Sermon Tone Analysis

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

The big bible point that we continue to see is that God’s people repeatedly turn away from Him.

Our story begins with Joshua passing away, and now there is no good God fearing leader for Israel to follow.

Without a strong leader the people soon disobeyed God and forgot about God.

They even ended up worshiping false god’s- which if you were God wouldn’t that feel like the ultimate slap to the face.

After provided and protecting these people they turn their back and worship false things.

Yet how often is that us- How often to we turn to other things or people and forget about God.

The first thing the Israelites didn’t do is clear out the land- They were told to expel all of the canaanites living in the land.

this is the start of a long list of all who didn’t drive out the inhabitants of the land it continues with:

Ephiram

Zebulun

Asher

Naphtali

Dan

That is six of the twelve who failed to trust and obey God- and they ended up living among them and in the end becoming just like them even in worship of false god’s and even to the point of children sacrifice- Which God hated.

Because of Sin their is punishment- Gen 3 shows that sin leads to death.

There is a cycle to the book of Judges: God is worshiped by His people- His people sin and forget God- because of their sins the people become enslaved- they cry out to God- God delivers them and they return to worshiping God

The Cycle of Judges land out-

What cycle of behavior were the Israelites in?

It is a cycle of sin.

Judgment and punishment came because of the people’s sin.

The scripture uses this term that they abandoned God and went after other god’s, and the Lord gave them over.

God gave them what they desired- He gave them to the false fake god’s who couldn’t do anything for them, and in turn God let them wander until they realized they had nothing with out Him- God’s presence is in our lives is the greatest blessing- when we wander away from God and pursue things of this world to find joy or purpose we are like Israel in this story- We will never find it cause it doesn’t exist

John Piper says “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied inHim.”

We aren’t looking for anything else to satisfied our hearts desires cause He alone is what satisfies- and in return we trust and obey because He is our treasure and our delight.

What does this story teach us about God?

God is faithful and God is a God of grace and mercy-

Eph 2:1-10 says God is rich in Mercy has saved us by Grace

God’s grace is Him giving sinners what they don’t deserve- He forgives and saves.

God’s mercy is Him not giving sinners what they do deserve- punishment and death

What did the people need to do to be saved?

They cried out to God.

The judges saved the people from the consequences of their sin, but not the cause of it.

God’s plan was to one day send a true Deliverer—Jesus, His own Son—to be the King of His people.

Jesus saves people from sin forever.

I remember reading once of a person who dreamed a dream when in great distress of mind about religion.

He thought he stood in the outer court of Heaven, and he saw a glorious host marching up the steps of light, singing hymns and bearing the banners of victory.

They passed by him, and entered through the gates, and he heard, in the distance, sweet strains of music.

“Who are they?” he asked.

“Don’t you know?” was the reply.

“They are the goodly fellowship of the Prophets, who have gone to be with God.”

He heaved a deep sigh, as he said, “Alas!

I am not one of them, and shall never be, and cannot enter there.”

By and by there came another band, equally lovely in appearance and equally triumphant, robed in white.

“Who are these?” he cried with wistful expectancy.

“They are the goodly fellowship of the Apostles.”

“Alas,” he said, as they passed within the portal, “I belong not to that fellowship, and I cannot enter there.”

He still waited and lingered, in the hope that he might yet go in; but the next multitude did not encourage him, for they were the noble army of Martyrs.

He could not go with them, nor wave their palm branches.

He waited still, and saw that the next was a company of preachers of the gospel and earnest Christian workers, but he felt he could not go in with them.

Hope of entrance seemed to have gone, when at last, as he walked, he saw a larger host than all the rest put together marching and singing melodiously, and in front walked the woman that was a sinner, and the thief that died upon the cross.

He looked long, and saw there Manasseh, and the like; and when they entered he could see who they were, and he thought, “There will be shouting about them.”

But to his astonishment it seemed as if all Heaven was rent with sevenfold shouts as they passed in.

The angels said to him, These are they that were mighty sinners, saved by mighty grace.”

Then he said, “Blessed be God!

I can go in with them.”

So he awoke.

Will you enter the heavenly protals as “a sinner saved by grace?” Grace is unmerited favor.

Accept Christ, yield to Him, give Him the government of your life, and you will stand and bask in the full radiance of the grace of the King of Heaven eternally.

—Charles Haddon Spurgeon