Sermon Tone Analysis

*                    Understanding of the times - To know what to do*

*                                                          1 Ch 12:23,32,38                         *1~/13~/08 a.m.*            *

We as individuals and as a nation are facing times of biblical proportions and decisions of monumental importance.

* *

*In today’s society* I find a great need of knowing what the true destinations & goals of our society and its leaders are due to their extreme deception.

/(really what’s going on)/

 

I also find a great need of knowing Gods’ Word and how to apply it to the world in which we live.

It is imperative that we as Christians understand the times in which we live and know what to do.

*Should this nation honor God and pursue His blessings as a nation?*

*Ps.

33:12*2     Blessed /is/ the nation whose God /is/ the Lord,

           

*Job 12:23*23      *He makes nations great, and destroys them; *

                                                            He enlarges nations, and *guides them.

*

* *

*Should it be the desire of a nation to have a God fearing leader?*

* *

*2 Ch 28:19*19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of  Israel, for he had  encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the Lord.

*Should the law of the land be regarded as the supreme authority or The Word of God?*

                                    

*Ac 5:29*29 But Peter and the /other/ apostles answered and said:                                                                         “We ought to obey God rather than men.

*Should we as a nation support Israel?*

* *

*Zec 2:8  *For thus says the Lord of hosts: ..; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.

* *

*Should we as a nation pursue world government since the word of God says it’s coming anyway?*

* *

*Re 17:3-6   *

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 I saw  the woman, *drunk  with the blood of the saints* and with *the blood of  the martyrs of Jesus*.

And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

*Should we depend on God or the state provide for all our needs?*

*Php 4:19   *9 And my God  shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

* *

*2 Th 3:10*10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

*Should speaking out against the sin of homosexuality & abortion be a crime?*

**

*2 Ti 4:2*2 Preach the word!

Be ready in season /and/ out of season.

 Convince,  rebuke,  exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

*Should we as a nation make legal what God calls an abomination and perversion?*

* *

 *Mt 15:33* He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?

* *

*Should we as a nation promote, protect, and fund the killing of the unborn and terminally ill?*

**

* Nu 35:33-34*33 So you shall not pollute the land where you /are;/ for blood  defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except  by the blood of him who shed it.

34 Therefore  do not defile the land which you inhabit, /(murder not war)/

 

*Should we live according to Gods’ moral law or is there no such thing as moral law?*

* *

*Pr 14:34*34     Righteousness exalts a  nation,

                                                      But sin /is/ a 8reproach to /any/ people.

* *

*Truly, it is imperative that we as Christians understand the times in which we live and know what to do.*

We are facing the choosing of a new leader and with that new leader will come his or her foundation of values which will be the foundation of his or her actions.

The word of God has a lot to say about this subject and in the coming weeks I hope to share with you all I can from Gods’ Word on this subject.

I am not promoting a political party or a political person but I am promoting, endorsing and proclaiming what the word of God says concerning seeking the Lord in this decision, the different kinds of leaders (Godly~/Ungodly) and the effects they have on a nation, the responsibilities of a leader and a nation, the morality of a nation and the resulting effects on that nation, use of military, and etc.

/ /

We as Christians are to be like *the men of Issachar were; *

* *

*The stage;  *

*            *David was king of Judah in Hebron.

Saul’s son Ish-besheth, king of the rest of Israel, had been assassinated

The custom was to make his son or a relative king in his place.

It was imperative to place David as king on the throne quickly, uniting Israel.

The Lord had chosen & anointed David as King by Samuel.

* *

*1 Ch 12:23,32,38* 23 Now these /were/ the numbers of the divisions /that were/ *equipped for war*, /and/  *came to David at  Hebron to  turn /over/ the kingdom of Saul to him*,  *according to the word of the Lord:*

 

*V32   *of the sons of Issachar  who *had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do,* their chiefs were two hundred; *and all their brethren were at their command *

* *

*V38*38 *All these men* of war, who could keep ranks, *came* to Hebron with a loyal heart, *to make David king over all Israel;*

 

*All the tribes of Israel came to make David king*

*Verses 23-40*

We have here an account of those who were active in perfecting the settlement of David upon the throne, after the death of Ishbosheth.

We read (ch.

11:1, and before 2 Sa.

5:1) that */all the tribes of Israel came,/ *either themselves or by their representatives, to Hebron,* to make David king*; now here we have an account of the quota which every tribe brought in /ready armed to the war,/ in case there should be any opposition, v. 23.[1]

 

*The Levites themselves, and the priests (called here the /Aaronites),/ appeared* very hearty in this cause, and were ready, if there were occasion, to fight for David, as well as pray for him, because they knew he was called of God to the government, v. 26–28.[2]

The men of Issachar were the fewest af all, only 200, and yet as serviceable to David’s interest as those that brought in the greatest numbers, these few being in effect the whole tribe.

For, 1.

They were men of great skill above any of their neighbours, men that /had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do./ [3]

 

*The tribe of Issachar was especially known for wise men*.

In fact, tradition holds that representatives from Issachar tended to be the wisest members of Israel’s Sanhedrin, the nation’s highest ruling body in the days of Jesus (see “Stephen’s Trial and Murder” at Acts 6:12).[4]

*They understood the political times; they understood public affairs, the temper of the nation, and the tendencies of the present events*.

It is the periphrasis of statesmen that they /know the times,/ Esth. 1. 13.

Those of that tribe were greatly intent on public affairs, had good intelligence from abroad and made a good use of it.

They knew /what Israel ought to do:/ from their observation and experience they learned both their own and others’ duty and interest.

*In this critical juncture they knew Israel ought to make David king.

It was not only expedient, but necessary; the present posture of affairs called for it.*

The men of Issachar dealt mostly in country business, and did not much intermeddle in public affairs, which gave them an opportunity of observing others and conversing with themselves.

A stander-by sees sometimes more than a gamester.

[5]

* *

*They had the perception to know that it was both the duty and political interest of Israel to advance David to the throne*

*32* understanding of the times.

That is, as the following words indicate, intelligent men, who understood the signs of the times, well versed in political affairs, and knew what was proper to be done in all the exigencies of human life; and who now perceived that it was both the duty and political interest of Israel to advance David to the throne.

Ge 49:14 Es 1:13 Isa 22:12-14 33:6 Mic 6:9 Mt 16:3 Lu 12:56,57 to know.

Pr 14:8 Eph 5:17 all their.

Pr 24:5 Ec 7:19 9:18[6]

 

*They were men that had understanding of the times”: *

* Who understood what was going on and being done, and needful to be done.

*

 

*The men of Issachar were not only knowledgeable of God’s Word, they were knowledgeable of God’s world.

*

* *

*They understood the trends of the age so that they knew how to apply God’s Word to life.*

*They did not have their heads in the sand.

*

* *

*Jesus condemned some Pharisees and Sadducees for their lack of such insight into their age.

*

*Mt 16:1-3    “O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?”

*

* *

*/They lacked a good understanding of what was going on in Gods’ word as well as what was going on in God world./*

*/ /*

*/"Ye hypocrites,/ (because they)*

*pretend to be wise, *

*but really are not, *

*who pretend to expect the Messiah and his kingdom’’*

 

 */how is it that you do not discern this time/*/,/

 

*that you do not discern that now is the time*,

*according to the indications given in the Old-Testament prophecies*,

*for the Messiah to appear*,

*and that, according to the marks given of him, I am he? *

* *

*Jesus also condemned the multitudes;*

* *

*Lk 12:54-5754* Then He also said to the multitudes,  “Whenever /you see/ a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is.

55 And when you see the  south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is.

56 Hypocrites!

You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, *but how /is it/ you do not discern  this time?