The Ultimate Warrior is the Lamb

     When it came time for God to deliver Israel from their Egyptian bondage, Moses revealed in advance that God Himself would fight Pharaoh and his armies.

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid.  Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD…For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.  The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.’”  Exodus 14:13-14

     Upon their deliverance Moses sang a song to the LORD which included the following words.

    “The LORD is a man of war…”  Exodus 15:3a

     The Hebrew for ‘war’ has several synonyms which can and are used interchangeably, i.e. ‘battle’ and ‘fight.’

     After forty trying years in the wilderness as they prepared to enter the Promised Land Moses reaffirmed God’s promise that He would fight their battles.

     “The LORD your God…He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes.”  Deuteronomy 1:30

     And so it was.  As Joshua told all Israel in his farewell address:

     “You have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the LORD your God is He who has fought for you.”  Joshua 23:3

     “Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel.  All came to pass.”  Joshua 21:45

     During the days of the kings God continued to fight Israel’s battles and all the nations lived in fear.

     “And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms…when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.”  2 Chronicles 20:29

     One might think that wars would be limited to Old Testament history.  Such is not the case.    

     In the beginning of the New Testament John the Baptist referred to Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’

     The ‘Lamb’ told His disciples that He would be a warrior.

     “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth.  I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”  Matthew 10:34

     And just before He left to return to His Father, He reiterated that wars would be present during the future.

     “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…”  Matthew 24:6-7

     Near the end of the tribulation period the kings from the other side of the Euphrates River will be drawn into battle at Armageddon.

     “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates…so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared…to the battle of that great day of God Almighty…the place called Armageddon.”  Revelation 16:12, 14, 16

     The final world empire with its ten nation federation will be engaged in war with the Lamb.

     “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings…”  Revelation 17:14

     John saw the great battle between the nations and the ultimate warrior.

     “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him…makes war…Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.”  Revelation 19:11, 15

     The first to be destroyed are the anti-Christ and false prophet.

     “And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.  And all the birds were filled with their flesh.”  Revelation 19:21

     There is tremendous unrest in the world today.  The profound unrest is in accordance with Jesus’ proclamation that during this age there would be wars and rumors of wars.

     How many nations in conflict today do you suppose are pleading for the ‘Lamb’ to deliver them from their enemies?

     Recall the Angel of the LORD’s description of Ishmael.

     “He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”  NIV Genesis 16:12

     There are, indeed, exciting times at hand.

     It’s not wise to rouse the ‘sleeping Lamb.’

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

    

    

    

Ishmael vs. New Testament Gifts

     In His sermon on the mount Jesus talked about priorities.  A person could choose to either pursue treasures in the here and now or choose to serve God regardless of the cost.  Jesus said there was no middle road.

     “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

     Recall Ishmael was Abraham’s son ‘born of the bondwoman (Hagar) according to the flesh,’ i.e. Ishmael was born as a result of personal efforts taken by Abraham and Sarah to achieve God’s promise of a son in their old age.

     Isaac on the other hand was born to Abraham’s wife Sarah at age 90.  Isaac’s birth was a supernatural act of God to fulfill His promise to Abraham and Sarah which required faith to accept.

     Likewise those in Jesus’ time could expend worrisome effort to provide for themselves or depend on God’s promises by faith to meet their needs.

     “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.”  Matthew 6:25

     “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”  Matthew 6:33

     Jesus taught that one needn’t worry about everyday needs if they faithfully pursued the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

     The Greek word for ‘first’ means one’s top priority, i.e. to ‘be in front’ in importance.

     ‘Added’ has several significant synonyms including ‘supply,’ ‘give,’ and to ‘bestow freely and graciously.’

     Jesus then compared an earthly father’s compassion and love for his children with the heavenly Father’s compassion and love for His children.

     “If you then, being evil (a natural man), know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”  Matthew 7:11

     Christians should never forget that their citizenship is in heaven.  They are just passing through the world during this lifetime preparing for the future.  Jesus was reminding His followers of their eternal heritage.

     The half-brother of Jesus, i.e. James also referred to heavenly gifts and their Giver.

     “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”  James 1:17

     That which is truly important and significant is gifted from above. 

     Then during the eternal stage of redeemed man’s odyssey God reveals that His eternal provisions are also freely given.

     As God sat on His throne he spoke to John:

     “And He said to me, ‘It is done!  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.’”  Revelation 21:6

     There was nothing before God and there will be nothing after God.  He has always been and He will always be.  Inasmuch as He created all things, He has the absolute right to ‘give’ it to His chosen.  The fountain of the water of life is the perpetual presence of the Holy Spirit.

     “Blessed are those who have washed their robes (their sins having been forgiven), that they may have the right to the tree of life.”  Revelation 22:14

     The tree of life is located along the street of New Jerusalem and produces fruit and leaves to sustain the saved of all nations throughout eternity.  God’s chosen have been ‘given’ the right to the tree of life forever.

     Then the Holy Spirit and the bride echo the Father’s invitation to the fountain of living water.

     “…and let him who thirsts come.  Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”  Revelation 22:17

     It is certainly a truthful and popular saying, ‘The best things in life are free.’

     One can spend their lifetime trying to earn God’s favor or, in humble faith, simply take Him at His word.

     Consider this, is the pursuit of the American Dream more Ishmael centered or Isaac centered?

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

    

Who Really Gives - Big Brother or God?

     Sometimes we need to go back to the basics in order to understand and evaluate where we stand as a nation. 

     The percent of Americans receiving some kind of aid from the government is staggering.  But a government such as ours can’t really give without first taking.  Remember King Saul, i.e. “He will take…and give…”

     The most common Hebrew word for ‘give’ in the Old Testament is nathan which has several synonyms including ‘grant,’ ‘bestow,’ ‘deliver,’ and ‘add.’

     The word is first found in Genesis 1:29 where God has ‘given’ every green herb for food.  Then in Genesis 12:7 God ‘gave’ the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants.

     Immediately after the Exodus, when the estimated 2 million Israelites were redeemed from slavery and entered the barren wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, they began to complain for lack of food and water.

     And so it was that God provided, or ‘gave’ them bread, meat, and water during their 40 years in the wilderness prior to entering the Promised Land.

     It was during that time God taught them to depend on Him for their needs on a daily basis.  Those lessons were so significant that Paul mentioned them in the New Testament.

      “Now all these things happened to them (Israelites during the 40 years between the Exodus and entering Canaan) as examples, and they were written for our admonition (instruction), upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”  1 Corinthians 10:11

     God’s provision for the Israelites was so significant that the Feast of Tabernacles, which was observed in remembrance of God’s provision, will be celebrated during the future millennial kingdom.

     God provided, or gave, everything that Israel was promised, even the ability to get wealth.

     “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who ‘gives’ you power to get wealth…”  Deuteronomy 8:18

     And then God issued a stern warning if Israel should ever forget who He was and what He had done for them.

    “Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the LORD your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.  As the nations which the LORD destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.”  Deuteronomy 8:19-20

     Therefore, if any nation forgets the source of their blessings, and/or attributes what they have to any other than God, that nation shall perish.

     Recall God’s symbolic betrothal to Israel.  The bride attributed her provisions to other nations.

     “But she did not know that I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold – which she prepared for Baal.  Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time and My new wine in its season, and will take back My wool and My linen…”  Hosea 2:8-9

     Shortly thereafter northern Israel would be overrun by Assyria and a century later Southern Judah would be overrun by Babylon.

     But God was not done ‘giving’ to His covenant people; past, present, and future.  Let’s go back to Genesis.

     “Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  And I will bless her and also ‘give’ you a son by her… and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.’”  Genesis 17:15-16

     But God’s giving gets even better.  The Prophet Isaiah recorded a future indescribable gift as God revealed a heretofore mystery.

     “Indeed He (the LORD God) says… ‘I will also ‘give’ You as a light to the Gentiles that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”  Isaiah 49:6

     God would ‘give’ His Son as the Savior of the world.

     God wants to ‘give’ everything freely to those created in His own image.

     It’s not called ‘redistribution.’  God’s provisions are truly a free gift.  We need to get out of the way and let Him do as He pleases.

Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

   

    

Sectarian Violence is not new

     Much is said today about sectarian violence in the Middle East.  Such violence is the result of conflict between various sects within a broader ideology. 

     Biblical history, past and future, reveals much about such conflict.  The broader ideology in the Middle East today is embodied in relationships among such players as Ishmael, Esau (Edom) and his grandson Amalek, Abraham’s other sons through Keturah such as Midian, and Lot’s sons by incest who were progenitors of Ammon and Moab.  This list isn’t meant to be complete, but rather representative. 

     One of Esau’s wives Mahalath, was a daughter of Ishmael.

     These all settled primarily to the ‘East’ of Canaan although Amalek settled south of Israel in the Sinai Peninsula.  Furthermore they were all predestined to be enemies of Isaac, the son of promise, born to Abraham and Sarah when Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100.

   

     Remember what God said to Satan as part of the curse.

     “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed…”  Genesis 3:15

     Her ‘Seed’ would ultimately be Jesus Christ.

     A great example of Biblical sectarian violence is found in the Book of Judges relative to Gideon.

     Recall God used Midian, the Amalekites, and the ‘people of the East’ to chastise His people when ‘the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD.’

     On a particular occasion Gideon was called by God to rescue His people from pending attack.

     “Then all the Midianites and Amalekites, the people of the East, gathered together…”  Judges 6:33

     Gideon originally gathered thirty-two thousand troops together against the enemy. 

     “And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, “My own hand has saved me.’””  Judges 7:2

     As the story unfolded Gideon along with only three hundred stood before the countless enemies.

     “Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley…their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.”  Judges 7:12

     How did the three hundred fare?  Gideon divided the three hundred into three companies and gave each man a trumpet.

     “And every man stood in his place all around the camp… When the three hundred blew the trumpets, The LORD set every man’s sword against his companion…”  Judges 7:21-22

     We recently recorded the battle when Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir (Edom) came against Judah and Jerusalem.

     “For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir (Edom) to utterly kill and destroy them.  And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”  2 Chronicles 20:23

     Looking forward to the future, when God draws Israel’s enemies into their land, He will also set brother against brother.  In the latter days God will draw the final ten nation confederation (coalition) into Israel. 

     The result?

     “‘I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,’ says the Lord God.  ‘Every man’s sword will be against his brother.’”  Ezekiel 38:21

     The countries referenced in Ezekiel’s prophecy extend from Northern Africa to Turkey, the Arabian Peninsula, and Iran.

     And the Prophet Haggai summed it up succinctly.

     “I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms.  I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them…every one by the sword of his brother.”  Haggai 2:22

     The leader of the final kingdom with its ten nations will also experience sectarian violence in his final days.

     “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him…but news from the east and the north shall trouble him, therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many…”  Daniel 11:40, 44

     The enemies of Israel in generations past are the same nations causing Israel grief today.  And they are listed among the same nations God will destroy when they come against His chosen, i.e. Israel, in the future.

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com