WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.320 seated. Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:13.660 Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today. A special welcome if 00:00:13.660 --> 00:00:18.559 you're new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:24.100 because we're trying to fill seats, but because we're following Jesus together as one community. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:29.280 And as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced that there's no one so good. They 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:34.420 don't need God's grace, and no one's so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week 00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:41.020 after week to hear what God has to say to us in His Word. We're continuing this morning in the book 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:44.840 of Judges, and I'm especially grateful that we're in the book of Judges this morning because I had 00:00:44.840 --> 00:00:50.180 a dream last night that I was preaching an obscure passage from the book of Acts that I had not 00:00:50.180 --> 00:00:58.219 prepared for. So I was delighted when I woke up and I realized we were still here. You'll remember that 00:00:58.219 --> 00:01:05.079 the book of Judges is about many things. It's about the need for constant renewal and revival among 00:01:05.079 --> 00:01:11.239 God's people. It's about our need for a true and faithful king, a king who can do what no human can do, 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:19.519 which is to change the hearts of men. It's about the power of spirit-filled leadership, and it's about 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:27.340 God's mercy to hard-hearted people, people like you and me. Last time we were in the book of Judges, 00:01:27.340 --> 00:01:33.900 we had those two small judges that we knew almost nothing about. You'll remember Tola ruled for 23 00:01:33.900 --> 00:01:39.920 years, Jer for 22 years, and so we had 45 years of peace, and we asked this question, you know, 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:46.580 how does God preserve His people in the midst of chaos? They were following up the chaos of Abimelech, 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:52.159 and one of the ways that we saw is He gives them leaders better than they deserve. This week, we're going to 00:01:52.159 --> 00:02:01.840 see the continuing spiral of Israel, however. The peace of Tola and Jer is short-lived. Things again 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:06.640 turn sideways very quickly, so we have an opportunity once again to talk about some very simple things 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:12.159 related to the mechanics of spiritual renewal. What does it look like for God's people to have 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:18.639 constant renewal and revival, and of course, the danger of idolatry. And so it's with that, 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:23.679 I'm going to invite you to turn with me in God's Word. We're in Judges chapter 10, starting at verse 6. 00:02:24.399 --> 00:02:29.599 You can turn with me in your Bible. You can turn on your phone. You can turn in your worship guide. 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:35.379 No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word, and God tells us that His Word is more 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:40.599 precious than gold, even the finest gold, and it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight 00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:45.799 from the honeycomb. And so that's why we read now Judges chapter 10, starting in verse 6. 00:02:45.800 --> 00:02:52.280 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the 00:02:52.280 --> 00:03:00.500 Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:07.120 gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:13.280 kindled against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:20.000 And they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.360 the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Ammonites, which is in Gilead. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:30.800 And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:38.240 house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed. And the people of Israel cried out to 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:43.219 the Lord, saying, We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served 00:03:43.219 --> 00:03:49.439 the Baals. And the Lord said to the people of Israel, Did I not save you from the Egyptians and 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:56.219 from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? The Sidonians also and the Amalekites and the 00:03:56.219 --> 00:04:03.240 Mayanites oppressed you. And you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. Yet you have forsaken 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:13.219 me and served other gods. Therefore, I will save you no more. Verse 14, Go and cry out to the gods 00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:20.579 whom you have chosen. Let them save you in the time of your distress. And the people of Israel said to 00:04:20.579 --> 00:04:27.759 the Lord, We have sinned. Do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:34.899 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. And he became impatient over 00:04:34.899 --> 00:04:42.639 the misery of Israel. Verse 17, Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead. 00:04:43.139 --> 00:04:49.099 And the people of Israel came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. And the people, the leaders of 00:04:49.099 --> 00:04:54.539 Gilead, said one to another, Who is the man who will begin to fight against the Ammonites? 00:04:54.540 --> 00:05:02.960 He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead. I invite you to pray with me as we come 00:05:02.960 --> 00:05:11.420 to this portion of God's word. Our Father in heaven, we do thank you for the privilege and the joy of 00:05:11.420 --> 00:05:17.620 being together in worship this morning. And we thank you for your mercy to us in your word, that you 00:05:17.620 --> 00:05:24.100 don't leave us to figure things out by ourselves or put them together on our own, but instead you 00:05:24.100 --> 00:05:30.700 instruct us and guide us, we confess that we can't do it without your help. And so we ask that you 00:05:30.700 --> 00:05:36.820 would send your Holy Spirit here in a powerful and special way this morning, that you would help us to 00:05:36.820 --> 00:05:44.379 clearly understand your word, to firmly believe it, to grow in our love for you and our obedience to you. 00:05:44.379 --> 00:05:48.819 We ask all of these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 00:05:48.819 --> 00:05:57.540 If you've been with us from the beginning of the book of Judges, you will know that this is sounding 00:05:57.540 --> 00:06:03.339 pretty familiar at this point. We talked at the very beginning about what some call the judges cycle, 00:06:03.540 --> 00:06:08.839 others the judges spiral, which is that God rescues his people and then they turn away from him. Then 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:14.219 they cry out for mercy and he rescues them again and they turn away. And so it's just this constant 00:06:14.220 --> 00:06:20.440 churn here. And as we begin this episode in verse six, you might think, well, we've seen all of this 00:06:20.440 --> 00:06:26.420 before. The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. And in fact, we have seen 00:06:26.420 --> 00:06:32.240 it before. The Gideon story, chapter six of Judges, verse one, starts with almost the exact same words. 00:06:32.900 --> 00:06:39.600 The Deborah story in chapter four begins with almost the exact same words. The stories that we saw with 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:45.760 Ehud and Othniel, the same thing. We're getting this sense over and over that the book of Judges is a book 00:06:45.760 --> 00:06:56.240 of patterns. There is, however, something here that we have not seen before. Notice when I told you what 00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:01.540 we've seen, I just read the beginning of verse six. We have seen the beginning of verse six before. 00:07:01.540 --> 00:07:16.920 We have not seen the ending. Verse six lists seven different idols worshipped by Israel. 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:24.879 Verse six doesn't just list the idols from one nation or another. No, we're given the sense here that 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:34.860 Israel is worshipping every idol. In the past, Israel has gone after some of the foreign gods. 00:07:35.579 --> 00:07:40.899 We're now almost halfway through the book and Israel is not going after some of the foreign gods. 00:07:41.620 --> 00:07:52.120 She is going after all of the foreign gods. Things are worse than ever before. Israel is stuffing 00:07:52.120 --> 00:08:00.000 herself to a new level full of idolatry. This reminds us of what we saw in chapter two, which laid out the 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:06.720 cycle for us. Remember it said, every generation was more corrupt than their fathers. And so there's 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:12.420 some compounding interest that is coming home to roost finally. If you're going to become more corrupt 00:08:12.420 --> 00:08:19.040 every generation, things are going to come to a place where we are very, very bad. And in fact, that is where 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:24.220 we are here now. Israel has kept their stubborn ways. 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:32.879 And so since their rebellion is worse than before, God's punishment is worse than before. It is 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:39.580 overwhelming here. We're told of verse seven that God sells them into the hand of the Philistines and 00:08:39.580 --> 00:08:45.180 the hands of the Ammonites. Now you might wonder here, what does it mean for God to sell someone? 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:53.719 One pastor explains it this way. When you sell a car to another person, it means the new owner can do 00:08:53.719 --> 00:09:01.379 with it as he pleases. When we look back at how God sold the Israelites before, we know this does not 00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:08.019 mean that he abandoned them or nullified his promises to them. It does mean, however, that he stopped 00:09:08.019 --> 00:09:17.439 protecting them in some way. Israel is fully vulnerable to the foreign nations. God allows 00:09:17.439 --> 00:09:23.980 them to be oppressed for 18 years. In case we miss it, we have this cascade of words in verses eight and 00:09:23.980 --> 00:09:27.779 nine. Verse eight, they're crushed and oppressed. And then we're told again that they're oppressed. 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:31.779 Verse nine, Israel was severely distressed. 00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:41.500 And once again, we're seeing the Old Testament principle that the punishment fits the crime. 00:09:42.779 --> 00:09:50.199 God essentially tells them, you're going to worship foreign gods. Well, then guess what? You're going to 00:09:50.199 --> 00:10:00.559 serve foreign rulers. You want to play stupid games? Well, then you're going to get to win stupid prizes. 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:14.039 You want to mess around? You are going to find out. You want to act like slaves? You will be treated 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:22.579 like slaves. In other words, Israel worships all these gods, and then they end up serving the nations 00:10:22.579 --> 00:10:30.419 of all those gods. Now, this is God's complaint against them in verses 11 and 12. He tells them, 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:37.639 hey, look, I have saved you over and over. Did I not save you, this is verse 11, from the Egyptians and 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:42.740 from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines. God is not just talking about the 00:10:42.740 --> 00:10:47.759 salvation that's happened in the book of Judges. No, he goes all the way back to Egypt. He's saying, 00:10:47.839 --> 00:10:53.899 can't you remember throughout your entire history how many times I've saved you? 00:10:53.899 --> 00:11:01.840 Now, unless you're fascinated with numerology, you probably did not notice this, but verse 6, 00:11:02.059 --> 00:11:11.100 we are told that Israel has gone after a list of seven different foreign gods or nations. 00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:20.039 Here in verses 11 through 12, God lists seven different times that he has saved Israel. 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:26.339 If you're familiar with the Bible, you know seven is the number of completeness, and so God is saying this, 00:11:27.819 --> 00:11:37.379 I saved you completely, and you have abandoned me completely. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:44.599 This is a deeper betrayal than ever before. 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:53.980 I was the God who did everything for you, and you are the people who go after every idol. 00:11:53.980 --> 00:12:01.720 Now, it's tempting for us as people who live in the 21st century to think that, you know, 00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:05.600 idolatry, something silly for people in the pagan world. 00:12:06.019 --> 00:12:10.080 You know, of course we're not going to bow down to a carved image. 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:15.279 Although you might find some of that in America in 2024, actually, as we become more pagan. 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:18.220 But we do have idols. 00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:21.620 We do have things that we love and worship more than God. 00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:25.860 Now, you'll see this on page 7, and a definition of idolatry. 00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:29.879 Idolatry is loving anything more than Jesus Christ. 00:12:30.980 --> 00:12:36.279 Idolatry is treating anything as more important than Jesus Christ for your meaning in life, 00:12:36.600 --> 00:12:42.860 for your happiness, for your security and hope, or for your self-regard. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:49.120 And so the warning for Israel is the same warning for us as well. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:51.179 God has saved us. 00:12:52.539 --> 00:12:54.480 Are we going to worship him? 00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:56.860 God has saved us. 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:58.240 Are we going to trust him? 00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:01.360 God has redeemed us. 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:09.679 Are we going to look to him and him alone for our safety and our security, our belonging, our praise? 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:17.579 And of course, as God's people in the Old Testament, so also God's people in the New Testament. 00:13:17.579 --> 00:13:24.939 We are drawn over and over to love and look to things other than our Lord and Savior. 00:13:28.219 --> 00:13:31.959 Judges here outlines for us why, in fact, that is such a bad idea. 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:36.900 Now, we saw just a few verses ago, hey, this is God giving them their punishment. 00:13:37.060 --> 00:13:38.639 Hey, you're going to worship these foreign gods. 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:40.480 You're going to be enslaved by foreign gods. 00:13:40.560 --> 00:13:44.480 But slavery is actually not the only thing that is going on here. 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:48.259 It's not simply that Israel is enslaved, but that they have been tricked. 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:49.780 They have been duped. 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:55.320 They have looked to idols to do things they are powerless to do. 00:13:55.620 --> 00:13:59.379 This is the point that God is making in verse 14. 00:13:59.379 --> 00:14:03.120 In verse 10, the people cry out to God and they say, look, we're sorry again. 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.679 Can we do the whole rescue thing again? 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:11.879 Like, remember in the past where the foreign rulers would come in and then we would cry out to you and you would wreck them? 00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:13.620 Can you do that again? 00:14:13.679 --> 00:14:15.480 Because that would be super cool in this situation. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.620 We've been here for 18 years. 00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:19.980 We remember now what we're supposed to do. 00:14:20.059 --> 00:14:21.299 We're supposed to cry out to you. 00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:24.019 And then you're going to come and you're going to do what we need to do. 00:14:25.500 --> 00:14:28.740 But God here does not continue his pattern from the past. 00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:30.940 Instead, he has something new to say to them. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:34.399 Verse 14. 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:38.200 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen. 00:14:38.899 --> 00:14:43.200 Let them save you in the time of your distress. 00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:50.120 It sounds like you guys have thought that the idols have been great for the past 18 years. 00:14:51.580 --> 00:14:53.419 Why don't you go back to the same well? 00:14:53.419 --> 00:14:59.139 You've been saying for the last 18 years that these gods are the ones that deliver you. 00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:03.039 So why don't you just go and ask them for deliverance? 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:05.120 Seems pretty simple, right? 00:15:06.719 --> 00:15:08.179 This is what you've wanted. 00:15:08.339 --> 00:15:09.679 Why don't you go back? 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:25.079 Because they understand God's point. 00:15:26.219 --> 00:15:28.739 These idols are powerless. 00:15:28.740 --> 00:15:34.700 These idols cannot rescue you or save you. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:37.700 And you'll see this on the back of your worship guide. 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:44.500 The worst thing about idols, as the Hebrew scriptures so tirelessly point out, 00:15:44.940 --> 00:15:49.980 is that they are utterly useless when you need them the most. 00:15:49.980 --> 00:15:56.240 So God says, go to your idols. 00:15:57.860 --> 00:15:59.000 Go to your money. 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:03.240 See if it can save you now. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:07.920 Go to your many lovers. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.460 All the people you've had sexual experiences with in the past. 00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:15.659 See if they will solve your loneliness now. 00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:23.000 Go back to that same well and see if it can do what it's always promised to do. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:27.159 The point for us is this. 00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:30.319 Idols always enslave. 00:16:31.120 --> 00:16:34.379 And idols always disappoint. 00:16:35.959 --> 00:16:38.079 Idols always enslave. 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.220 And they always disappoint. 00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:49.580 We might think that praise and recognition and success are going to save us somehow from our insecurity. 00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:54.200 And yet we find that it's still lurking there. 00:16:55.340 --> 00:16:59.240 Perhaps it's even worse than before as our resumes grow. 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:05.400 We might think that control is going to be what gets us ahead. 00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:08.079 If we can just maneuver and negotiate enough. 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:11.240 If we are good enough at playing chess and not checkers. 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:13.180 If we have competence and knowledge. 00:17:13.640 --> 00:17:15.680 Somehow we can cover up our shame. 00:17:17.620 --> 00:17:20.980 And yet that is also an idol that enslaves. 00:17:21.140 --> 00:17:23.660 Because the kingdom must always be defended. 00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:29.300 There is no rest for the weary. 00:17:30.820 --> 00:17:32.600 Because idols demand too much. 00:17:34.180 --> 00:17:37.840 No matter how much knowledge and control and competence you have. 00:17:37.940 --> 00:17:40.460 There is always someone smarter. 00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:44.200 Someone more powerful. 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:48.620 We might worship money. 00:17:48.619 --> 00:17:53.279 It dominates our hearts and our hopes. 00:17:54.859 --> 00:18:02.639 And yet somehow it never produces meaning or connection or hope. 00:18:04.919 --> 00:18:11.459 And as many people have found, it appears to appear and disappear rather quickly. 00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:16.979 And so we don't serve it. 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:18.599 It doesn't serve us. 00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:21.259 We serve it. 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.099 Idols enslave. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.880 They cannot save. 00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:34.799 God makes this point loud and clear to the people of Israel. 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:38.380 Makes it loud and clear to us as well. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:41.120 And so that raises the question, 00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:46.740 what do we do in the face of the idols that enslave us? 00:18:46.980 --> 00:18:52.380 What do we do as we are tempted to believe that they are more powerful than they actually are? 00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:57.160 Maybe we find ourselves deep in the grip of them wondering how it is that we get out. 00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:02.319 There are many answers and an important one is found here in this passage. 00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:03.200 And the answer is this. 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.759 Not false repentance. 00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:07.440 Not performative repentance. 00:19:08.099 --> 00:19:11.299 But true, deep repentance. 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:16.119 Verse 10, we see something. 00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:19.339 Verse 11, a bit shocking here. 00:19:20.419 --> 00:19:21.339 God's people come. 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.859 They try the same trick they've tried over and over. 00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:30.419 We have sinned against you because we've forsaken our God and have served the Baals. 00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:34.059 Rescue us again. 00:19:35.019 --> 00:19:36.719 Do what you always do, right? 00:19:36.759 --> 00:19:38.679 We know that you're the faithful God. 00:19:38.979 --> 00:19:41.459 We know that you show up over and over. 00:19:41.819 --> 00:19:44.059 We know that you never abandon your promises. 00:19:44.439 --> 00:19:47.459 So if we just say the right thing, you're going to show up. 00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:50.100 You're going to crush the foreign nations once again. 00:19:52.140 --> 00:19:53.539 What does God say? 00:19:53.620 --> 00:19:54.319 He says, no. 00:19:55.259 --> 00:19:58.640 I am not going to deliver you this time. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:00.799 Why? 00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:05.160 Because your repentance is fake. 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:08.860 Your repentance is not real. 00:20:08.859 --> 00:20:13.099 You know the right words, but you won't do the right actions. 00:20:13.479 --> 00:20:18.659 We see this in verses 11 through 14, especially in verse 14. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:22.979 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen. 00:20:24.439 --> 00:20:29.719 In other words, they're talking to God on one side, and they're worshiping the foreign gods still. 00:20:30.419 --> 00:20:34.139 You can imagine this is like an unfaithful husband returning to his wife saying, 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.979 please, please forgive me, right? 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:36.799 Have me back. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:39.680 And he's still seeing the other woman. 00:20:41.019 --> 00:20:42.899 No, that's just words, right? 00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:44.960 And what is she going to say? 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:46.700 Go back to her. 00:20:47.919 --> 00:20:50.240 She's the one you're still with. 00:20:51.639 --> 00:20:53.779 And that's what God is saying to Israel here. 00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:56.220 You have just words for me. 00:20:56.859 --> 00:21:00.819 If you're going to worship the foreign gods, fair is fair. 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:04.460 If they get your worship, then they give you deliverance. 00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.240 End of story. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:21.039 And so Israel models for us here the temptation to use repentance merely to relieve pain. 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:28.299 The temptation for repentance not to be a change of heart, but a technique. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:34.740 Someone who's smart enough, gifted enough, has enough emotional intelligence to know the right words to say, 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:40.299 to get what it is that they want, and yet there is no true or real or deep change. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:47.680 God tells Israel here he is not going to be their genie in a bottle to get them out of trouble. 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:56.859 Realizing that then, we see Israel try again. 00:21:56.859 --> 00:22:04.259 Verses 15 and 16, they move from words to action. 00:22:04.939 --> 00:22:10.659 They confess their sins again, and they turn away from them. 00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:18.119 Verse 16, so they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord. 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:26.219 Judges tells us, once again, a very simple point. 00:22:27.699 --> 00:22:32.979 Repentance is not repentance unless it heads in a new direction. 00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:39.700 The Greek word for repentance in the New Testament literally means a turning around. 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:46.120 If I say, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, and I keep doing the same things and heading in the same direction, 00:22:46.339 --> 00:22:50.160 I have apologized, but I have not repented. 00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:56.700 No, repentance is a redirection, a reorientation of the heart. 00:22:56.700 --> 00:23:07.160 Repentance is saying, I'm sorry, and I'm going to stay away from places and people that cause me to drink too much. 00:23:08.620 --> 00:23:16.860 Repentance is saying, I'm sorry, and I'm going to start listening to my spouse rather than talking at my spouse. 00:23:18.080 --> 00:23:24.740 Repentance is saying, I'm sorry, and I'm going to put a filter or an accountability software on my phone and my computer. 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:32.200 Repentance is saying, I'm sorry, and I'm going to work on a budget so that my money reflects God's heart. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:40.980 Repentance is saying, I am sorry, and I'm going to call that person I need to call. 00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:51.380 Repentance means saying, I'm sorry, and talking to a friend about the ways that you're tempted to gossip. 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.860 Repentance is saying, I'm sorry, and talking to a friend about the ways that you're tempted to gossip. 00:23:53.860 --> 00:23:59.040 It is possible to apologize and not repent. 00:24:01.820 --> 00:24:05.220 But to turn away from idols means to turn away. 00:24:05.320 --> 00:24:11.760 It means to go from one direction, to turn 180 degrees and walk in the other direction. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:23.980 Now, you may be wondering here, as you see, it appears that this repentance from Israel makes a difference. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:30.379 We're told in verse 16, the Lord became impatient over the misery of Israel. 00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:34.200 And this sets us up for what's about to happen in the story of Jethro. 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:36.600 They are going to have their prayer answered. 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:42.120 Israel is going to be delivered from the Ammonites and the Philistines. 00:24:42.779 --> 00:24:44.799 Jethro is going to deliver them from the Ammonites. 00:24:44.920 --> 00:24:47.259 And then before too long, we'll be in the story of Samson. 00:24:47.580 --> 00:24:50.140 And we're going to hear about the deliverance from the Philistines. 00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:56.120 And so that raises the question, perhaps for some of you, did God lie? 00:24:56.119 --> 00:25:00.679 God said, I'm not going to rescue you. 00:25:03.139 --> 00:25:05.699 And then they repent and he says, I'm going to rescue you. 00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:08.000 What do we do with that? 00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:14.159 Well, you have to understand the way that prophecy works in the Old Testament. 00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:20.099 When someone comes and declares a disaster, there's an understood conditional element to it. 00:25:20.099 --> 00:25:26.980 It's understood that this is what's going to happen, spoken, unspoken, unless you repent. 00:25:28.019 --> 00:25:31.099 And if you think I'm making that up, think about the story of Jonah. 00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:33.299 Jonah is sent as this prophet to Nineveh. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:37.240 He goes into Nineveh and he says, in three days, this city is going to be destroyed. 00:25:38.219 --> 00:25:39.639 No qualifiers, right? 00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:44.839 The people of Nineveh, being good ancient Near Easterners, know what this means. 00:25:45.439 --> 00:25:46.919 They know it's conditional. 00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:48.580 And so they turn aside in repentance. 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.580 And what does God do? 00:25:50.660 --> 00:25:52.680 He does not destroy Nineveh in three days. 00:25:54.560 --> 00:25:56.140 Israel understands this as well. 00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:58.759 God is saying, look, I'm not going to play your games anymore. 00:26:00.039 --> 00:26:02.120 I'm tired of your false repentance. 00:26:02.300 --> 00:26:04.420 I'm tired of these performative words. 00:26:05.019 --> 00:26:06.060 And Israel gets it. 00:26:06.800 --> 00:26:09.000 They receive the point. 00:26:09.120 --> 00:26:10.800 And so one commentator puts it this way. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.680 God doesn't change. 00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:15.640 Israel changes. 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:18.800 God doesn't change. 00:26:19.540 --> 00:26:21.280 Israel changes. 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:27.480 Now, it might be tempting for us at this point to think, well, Israel did the right thing. 00:26:27.600 --> 00:26:31.180 You know, they earned from God what they needed by their repentance. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:36.000 God owed them something at this point because they did what he asked. 00:26:36.080 --> 00:26:37.200 They confessed their sin. 00:26:38.020 --> 00:26:40.220 They turned away from foreign idols. 00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:41.700 No. 00:26:43.380 --> 00:26:44.960 God owes Israel nothing. 00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:50.140 God is bound only by his covenant. 00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:53.319 And so it's interesting here what we're told. 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:55.319 Verse 16. 00:26:55.319 --> 00:27:00.019 It does not say God was moved by their repentance. 00:27:00.279 --> 00:27:04.939 And because he was obligated by their repentance, he then worked to start raising up Jethwa. 00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:11.720 No, it says he became impatient over the misery of Israel. 00:27:11.720 --> 00:27:16.380 Why did God move to rescue Israel? 00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:16.480 Israel. 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:21.180 Because he was fed up with watching his people suffer. 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:26.720 Why did God move to rescue Israel? 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:34.620 Not because they had earned anything from him, but because of his never stopping, never ending, never giving up, always and forever love. 00:27:34.619 --> 00:27:37.619 Why did God rescue Israel? 00:27:37.619 --> 00:27:42.119 Because he had made a covenant with them that depended not on them, but on him. 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:49.959 Why does God come to Israel even though he's rescued them completely and they've abandoned him completely? 00:27:51.899 --> 00:27:55.399 Because God chose them as his own. 00:27:57.159 --> 00:28:00.239 And for no other reason. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:05.940 Christian, the same is true of you. 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:11.680 God calls us to worship him and run to him rather than idols. 00:28:12.019 --> 00:28:15.140 And our worship of him earns nothing. 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:22.359 Our hope and our only hope is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:27.339 Our repentance did not draw him to the earth. 00:28:27.339 --> 00:28:32.379 No, Romans chapter 5 tells us while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:38.000 It was because he was impatient over our misery. 00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.279 And so that's our hope. 00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:45.119 Our hope is in our Lord Jesus who came and lived the perfect life that we should have lived. 00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:47.519 He died the death that we deserved. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:54.299 And so we receive forgiveness from him, not because repentance is some scheme that earns something, 00:28:54.559 --> 00:29:01.559 but because God in his mercy and his grace forgives all those who come to him. 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:10.379 His mercy is for those and only for those who have faith and trust in Jesus Christ. 00:29:10.380 --> 00:29:16.380 Even in his discipline here, we see he's drawing his people back. 00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:18.640 He doesn't leave them without a word. 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:20.320 No, he tells them, 00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:22.620 you want to be rescued? 00:29:23.180 --> 00:29:24.400 Come back to me. 00:29:25.220 --> 00:29:27.280 Really come back to me. 00:29:27.780 --> 00:29:30.300 Not just the words, but the actions. 00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:34.980 Brothers and sisters, that's our hope as well. 00:29:35.819 --> 00:29:41.180 That all those who come to Jesus Christ are forgiven and restored. 00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:46.200 And so we're reminded once again of God's mercy. 00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:49.639 His mercy for hard-hearted people. 00:29:50.399 --> 00:29:52.700 People like you and me. 00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:55.279 Let's pray. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:30:02.059 Our Father in heaven, we do praise you and thank you for your goodness and your mercy. 00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:05.480 We know that we haven't earned anything from you. 00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:07.539 We don't deserve anything from you. 00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:12.240 But you come in your grace and your goodness and your Lord Jesus. 00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:14.319 And you draw us back to yourself. 00:30:14.680 --> 00:30:17.660 We thank you for your faithfulness to Israel and your faithfulness to us. 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:21.519 We ask that it would grow our love and our devotion to you. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:24.579 That idols would appeal to us less and less. 00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:28.039 And we would run to you in repentance more and more. 00:30:28.440 --> 00:30:31.359 We ask all of these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. 00:30:31.799 --> 00:30:32.079 Amen.