November 20, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 9
In the last three chapters we saw God raise up an army literally from nothing, and against all odds to give Israel the victory, interestingly during the time of the battle and all the difficulty that comes with it, Gideon and Israel did well and excelled. The real danger came afterward in the time of peace and prosperity, for it was then that Gideon and Israel failed. As the very thing that had gotten Israel in trouble with The Lord and caused them to go into bondage and become servants to their enemies (idolatry) rose up and ensnared them once again, this time it won’t let go, as we will never read “for the country was quiet” ever again.
Victory and Defeat in the Promised Land
November 13, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 8
Gideon started out with thirty two thousand volunteer soldiers, that sounds like a lot until you realize they were going up against one hundred thirty five thousand, as if being outnumbered four to one wasn’t bad enough odds, God then tested the thirty two thousand and only three hundred passed and was allowed to go to battle against the enemy.
Victory and Defeat in the Promised Land
October 30, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 6:24–40
Israel has just come out of a forty year period in which they experienced peace from their enemies who lived all around them, but they took it for granted and began to do evil in the sight of The Lord, and that peace that they enjoyed was removed and replaced with oppression and bondage, as the enemy rose up and terrorized them until they cried out to God. The Lord being gracious then raised up a most unlikely leader a man named Gideon, who came from a family not known for bravery or for strength, but of weakness.
Victory and Defeat in the Promised Land
October 23, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner
It has been over two centuries since Israel first entered the promised land and marched around Jericho, giving a shout unto The Lord while the walls of that fortified city came tumbling down without them lifting up a sword or shooting an arrow. Fast forward to the present Israel firmly entrenched in the promised land but fighting against what is right in the sight of God and therefore remaining under the constant threat of bondage to their enemies.
Last week we started to see a pattern that is woven throughout the book of Judges concerning the people of Israel, one that begins with disobedience to God as they stumble into sin, this quickly progresses in them becoming enslaved by that very sin that they engaged in, resulting in them crying out and calling upon The Name of The Lord, and Praise God, He graciously, and Mercifully, answers their prayer, and delivers them. But as we’ll see each time the consequences become a little longer and a lot harder for them to go through.
Victory and Defeat in the Promised Land
October 2, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 3
We come to the place where we see how “The Book of Judges” got its name, as Israel is going to come full circle from a nation whom God delivered out of bondage unto freedom, to one who sins against Him, goes back into bondage, and is in need of deliverance once again. This is what happens when man refuses to follow God’s plan for our lives, as the very things we want victory over, if we obeyed God victory would be ours, but because of stubbornness and rebellion, as we want to do things our way, that’s when defeat enters in.
Victory and Defeat in the Promised Land
September 25, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 2
Last week we saw Israel occupying, fighting, and dividing their inheritance in the Promised Land, yet even before Joshua died we start to see some Compromise, and this compromise is going to affect them for generations to come. The Apostle Paul told us in > Rom 15:4 “that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope”. This means the past was written for the present time, to give us hope, and to provide instruction for the living.
Victory and Defeat in the Promise Land
September 18, 2024 • Pastor Keith Gardner • Judges 1
The Book of Judges is an amazing book about God raising up thirteen Judges, who would help Israel rise from the ashes of defeat and back to the place of victory. The opening section begins with the tribes of Israel living within their territories of the Promised Land, but finding themselves being attracted to the ungodly lifestyles and customs of the pagans dwelling around them, because although Joshua defeated many Canaanite nations, cities, and towns, there still were plenty of Canaanites living in the surrounding areas.
