chapter 17 in verse 14 Talking about horses and those that trust in those things look at verse 14 when thou art come unto the land Which the Lord God giveth thee and shall possess it and shall dwell therein and shall say I will set a king over me Like as all the nations that are about me thou shalt in any wise it says when you ask for a king Says thou shalt then any wise said him a king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose He said you let the Lord choose your king One from among thy brethren that thou shalt set a king over thee thou mayest not set a stranger over thee Which is not thy brother. So he's saying he's like you better pick one of God's people to be your king That's step one pick the right person. Don't go find some foreigner from a heathen nation to be your king Look at verse 16, but he shall not multiply horses to himself Nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses So twice he says this about horses He says he shouldn't multiply horses to himself that you would cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply Horses for as much as the Senate you you shall henceforth return no more Wait, what is he talking about here talking about returning to Egypt? I mean, why would a king? multiply Horses so Egypt in the Bible Turn to Isaiah chapter 31 First of all Egypt in the Bible is it was a powerful nation the Egypt in the Bible is a nation that signifies worldly strength in The Bible and the Bible here is giving specific examples a specific direction I'm sorry to the king to not multiply horses and specifically don't go back to Egypt for the horses Because he doesn't want you going back to Egypt. He doesn't want you trusting in Egypt He doesn't want you trusting in the strength of horses Look at Isaiah chapter 31 More on Egypt and Isaiah chapter 31. Look at verse number 1 Isaiah chapter 31 in verse number 1 Egypt throughout the Old Testament is used as this Analogy of just worldly strength of just going back to the world and forgetting about God look at verse number 1 woe to them That go down to Egypt for help and stay again Here it is again stay on horses and trust in what trust in chariots Because they are many and in horsemen because they are strong But they look but here's the real problem it's not that the horses aren't strong it's not the chariots aren't good It's not that these things aren't good for battle But it's when you trust in those things you don't trust in this but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel Neither seek the Lord. So it's not that the Lord again is against horses It just seems to be what people rely on and what the nation relied on especially what the king the leader of the nation Would rely on that was the problem It's the same thing with second Samuel chapter 24 when David goes and he numbers the people many people are confused Why why is God mad at David for numbering the people because David should have just trusted in the Lord David was sitting there. He wanted to know how many people he had how many men of war that he had He should have just trusted in the Lord. There's a lot of examples of this in the Bible Let's look at a bad example of this go to 2nd Chronicles chapter 25 2nd Chronicles chapter 25 So the Bible here is talking about chariots and horses is just talking about what we rely on That we rely on chariots and horses or the strength of Egypt, you know this worldly strength versus you know Relying on the Lord look at 2nd Chronicles chapter 25 Here Amaziah is gathering together. He's going to battle against the children of seer. He's going to battle against the Edomites He's pulling an army together. He's pulling an army together to go to war. Look at verse 5 of 2nd Chronicles chapter 25 the Bible says moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and Made them captains over thousands and captains over hundreds according to the houses of their fathers Throughout all Judah and Benjamin and he numbered them from 20 years old and above so 20 years old and above That's who could fight and go to war That's why he was numbering 20 years old and above and he found them and he found them 300,000 choice men able to go forth to war it could handle spear and shield He hired then he does something extra here. He hired also in a hundred thousand mighty men of valor out of Israel So we're talking about the lower kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel here so he goes and he hires and the northern kingdom of Israel is Wicked way before Judah and he goes and he hires, you know a hundred thousand people Mercenaries if you would from the wicked northern kingdom of Israel and then a man of God in verse 7 But then their man of God came to him saying Oh King Let not the army of Israel go with thee for the Lord is not with Israel to wit with all the children of Ephraim But if that will go do it be strong for the battle God shall make thee fall before the enemy for God hath power to help and to cast down notice what he says in verse number eight He says he's like you shouldn't be hiring wicked people to go help you He says if you do do that, you're gonna lose Imagine that does that make sense from a military perspective with with these extra hundred thousand men The man of God tells him you will lose because the God God can make you lose He says in verse 8 or he can make you win the hundred thousand men don't matter is what he's saying He's like but you should not join up with these wicked forces He says not only doing things your own way would not work But it will literally turn the Lord against you is what he says So this is this is about doing things Using ungodly methods or with ungodly people. So your strength Could become your weakness your your worldly strength your horses your chariots Could become your weakness in that case. That's what this man of God is telling him Look at 2nd Chronicles chapter 13. Let's look at the flip side of this story Let's look at a good a good version of this this idea this philosophy that we're talking about versus worldly strength Versus just trusting in the Lord look at 2nd Chronicles chapter 13 Here you have Abijah the king of Judah going out going to war against Jeroboam The the wicked king of the northern kingdom of Israel look at 2nd Chronicles chapter 13 I think that this is the the bloodiest battle of the Bible right here or the the the most casualties in the Bible when I read these numbers to you just think about this in comparison to today's wars and You know wars of the last, you know couple of you know last half century at least 2nd Chronicles chapter 13 So here you have Judah is going to go to war Against the northern kingdom of Israel now in the 18th year of King Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah He reigned three years in Jerusalem His mother's name was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam verse 3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war even 400,000 chosen men Jeroboam also set a battle in array against him with 800,000 chosen men being mighty men of valor. So here you have Abijah has 400,000 soldiers Well, that's a lot of soldiers That's almost half a million people and then you have Jeroboam who has 800,000 he literally has double the number in his army look at verse 12 and Behold behold, this is Abijah and behold God himself is with us for our captain and his priests with sounding trumpets To cry alarm against you O children of Israel fight ye not against the Lord of your fathers for you shall not prosper So this is Abijah and he has the Lord with him Jeroboam is just wicked He does not have the Lord with him and Abijah is saying, you know, let's not fight He's like don't fight against the Lord, but Jeroboam Caused an ambush meant to come about behind them So they were before Judah and the ambush meant was behind them and When Judah looked back behold the battle was before and behind and they cried unto the Lord and the priests sounded with the trumpet So picture the situation here you have a 400,000 man army and You have they're going to battle against an 800,000 man army That means that that would basically be if you just knock that down to the equivalent of each soldier fighting that if I'm in Abijah's army, I literally have to fight two men at one time. I have to fight two men at once Well, they they get to have two guys against me. It's a pretty big advantage to have double the soldiers Not only that but we see that not only double the soldiers but they get surrounded It's a huge deal in military, you know tactical, you know advantage to try to get behind in the army This is why you hear about flanking maneuvers if you ever like read up on Civil War battles, you know They're always trying to flank the other army. They're trying to get behind The other army so not only are you fighting in front of you? But you're constantly looking behind you and it's it's a huge deal Like if you have the element of surprise which they had here You can get your army around a flank around a position around the back of the army Jeroboam did this He did this he had double the soldiers and he had his soldiers behind the army of Abijah and the soldiers They he had him surrounded He had him surrounded but look at verse number 15 then the men of Judah gave a shout and As the men of Judah shouted it came to pass that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah and the children of Israel, this is Jeroboam army This is the 800,000 men army fled before Judah and God delivered them into their hand And now look at verse 17 and just picture this for a second 800,000 soldiers and in verse 17 it says Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter We're talking about hand-to-hand combat here hand-to-hand combat. So they're fell down slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men In this battle you think about just wars that have happened in the last 20 or 30 years Where maybe thousands of soldiers two or three thousands of soldiers die over 10 years 15 years Whatever it is, you know, you look at Abijah and they slew by they slew half a million people By hand here out of this 800,000 soldier now, but the point I'm trying to make so that's a big deal. The point I'm trying to make though is to any military historian to any general that would look at this Situation at this, you know strategic situation that Jeroboam was in how he prosecuted the battle that It doesn't make any sense. He had more men He had the element of surprise He got his army behind the other army. He flanked them. He moved behind them He had double the forces yet. They still lost and not only did they lose they lost badly They lost I mean they lost over half of their army 500,000 men dead So the point is is that the difference here? Baja did not trust in horses and chariots. He trusted the Lord Abijah did things Right here without the Lord this story makes no sense Without the the variable of God fighting for you So look we're talking about going to Egypt for horses this morning. You say well, nobody really uses horses Nobody really goes to Egypt for horses anymore But the lesson the spiritual lesson here is a powerful one for our lives So this morning all that was, you know for the point of introduction this morning. I want to give you three reasons three lessons so to speak in horses and Chariots from the Bible go to Genesis chapter 16. I want to show you the pattern I want to show you this morning the pattern in Abraham's life in the patriarchs life of This philosophy of this idea and let me give you three lessons this morning on horses and chariots in your life but first let's look at the pattern in Abraham's life on trusting in horses and Trusting in chariots in his life now that you know what I'm talking about I'm I'm comparing, you know, you know trusting in worldly things versus trusting in the Lord. Look at Genesis chapter 16 Look at verse number one Genesis chapter 16 and Verse number one the Bible says now Sarai Abraham's wife bear him no children and she had a handmaid an Egyptian whose name was Hagar and Sarai said to Abraham behold now the Lord has restrained me from bearing I pray thee go into my maid and it may be that I may obtain children by her and Abraham hearken to the voice of Sarai so now go back to Genesis 15. You're like why in the world Did she do this because look at Genesis chapter 15 in verse number one God had already made God had already made a promise to Abraham about this very topic right here So it doesn't make much sense why? Sarai did what she did what she allowed Abram to do here. Look at verse number one of Genesis 15 The Bible says after these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision saying fear not Abram I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward. This is before the story that I just read you about Hagar and Abram said Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless and the steward of my house is Eliezer of Damascus Abram here is saying to God he's like God. How could you give me an inheritance? There's no one in my family to inherit it He's like I don't even have a child. I don't have a single child and Abram said Behold to me thou has given no seed and lo one born in my house is mine heir and Behold the word of the Lord came unto him saying this shall not be thine heir But he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. He's saying you're gonna have a child So God already made him this promise and then Sarai and Abraham They just kind of like they got to like push God's plan forward They got to like, you know do the work for God where they should have just waited on the Lord now turn to Genesis chapter 17 Turn to Genesis chapter 17. So they try to they try to force the hand of God They try to force, you know God's plan, you know through this You know this this having him have a child through some other woman look at Genesis chapter 17 And God said unto Abraham for Sarai thy wife shall not call her name Sarai But Sarah shall be her shall her name be and I will bless her and give thee a son also of her Yeah, I will bless her and she shall be the mother of nations Kings of people shall be of her Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said at his heart shall a child be born unto him That is a hundred years old and shall Sarah that is 90 years old bear and then they laugh and they still don't trust the Lord So the pattern is this God promised Abraham a child and he just didn't believe the Lord and he couldn't see how it was gonna happen so Him and his wife they kind of force God's hand and they figure out of their own way to do it and then God gets even more specific after they make this terrible mistake and You know, he tells him like look it's gonna be from Sarah. Look. Here's the thing if God promised a child you're married He's does he have to say that it's you know gonna be for your wife I mean Abram should have just they should have just waited on the Lord instead of forcing the hand of God and What in do we see a pattern here and I want you to catch this pattern this of course, you know came to pass You know Isaac was born but despite it was despite the chaos that came from Abram and Sarai, you know forcing, you know God's hand. Okay. They tried to hurry along God's plan and chaos came from it now go to Genesis chapter 27. Let's look at Isaac Let's look at Isaac. Who's Abram son? Genesis chapter 27 Look at verse 15. So Isaac is remarried married to Rebecca now and we're looking at the next Generation And look at verse number 15 so, you know God Well, I'll get to that in a minute but hold your place in Genesis chapter 27. Look at verse 15 So Rebecca has a favorite son and she wants this favorite son to receive the blessing Okay, look at verse 15, but he's not the oldest son. So what's she gonna do? She's gonna force God's hand she's gonna she's gonna come up with her own way of doing things Look at verse 15 and Rebecca took goodly Raymond on her eldest Raymond of her eldest son Esau Which were with her in the house and put them on Jacob her younger son She's gonna trick her husband and she put on the skins of kids and goats upon his hands and upon the smooth of his neck Because Esau was a hairy man If you remember and Jacob was not a hairy man and she gave the savory meat and the bread which she had prepared into the hand of her son Jacob, and he came unto his father and said my father so Esau was about to get the blessing but Isaac had him go out and say, you know Go hunt me a deer and then come back and make them venison for me And then I'll give you the blessing and here Rebecca when Esau is gone She's gonna trick Isaac into thinking that Jacob is Esau and she dresses him up and she gives him the meat to take into Isaac he's he can't see very well. So they think that they can fool him And he came unto his father Jacob comes in unto his father Esau's out hunting and said my father and he said here am I who art thou my son and Jacob said unto his father. I am Esau thy firstborn so he lies to his dad and I've done according as thou betest me arise I pray they sit and eat of my venison that thy soul may bless me now. This is interesting in verse 20 and Isaac said unto his son. How is that thou found it so quickly? How did you get a deer so fast? He's like man. He's you you just went out and you got one already My son and he said and then look what Jacob says and now this is maybe the biggest lie Right here and he said because the Lord thy God brought it to me So the Lord didn't bring it to him his mother brought it to him and not only that they are literally trying to Use horses and chariots of the world to force what God has already told them Look at Genesis chapter 25 now. We see what happens after this they they trick Isaac They trick him he gets the blessing of course Then Esau comes back and he wants to kill Jacob this defines much of Jacob's life This moment right here. It's just after trying to force God's hand Chaos ensues is what I'm trying to get you to see This morning, but why did they do this? Look at Genesis 25? Why did they do this did not God already promised this? look at verse 21 of Genesis 25 and Isaac and treated the Lord for his wife because she was barren this is before Jacob and Esau were born and the Lord was entreated of him and Rebecca his wife conceived and The children struggled together within her. She was she was pregnant with twins And she said if it be so why am I thus and she went to inquire of the Lord and the Lord said under her two nations are in thy womb and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels and The one people shall be stronger than the other people and the elder shall serve the younger God already told Rebecca Who was going to be the stronger nation who was going to carry forth the promise, but she just had to force Her own way she had to force God's hand, you know, I don't know if you know You know if if Rebecca then of course she she had a favorite in Jacob, which was not right But Esau was already marrying ungodly. He married an ungodly woman all this but the point is God had told Rebecca already That Jacob was going to be the one and then she had to force God's hand. She had to rely on her own Methods and means which it which was just lying and that it caused Esau to want to murder Jacob and it just caused this chaos in their lives for decades To come now turn to Jake Genesis chapter 30 Now, let's look at the next generation. Let's look at the next generation. Let's look at Jacob and his wife Rachel Look at Jacob and his wife Rachel Genesis chapter 30. So we see this pattern Arising I hope you're seeing this pattern in Abraham and his children and now his grandchild where they they were given a promise they were given a promise by God and Instead of just listening to that promise and just doing what they were supposed to do. They try to force God's promise into action Through lies and deceit and all these other methods that they use on their own and just chaos ensues in their lives Look at Genesis chapter 30 Look at verse number one And which and when Rachel saw now this is the third generation we're talking about here when Rachel saw that she bear Jacob no children Rachel envied her sister and said unto Jacob give me children or else I die She's very upset and Jacob's and her was kindled anger was kindled against Rachel and he said I'm in God's stead who hath withheld thee from thee the fruit of the womb and she said behold my maid Bilhah go in unto her and she shall bear upon my knees that I might also have children by her and She gave him bill She gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife and Jacob went in unto her and Bilhah conceived and she bear Jacob a son And Rachel said God had judged me and has also heard my voice and have given me a son therefore she called his name she called she is named Dan and Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again and she bear Jacob a second son and Rachel said With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister and have prevailed and she and she called his name Niftali and when Leah saw that she had left bearing she took Zilpah her maid and gave her Jacob to wife So, I mean you just have this disaster just keep going and going and going for generation after generation Not only are these these two sisters, you know warring against you know They're just jealous of each other over their husband over the husband, you know, which is another sermon in itself But you have like them just trying to force God's hand through these ungodly worldly methods once again and guess what ensues Chaos, if you look at Jacob's life, it is chaos from beginning To end as a matter of fact in Genesis 47 when Jacob is asked like he's a hundred and thirty years old and he's asked by Pharaoh he's standing in front of Pharaoh the king of Egypt and Pharaoh says, you know, how are you doing? He's like, you know few and evil have been the days of the years of my life This is how how would you like to be at the end of your life and somebody asks you? How's it been? How is it going and you've got children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren? and and the only thing you can think of at the end of your life is that my life has been it's been too short and It's been evil evil meaning filled with trouble is what Jacob meant by that look This was a pattern in in this family is what I'm trying to get you to understand people trying to force God's way and They didn't listen to God's promise. They tried to force his hand and just chaos and ensued in their life Look, the Bible was trying to tell us something here folks. So here's the first lesson. I told you I give you three Points this morning. The first lesson is this is that no matter what is going on in your life? No matter what trouble you have in your life No matter what, you know situation that you have in your life things must be done God's way That is the first lesson right there. Do not force the hand of God in your life Make sure that no matter what is going on you are doing things the way the Lord wants them done That is the lesson you say, you know, maybe the guys say I need to get myself ahead in life I need to get myself ahead at work you know you go to work and I understand how it is out in the in the workforce with with careers and Competition and you see people getting ahead that you don't think that they deserve to get ahead Maybe they're not very good at what they do. They're not very honest. They're not very ethical Maybe they're just better at lifting themselves up and just bragging about themselves. Maybe you think you know what? Maybe I just need to do more of that myself. No you do things God's way and you let God lift you up You always have to do things God's way Don't go to Egypt for the horses and start doing things the way that you see other people doing things Because that will because you're saved There and the world is not It will it will cause chaos in your life You say a lot of people say well, maybe I just need to you know Outside God's law to fix things real quick. You know, I just need I you know, then I'll come back You know, this is the guy that that's that's just wants to get rich Right the guy that wants to get rich. I can't tell you how many times I've met this person He wants to just get as soon as I'm rich You know then then I'll serve the Lord with my life when he has enough then he'll serve the Lord The problem is is that there will never be enough for this person You know, this is the guy turned to Hebrews chapter 11 This is the guy that you know, maybe wants to forsake the Lord for earthly pleasure just for a while You know, I just I just want to have some fun for a while go to Hebrews chapter 11 remember Moses Remember Moses look at Hebrews chapter 11 Look at Hebrews chapter 11 by faith By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Look remember who Moses was Moses was not some slouch That was just another you know, another Hebrew Moses was raised in Pharaoh's house Moses was raised in the king's house. Moses could have had whatever kind of life he wanted Moses could have had, you know, the the best worldly life that was available at that time Choosing rather but look at verse 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God. Look at what ensued in Moses's life look it wasn't the easiest of times then to enjoy the pleasures of sin For a season maybe Moses could have said, you know what? I'm not gonna go right now I want to live like this for just a couple more years You know, I want to have a good time for a couple years and then I'll go do what God wanted No, Moses just he just let let go of it and he did what God wanted him to do and look at verse 26 This proves to you by the way that that Old Testament believers were saved the same way as New Testament believers right here in verse 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ Greater riches than the treasures in Egypt for he had respect under the recompense of the reward. He chose to just follow the Lord Instead of just you know, he did the opposite. He left the comfortable life to serve the Lord the guy had it all The guy had it all The problem with thinking that you know, you're just gonna get into sin for a little bit You know, maybe you're just gonna get into sin for a little while and you're just gonna get outside of God's law for a while Look, the problem is, you know, I don't know if you ever heard this but sin will take you farther It will keep you longer maybe forever by the way, maybe for your whole life. It will keep you and it will cost you more Than you ever thought it would Sin, it never works out like you think it's gonna work out, you know, and how about this one turn to 1st? John chapter 1, how about this one? You think? Oh, I want to get myself out of sin I'm gonna get myself out of sin. How do I get myself out of sin? You're just like I just need to get out of this I'm gonna get myself out of sin by some more sin I just got to do one more sin to get myself out of this sin. This is like the bank robber Right. This is the bank robber story that there's always there's just one last bank robbery I have to do and then they always go to jail, right? I Need to get myself out of sin with more sin, you know, how do you get yourself out of sin? The Bible says there's only one way to get yourself out of sin look at 1st John chapter 1 in verse number 9 This is how you get yourself out of sin By we're talking about doing things God's way We're talking about doing things God's way not our way not the way that we think is right And we think well, I just got myself into some trouble here. You just got to kind of me Just got to lie my way out of this No, you get yourself out of sin by this right here first John chapter 1 look at verse number 9 if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 the Bible says just just just just confess it Just confess it and just get it all out there But the problem is in 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 We see the true heart that must that must exist in order for 1st John 1 9 to happen look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 And If you have the same heart problem that you had going into sin, you'll never be able to get out of sin That's the issue look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 in verse number 11 sin is a catch-22 sin is a tough situation because if you have to if you have the heart problem and And you you think you're just gonna get out of it by keeping your heart the same by maybe just like Lying your way out of it. It's never gonna work for you It's never gonna work out because 2nd Corinthians chapter 7 says this must happen right here for behold this self-same Self-same thing that you sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you Yeah, what clearing of yourselves? Yay, what indignation yay, what fear yay, what vehement desire yay, what zeal yay? What revenge notice that the strong? Language here in all things you have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter notice This is why more sin will never get you out of sin because to need it to get out of sin You have to hate it You have to you have to want it You have to just like have indignation against it You have to have you know just what you know just have to like have this feeling like you hate what happened You hate you know the sin that you were in That's how you get out of it. So look we can't use our own ways. We always have to do God's way That's step one Because you always no matter what's going on no matter what you see other people doing is that you always do things God's way This is God's way Right here. No matter what you always do. I don't care how other people are getting ahead I don't care what you see working for other people. That's not gonna work for you This is what's gonna work for you. God's way. That's step one. Step two is this let God work Let God work just as the Lord look the Lord fought against all odds for Abijah for Abijah He fought turned to Exodus 14 he fought for Moses against Pharaoh and what did Moses have you know what he had he had horses and chariots More Pharaoh had horses and chariots look at verse 14 or Exodus 14 in verse number 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them the Bible says all look, he used all his horses and chariots this is all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh and His horsemen and his army and overtook them and camping by the sea besides Perihiroth before Baal Zephon. So look It doesn't matter how many horses and how many chariots you see coming against you in the situation that you're in look God Look God can move in your life You say well, you know these people in the Bible God the Lord literally spoke to them Lord literally talked to them literally told Rebecca things literally talked to Abraham, but here's the thing I don't know like, you know, God may not speak to you audibly, but number one you have the Bible and number two You will see God move in your life if you are doing things the way you're supposed to do things let God work and God will work in your life and look if you do this you will see God move you say I've never really seen God move In my life, we'll start doing this when you get into trouble Stay with God's way and just let him work Let God move in your life because guess what it didn't matter how many soldiers it didn't matter how many soldiers You're a bonehead. It didn't matter how many horses and how many chariots that Pharaoh had look God wins and God will move and God will win in your life If you do this if you do this the right way You just have to just and you may not see it you may not see the battle plan But guess what? You don't have to see it because God wins You understand you do things God's way. Look, here's why many people don't see God move in their life because they take control of the situation themselves and They go and they hire a bunch of people Or they hire a bunch of horses and they hire a bunch of chariots and they figure out look I've done this in my life I've done this in my life where I like I mean, I'm a planner Like I know like I see something needs to be done. I got a plan And especially before I got saved this sermon was me I'm telling you right now. I had a plan for everything in my life, but I can't tell I look back in my life And I'm like I was kicking against the pricks like you wouldn't believe. Oh, man. I've worked harder than anybody I knew I Worked harder. I had a plan and I'm just like I'm just like pushing against the current But look you got to get saved. You got to get right, you know, do things God's way. Just let God work That's all you have to do. It's very simple. The Christian life may not be easy, but it's simple You just do what we're supposed to do. Look at coronavirus. Look at all that Look at how confusing the world was look at how confusing the world continues to be We just do what we're supposed to do and let God work. That's it So do things the right way Let God fight for you. Those are the first two things. What's the third one? The third one is this pay attention to this one? The third lesson is this The third lesson is this Whatever you decide to do here you think about Abraham Isaac and Jacob However, look what we're talking about is a life philosophy here. I'm not talking about one situation You're gonna end up in on Wednesday or some situation you're gonna deal with next Tuesday I'm talking about a philosophy in life this morning the way you execute this philosophy in your life where you decide that you're gonna hire horses and chariots and you're gonna just make your own plans and Just go against the Lord and just do you're gonna fix your own problems Or if you decide I'm just gonna do things the way God wants me to do them and God can fight for me Those are two completely different philosophies. Hope you get that look whichever one you choose will be generational Whichever one you choose your children will follow if you haven't seen that from the Bible this morning I don't know how else I can show you turn to Psalm chapter 18 And guess what If you decide to make your own path and you decide to not follow God's lay way you decide to fix all your own problems Chaos will ensue in your life saved or not. And guess what? The same thing will happen with your children You're saying like but I don't see God's way I'm in this mess and I don't see how God can get out of this I don't see a way out of this unless I do this and I know it kind of takes me outside You know, the the boundaries a little bit takes me outside God's fence a little bit, but I don't see any other way Look, you don't have to see the way You don't have to see the way look at Psalm 18. Look at verse 30 The Bible says ask for God his way is perfect The word of the Lord has tried. He is a buckler to all those that trust in him. You say look You don't have to see the path God sees the path and he will buckle all those in front of you He will buckle all of those that are caught, you know causing you problems. You just stay on this path. That's it if you don't You will end in chaos look you won't lose your salvation But you can definitely turn your life into a completely chaotic situation. You could end your life and be like Jacob We say my life has just been nothing but just trouble You know many Christians that you know You'll meet out soul winning and elsewhere in life whose life is just nothing but just chaos and trouble because of this because they trust in their horses and chariots and Egypt in general Whatever direction you choose this morning the last point I'm trying to make for you is You know, this is this is a life philosophy this morning You will live your life by one of these two philosophies and so will your kids This is how this is how your works matter This is how your works matter. We preach all the time salvation is not by works. Yes. Your personal salvation is not by works But you will define your children through your works You will define whether or not your children get saved through your works You will define the type of life your children live through your works You will define their successes or their failures according to the Word of God through your works That is how important getting this philosophy right this morning is because as you saw with Abraham Isaac and Jacob great men of God Great men of God God used these men greatly But there's a lot of lessons on not do things that we can also take on these men will define how we stay on this Path will define the next generation and I don't want I don't want to be some one-shot wonder in my family Oh great. He got saved and then nobody else in his family. No generation forward did anything for the Lord That's not success in my book. I think we can set our bar a little bit higher So this is about trusting in the Lord in our lives, even when we don't see his ways But his ways are higher than our ways And if you're in situations you think I just can't see a way out of this Just do what you're supposed to do according to the Bible. That's it. That's how simple your life is Do what you're supposed to do and God will buckle those in front of you just have faith in that and You'll define the next generation of your family as well. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer You