Preparing
Another Generation
(Judges
2:11-19)
(Judges
2:11-19 NKJV) Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the
LORD, and served the Baals; {12} and they forsook the LORD God of
their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they
followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all
around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD
to anger. {13} They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the
Ashtoreths. {14} And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So
He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and
He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they
could no longer stand before their enemies. {15} Wherever they went
out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity, as the LORD
had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them. And they were greatly
distressed. {16} Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered
them out of the hand of those who plundered them. {17} Yet they would
not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other
gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in
which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD;
they did not do so. {18} And when the LORD raised up judges for them,
the LORD was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of
their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to
pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and
harassed them. {19} And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that
they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by
following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not
cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
The
period of the Judges was a cycle of spiritual renewal and spiritual
decline. These seasons, which for the most part lasted for forty years,
continued on into the period of the kings. Why? Why did this occur? The
answer, in part, is found in the following text.
(Judg
2:7-10 KJV) And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and
all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the
great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel. {8} And Joshua, the
son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten
years old. {9} And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill
Gaash. {10} And also all that generation were gathered unto their
fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not
the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
While
this is a historical passage, it contains lessons relevant to
contemporary Christianity. As long as Israel had Godly leadership, the
nation served the Lord. But when the godly leader died, "...they
reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers..." (Judges
2:19). Why? The event itself gives us three answers, three reasons for
their backslidings.
I.
AN ABSENCE OF GODLY LEADERSHIP - The Biblical record nest, some of
us need to ed the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the
elders who outlived Joshua..." (Judges 2:7).
David,
in Psalm 12 declared, "Help, LORD, for the godly man ceases! For
the faithful disappear from among the sons of men." The absence of
godly men and women bring out the worst in society. According to 2
Thessalonians 2:7, lawlessness is already at work but is being
restrained by a righteous influence. When that righteous influence is
removed lawlessness will abound.
When Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind into heaven, a startled Elisha
cried out, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its
horsemen!" (2 Kings 2:12). Elijah had been of greater worth to
Israel than all of its armies. Mary, Queen of Scotts, feared John Knox
more than the massive armies of her enemies. His powerful prayers and
his faith in God were a wall about his nation.
How desperately our world needs godly men and women who know God. Our
hope does not rest in the election of a conservative Republican
president, but in men and women who have a personal intimate
relationship with God; uncompromising men and women who will stand for
God and against unrighteousness. We are in need of men and women of
conviction who will be the conscience of our land.
THE
CRY OF RESPONSIBLE MEN AND WOMEN
Sin
isn't something many people spent much time worrying about in the past
25 years. But we will say this for sin: it at least offered a frame of
reference for behavior. when the frame was dismantled during the
sexual revolution, we lost the guidewire of personal responsibility,
the rules for proper conduct of sexual relations. Everyone was left on
his or her own. It now appears many people could have used a road map.
They needed to be told the direction their sex life was taking was
simply wrong.
But moral judgments aren't made much anymore, especially not in print
or on TV. Among intellectuals and commentators, judgment was long ago
replace by therapy. Ministers and priests gave way to clinics and
counselors. Instead of giving your kid a dressing-down, you now give
him (or her) a condom.
This is not an appeal for prudery, but for prudence. The United States
has problems with drugs, high-school sex, AIDS and rape. None of these
will go away until people in positions of responsibility come forward
and explain, in frank moral terms, that some of the things people do
nowadays are wrong. -Wall Street Journal
II.
THEY DID NOT KNOW THE LORD - The word "know", as used
here, refers to a personal knowledge of God and means to be personally
and intimately aquatinted with God. It is the same term used when
scripture declares that "Adam knew Eve his wife" (Gen 4:1).
The generation that followed Joshua and the elders was not personally
and intimately aquatinted with God.
(Hosea
4:6 NNAS) "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge [an
intimate personal relationship with their God]...."
(Isa
5:13 NNAS) "Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of
knowledge..."
For
years Jacob referred to God as the God of his father. It wasn't until he
had his own personal encounter with God that he called Him the God of
Israel.
Bible
Colleges can impart a knowledge about God, but they aren't known for
being seed beds of revival. Most of the firebrands that were used to
kindle revival weren't Theologians, but ordinary men who had a passion
for God.
Billy
Sunday was an athlete.
Moody was a shoe salesman.
Finney was a lawyer.
Peter was a fisherman.
III.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE WORKS OF THE LORD - They didn't have a first
hand knowledge of God's power. They were void of an experience.
Pentecost is more than a doctrine. It is a dynamic encounter with God.
It is an indument with power from on high. It is a know-so jolt of
heavenly electricity. Israel was void of men who had encountered God in
a personal undeniable supernatural way.
Gideon
had a right word when confronted by God. He asked, "...if the Lord
is with us...where are all of His miracles which our fathers told us
about..." (Jud 6:13). Allow me to contemporize that question.
"If this is that which Joel prophesied, then why isn't this more
like that?"
Our
forefathers prayed and sought God under the gun of persecution. Their
faith was proven in the fires of adversity. They held on to God until
their generation experienced an outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
Most
second and third generation Christians do their best to observe all the
"do's" and "don'ts" of the Church. When they get
saved there's not much that needs to change because they've been raised
on Christian values. Their reference point isn't a powerful meeting with
God, but the Christian life style they've grown up with.
The
second generation was birthed into an environment of Godliness. They
have grown up in homes with praying moms and dads and know nothing of
battling the hordes of hell. They've never prayed in a revival. They've
never prayed anyone through to the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. Many of
them do not know why they believe what they believe. They, if asked to
give a reason for the hope that is in them, would be unable to comply.
They haven't had to plow through such issues as holiness, the triunity
of God and so on. Their faith hasn't been proven in the fires of
adversity. Even so, they will soon be thrust into positions of authority
within the house of God. They will be called upon, in the days ahead, to
provide leadership for the people of God.
CONCLUSION
Yes, our world is in desperate need of godly leaders who have a personal
relationship with God.
Yes,
there are many in the next generation who do not know God, nor have a
personal testimony of God's power. They go to church only because they
are made to by their parents. They don't have a clue as to what is at
stake in this battle. They have no prayer life and think that their
secure little world will be sustained no matter what they do. They do
not realize how dangerous their attitude is.
Yes,
our world is in need of young people and moms and dads who will sell out
to God and make Him the center of their life.
All
of this is true, but I would be wrong to end this message on such a
negative note. I would be wrong to leave you with the impression that
all is hopeless. I would be remiss in my duty if I didn't tell you that
there are some encouraging lights in this day of moral decay and
darkness. There are within this very room people who are being stirred
to a high level of commitment to Jesus Christ. Young men and women who
want God more than popularity. Young men and women, who like their
forefathers are pursuing God with all of their energies and heart
affections. Young men and women like William Borden.
In
1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a
Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around
the world. Traveling through Asia, the middle East, and Europe gave
Borden a burden for the world's hurting people. Writing home, he said,
"I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission
field." When he made his decision, he wrote two words in the back
of his Bible: NO RESERVES. Turning down high-paying job offers
after graduating from Yale University, he entered two more words in
his Bible: NO RETREATS. Upon completing studies at Princeton
Seminary, Borden sailed for China to work with Muslims, stopping first
at Egypt for some preparation. While there he was stricken with
cerebral meningitis and died with a month. When friends leafed through
his Bible, underneath the words NO RESERVES and NO RETREATS, they
found the words NO REGRETS.
If
we're honest, some of us need to abandon our own agenda and rededicate
ourselves to His purpose for our life. We need to sell out to God.
Studies are copyrighted 1996, by Louis H. Bartet.
Permission is granted to make twenty copies or fewer for any personal,
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by Louis H. Bartet, Copyright 1996, used by permission of Louis H.
Bartet No permission is granted for making more than 20 copies or for
any commercial or non-personal use without the express written
permission of Louis H. Bartet.