WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.299 You may be seated, kids, you're excused, to your King's Kids class, and if you'd open 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:09.500 up your Bibles to Judges chapter 3. 00:00:11.019 --> 00:00:17.839 Judges comes after the first five books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:19.339 then Joshua, and then Judges. 00:00:20.260 --> 00:00:25.000 If you've got a pew Bible, it's on page, I think it's 238. 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:30.800 We're in Judges chapter 3. 00:00:32.740 --> 00:00:39.700 Years ago, me and my family were at a friend's pool party, and they had this big above-ground 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:44.640 pool, circular pool, and someone had the great idea, hey, let's drop in five adults and let's 00:00:44.640 --> 00:00:46.140 start walking in the same direction. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:54.280 So 15, no, 15 adults, 15 adults were walking in circles clockwise in this pool, and within 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:56.179 moments, do you know what we generated? 00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:57.939 A current. 00:00:59.260 --> 00:01:06.240 And so if you were one of those styrofoam noodles, a ball, if you were one of those plastic tubes, 00:01:06.320 --> 00:01:13.420 if you were a small child, you get pulled into the current created by these adults. 00:01:13.420 --> 00:01:17.599 And if you were one of those adults, and you picked up your feet, you got pulled along 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:18.620 in the current too. 00:01:21.019 --> 00:01:30.340 The world, biblically defined, is sinful, spiritually dead humanity, an organized rebellion against 00:01:30.340 --> 00:01:30.740 God. 00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:32.219 And you know what the world creates? 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:33.980 A current. 00:01:33.980 --> 00:01:40.820 The world creates currents of thinking. 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:47.420 The world generates currents of value. 00:01:48.659 --> 00:01:54.340 The world has currents of methods, of practices, of how-tos. 00:01:54.340 --> 00:02:04.260 And we can be swept up into these currents of the world. 00:02:04.820 --> 00:02:09.420 Brothers and sisters, last week we introduced the book of Judges, and the book of Judges 00:02:09.420 --> 00:02:13.319 is God testing his people, Israel, again and again and again. 00:02:13.480 --> 00:02:15.599 And brothers and sisters, we are tempted. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:19.319 We're in the world, but we're not to be of the world, and we're tempted by the world. 00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:21.979 Here's the question. 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:33.299 Will we, brothers and sisters, be swept into the canonizing currents of contemporary culture? 00:02:34.299 --> 00:02:41.519 Or will we stand firm on the solid ground of Jesus Christ? 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:52.060 The book of Judges is a tragic account of how the tribes of Israel, they failed God's test 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:54.040 again and again and again. 00:02:54.320 --> 00:02:58.160 And they were swept into apostasy by the currents of canonization. 00:02:58.740 --> 00:03:04.760 And so instead of dispossessing the nations of Canaan, Israel becomes more and more like 00:03:04.760 --> 00:03:06.960 the nations of Canaan. 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:13.680 And there's this, there's this repeated refrain. 00:03:15.580 --> 00:03:16.520 We're going to see it. 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:19.100 Israel did what was evil on the side of the Lord. 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:23.159 It's the majority, this gets repeated at the beginning of the book, and by the time you 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:26.719 get to 17, it's the shift into canonization. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:30.180 Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. 00:03:32.740 --> 00:03:33.180 Canaanized. 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:42.500 The book of Judges helps us to see what happens when our God ceases to be the controlling center 00:03:42.500 --> 00:03:43.200 of our life. 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:46.420 We drift into worldliness. 00:03:48.300 --> 00:03:53.520 So, the book of Judges, and we're going to see it this morning, warns us against worldliness, 00:03:53.520 --> 00:04:01.320 and it woos us to God's Savior and who he's raised up, and he's better than them all. 00:04:02.640 --> 00:04:03.480 Jesus Christ. 00:04:05.420 --> 00:04:09.439 Again, if you're joining us for the first time, the book of Judges consists of 12 judges. 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:12.980 Six minor judges, six major judges. 00:04:13.420 --> 00:04:16.540 And this summer, we're looking at the six major judges. 00:04:16.540 --> 00:04:18.620 And this morning, we're looking at the first two. 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:22.420 Othniel and Ehud. 00:04:23.379 --> 00:04:24.860 Othniel, the Eagle Scout. 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:27.920 Ehud, the assassin. 00:04:31.760 --> 00:04:35.480 And there's a pattern, a cycle in both of them. 00:04:36.840 --> 00:04:38.100 So, here's how we're going to proceed. 00:04:38.200 --> 00:04:40.400 We're going to walk through the Othniel account. 00:04:40.939 --> 00:04:42.580 Look at this Eagle Scout. 00:04:42.579 --> 00:04:46.079 And then we're going to walk through the Ehud cycle. 00:04:46.500 --> 00:04:50.219 And we're going to see a lot of similar kind of characteristics, but there's a difference 00:04:50.219 --> 00:04:51.659 with this assassin. 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:57.099 And then I'm going to answer the question, what does this mean for us today? 00:04:59.319 --> 00:05:07.719 So, let's look at Othniel, the Eagle Scout, and this pattern that gets established. 00:05:07.860 --> 00:05:08.459 Let me read it. 00:05:08.459 --> 00:05:12.180 And it's Judges chapter 3, verses 7 through 11. 00:05:12.620 --> 00:05:13.299 Hear God's word. 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:17.239 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:05:18.039 --> 00:05:21.719 They forgot the Lord, their God, and served the Baals and the Ashereth. 00:05:22.620 --> 00:05:26.620 Therefore, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:29.740 of Cushion Rishatham, king of Mesopotamia. 00:05:30.419 --> 00:05:34.079 And the people of Israel served Cushion Rishatham eight years. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:38.459 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:40.939 the people of Israel who saved them. 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:43.819 Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:47.699 The spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. 00:05:47.860 --> 00:05:53.939 He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushion Rishatham, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand. 00:05:54.259 --> 00:05:57.219 And his hand prevailed over Cushion Rishatham. 00:05:57.519 --> 00:05:59.719 So the land had rest for 40 years. 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:03.480 Cushion Rishatham, then Othniel, the son of Kenaz, died. 00:06:03.700 --> 00:06:05.660 Okay, who can say Cushion Rishatham? 00:06:06.740 --> 00:06:09.840 I'm pretty kind of proud of myself right there. 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:10.780 Just getting through that. 00:06:12.840 --> 00:06:18.280 There are four parts of a cycle that gets repeated with each of these judges. 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.780 And so let me walk you through it with Othniel. 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:24.740 The first of these four moves is this. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:26.579 We see it in verse 7. 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:30.600 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.040 What was this evil that they did? 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:35.180 Well, keep on reading. 00:06:35.460 --> 00:06:36.240 It's twofold evil. 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:37.900 They forgot. 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:42.360 The Lord, their God. 00:06:45.480 --> 00:06:48.199 And served the Baals and the Ashereth. 00:06:48.199 --> 00:06:55.500 So, the first part of the evil is their theological amnesia. 00:06:56.680 --> 00:06:57.519 They forgot their God. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:00.620 They forgot the God who delivered them. 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:01.420 Their God. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:02.920 The God who made a covenant with them. 00:07:03.279 --> 00:07:05.680 That he would be their God and they would be his people. 00:07:09.259 --> 00:07:12.819 This is not just some kind of passive forgetfulness. 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:13.699 Though there is that. 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:15.159 We've all experienced. 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:15.800 You know what? 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.660 I haven't even thought about God for the last seven hours. 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:18.420 There's that. 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:25.420 But there's an active forgetfulness where you purposefully put God out of your mind. 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:32.800 This is the generation we read about in 2.10 that did not know the Lord or his great works. 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:37.220 So, the first part of the evil is forgetting God. 00:07:37.300 --> 00:07:38.439 Theological amnesia. 00:07:38.939 --> 00:07:44.139 And the second part of this evil is cultural accommodation. 00:07:44.139 --> 00:07:51.539 And so, when God ceases to be the controlling center of your life, something else will. 00:07:54.300 --> 00:07:55.459 A false God. 00:07:57.099 --> 00:07:59.719 The God of the surrounding nations. 00:08:00.539 --> 00:08:01.339 Or gods. 00:08:02.300 --> 00:08:03.139 And that's what happens. 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:04.459 The Baals and Ashereth. 00:08:05.539 --> 00:08:08.339 This is the move towards cultural accommodation. 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:10.259 We forget God. 00:08:10.259 --> 00:08:11.500 Theological amnesia. 00:08:11.679 --> 00:08:14.439 And then we go into cultural accommodation. 00:08:14.859 --> 00:08:16.979 Worshipping the gods of the people around us. 00:08:16.980 --> 00:08:22.379 When we forget our God. 00:08:23.780 --> 00:08:27.680 We forget that Jesus Christ is the controlling, treasured center of our life. 00:08:27.780 --> 00:08:29.180 It creates a vacuum. 00:08:30.280 --> 00:08:31.879 And the world tells us what to put in it. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:36.460 This is the evil in God's sight. 00:08:37.899 --> 00:08:38.700 By the way, 00:08:40.460 --> 00:08:44.379 Baal and Ashereth worship was quite a kind of worship service. 00:08:44.379 --> 00:08:46.259 Do you know what kind of worship service it was? 00:08:47.820 --> 00:08:48.220 Sexual. 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:52.139 Cult prostitutes. 00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:55.259 Your Canaanite neighbor says, 00:08:55.340 --> 00:08:56.980 Hey, you want to come to worship service with me? 00:08:58.200 --> 00:08:59.519 You know what they're asking you to come to? 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:06.439 When we forget our God. 00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:09.279 And we accommodate to the world. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:13.740 It inevitably ends up in some kind of sexual distortion. 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:20.980 So the first thing that we see here is Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:22.379 And he sees it all. 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:24.799 Proverbs 15.3 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.360 The second move in this is verse 8. 00:09:28.439 --> 00:09:32.319 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:34.740 And he sold them into the hand of Cush and Rishatham. 00:09:34.920 --> 00:09:35.320 King of Mesopotamia. 00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:36.920 Now just a reminder. 00:09:37.040 --> 00:09:38.500 I told you about this anger last week. 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:40.680 This anger isn't some kind of like. 00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:43.920 Stop walking on eggshells around your dad. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:48.360 This anger is a jealous, just anger. 00:09:49.640 --> 00:09:53.980 This is the God who had covenanted himself to this people. 00:09:54.100 --> 00:09:56.400 And delivered them out of Egypt. 00:09:56.399 --> 00:09:56.600 Egypt. 00:09:58.379 --> 00:10:00.539 It's like he was the husband. 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:02.240 And Israel was his bride. 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:05.000 And they were to be faithful to each other. 00:10:10.139 --> 00:10:14.240 And so in God's just jealousy. 00:10:14.579 --> 00:10:15.279 His anger. 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:17.579 His just anger is kindled. 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:19.799 And he raises up an oppressor. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.399 One of Israel's enemies. 00:10:23.579 --> 00:10:24.879 Remember, this is so ironic. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:28.919 The very people that Israel is supposed to be dispossessing because they fail. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:32.700 God raises up to discipline them. 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:38.220 And God's anger is always purposed. 00:10:40.439 --> 00:10:41.820 Baby, come back. 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:51.279 God is seeking to bring about pain in his people to change their perspective. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:53.419 Baby, come back. 00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:58.219 So, Kushin Rishathayim, which literally means doubly wicked. 00:11:01.019 --> 00:11:04.259 God, the sovereign over all the nation. 00:11:04.479 --> 00:11:06.039 He sells his people. 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:10.319 He hands them over to Kushin Rishathayim for eight years. 00:11:11.319 --> 00:11:13.019 To change them. 00:11:13.979 --> 00:11:15.639 To convince them. 00:11:16.899 --> 00:11:18.579 Don't whore after them. 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:22.560 That's the kind of language. 00:11:26.180 --> 00:11:26.740 Whoredom. 00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:29.860 Judges 2.17. 00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:38.700 Israel's going after other gods is a prostituting of herself. 00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:41.240 From Yahweh. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:50.140 So, he oppresses his beloved for eight years to change her thinking. 00:11:50.680 --> 00:11:54.480 Which brings us to the third aspect of this cycle. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:12:01.620 Israel cries out. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:02.720 Nine. 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:06.379 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 00:12:07.180 --> 00:12:08.840 They cry out. 00:12:08.840 --> 00:12:15.320 It's not clear whether this crying out is a genuine crying out of godly sorrow. 00:12:15.320 --> 00:12:19.480 It's not clear if this is genuine repentance. 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:24.900 Because we saw it even in Judges 2.1-5. 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:26.440 The Bokeem incident. 00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:27.740 Weeping. 00:12:27.879 --> 00:12:28.420 Crying. 00:12:29.140 --> 00:12:30.660 But it's not clear that it's genuine. 00:12:30.659 --> 00:12:34.000 You know what would be going on here. 00:12:34.139 --> 00:12:38.839 It's like a faithful husband who's married to a wife who's prostituting herself. 00:12:38.959 --> 00:12:42.339 After eight years of prostituting herself to other guys. 00:12:42.439 --> 00:12:45.139 Comes back and says, hey honey, I just need a place to crash. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:46.899 To be safe. 00:12:48.179 --> 00:12:48.959 Nothing said. 00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:53.459 Of her infidelity. 00:12:55.079 --> 00:12:56.139 It's not clear. 00:12:57.559 --> 00:12:58.480 It leaves you guessing. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:01.600 But what's striking. 00:13:02.580 --> 00:13:03.480 Is what happens next. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:08.320 God hears his people. 00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:12.080 This moves into the fourth move of the cycle. 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:15.420 Nine B. 00:13:16.659 --> 00:13:19.100 But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 00:13:19.180 --> 00:13:22.360 The Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel who saved them. 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:22.779 Othniel. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:23.480 The son of Canaz. 00:13:24.340 --> 00:13:25.700 Caleb's younger brother. 00:13:25.700 --> 00:13:31.520 What I want you to see is the connection between how fast it is in verse nine. 00:13:31.879 --> 00:13:32.759 The people cry out. 00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:34.759 God raises up a deliverer. 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:36.320 It's like that. 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:37.320 Know what it's like? 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:38.820 It's like this. 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:39.580 Remember Jesus? 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:41.840 The parable of the prodigal son. 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.020 The son says to his dad, give me all my inheritance. 00:13:45.280 --> 00:13:46.420 I think you're as good as dead. 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:48.580 I'm going to go take this money and do what I want. 00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:51.100 He spends his money on prostitutes for years. 00:13:51.400 --> 00:13:52.580 Comes to an end to himself. 00:13:52.580 --> 00:13:54.200 He's coming back to his house. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:54.940 His dad. 00:13:55.020 --> 00:13:56.200 He's thinking maybe I can be his servant. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:57.759 But remember what his dad was doing? 00:13:59.940 --> 00:14:00.920 Watching and waiting. 00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:04.060 And then he runs to his son. 00:14:04.940 --> 00:14:06.320 The son of mine who is dead. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:07.620 He's alive. 00:14:08.680 --> 00:14:09.700 God of grace. 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:11.900 Here is Yahweh. 00:14:12.060 --> 00:14:16.480 Looking, waiting, watching for his whoring bride to come back. 00:14:16.980 --> 00:14:17.900 Baby, come back. 00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:18.879 She comes back. 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:21.680 He raises up a deliverer. 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:24.000 His name is Othniel. 00:14:25.019 --> 00:14:26.199 We learn about him already. 00:14:27.459 --> 00:14:29.279 111 through 15. 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:31.139 Caleb's relative. 00:14:31.779 --> 00:14:32.959 He's of good stock. 00:14:33.959 --> 00:14:36.199 He captured Debir, the city. 00:14:36.319 --> 00:14:38.859 And he also captured Caleb's daughter's hand. 00:14:39.979 --> 00:14:41.379 He's kind of like the boy next door. 00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:46.479 Maybe most liked in the yearbook. 00:14:48.079 --> 00:14:48.620 Prom king. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:49.859 Captain of the football team. 00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:52.240 Eagle scout. 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.300 Squeaky clean. 00:14:55.680 --> 00:14:58.800 Serves up meals at Tuesday Shalom Center. 00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:01.539 He's a solid dude. 00:15:02.800 --> 00:15:06.580 But what we see here is that it's the Lord that raises Othniel up. 00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:07.840 Verse 9b. 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:14.480 It's the Lord that rescues Israel from the hand of Cush and Rishithaim in verse 10. 00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:18.040 It's the Lord who gives rest to the land for 40 years. 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.639 Verse 11. 00:15:19.060 --> 00:15:21.000 It's who's the hero of the story, gang? 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:23.379 God is. 00:15:26.180 --> 00:15:29.259 He does raise up this imperfect Savior. 00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.800 Othniel does die. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:36.479 He accomplishes a temporary salvation in 40 years. 00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:39.159 Israel fails. 00:15:39.459 --> 00:15:40.500 But God is faithful. 00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:42.379 And here we have a pattern. 00:15:44.339 --> 00:15:45.179 Israel does evil. 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.419 God gets angry. 00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:47.559 Raises up an oppressor. 00:15:48.099 --> 00:15:49.139 Israel cries out. 00:15:49.479 --> 00:15:52.099 God in his grace delivers through a judge. 00:15:52.100 --> 00:16:00.779 So now, with that in mind, having looked at this Eagle Scout, let's move to the assassin. 00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:09.180 We're going to see the same pattern in verses 12 through 30 with Ehud. 00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:12.080 But there's a difference. 00:16:13.320 --> 00:16:15.019 A very intentional difference. 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:21.899 First, what we see is in verse 12. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.879 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:16:25.939 --> 00:16:27.279 Look at the end of verse 12. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:30.840 Because they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:16:30.899 --> 00:16:32.240 We're not told what that evil is. 00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:39.360 But we can, based on precedent, know that it's some kind of theological amnesia in God's people. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:42.360 And then drifting into cultural accommodation. 00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:44.019 That's what's going on here. 00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:45.539 It's Canaanizing. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:52.000 It's adopting the gods of the nations around them and living like Canaanites. 00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.419 It's kind of like this. 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:03.379 If the world we live in were to be in the world but not of the world, 00:17:03.379 --> 00:17:07.839 if this world we live in is like a giant above-ground pool, 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:13.839 and the world creates a current when, brothers and sisters, we pick up our feet, 00:17:14.019 --> 00:17:15.460 we go with the current. 00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:23.319 So we see, once again, they do evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:27.379 And again, Proverbs 15, 3, he sees everything, the good and the evil. 00:17:27.380 --> 00:17:30.580 Second move, verse 12. 00:17:31.780 --> 00:17:33.080 We read this. 00:17:34.760 --> 00:17:39.000 And the Lord strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab, against Israel. 00:17:39.600 --> 00:17:42.580 It's a result of God's anger being kindled. 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:44.960 This is an outworking of his jealousy for his people. 00:17:45.320 --> 00:17:50.260 He loves his bride, and he raises up Eglon, this king of Moab, 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:53.779 to oppress his people so that, baby, come back. 00:17:57.700 --> 00:18:03.240 A couple things to know about Eglon and the king of Moab. 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:07.819 Moab was a distant relative of Israel, 00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:12.059 and they were not kind to Israel upon the Exodus. 00:18:12.059 --> 00:18:20.599 Eglon, too, you see him, he's a uniter of God's enemies against Israel. 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.700 We see this in 13. 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:28.359 He somehow establishes the Ammonites and the Malachites to go against Israel. 00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:34.639 They defeat him, and they take over the city of Palms, which is Jericho. 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:37.280 That should get your attention. 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:43.800 Because in Joshua 6, remember, it's Joshua who marches around Jericho, 00:18:44.100 --> 00:18:47.980 and God gives the victory, and they occupy Jericho. 00:18:48.360 --> 00:18:50.500 This is going in the wrong direction. 00:18:58.040 --> 00:18:59.200 Look at verse 17. 00:18:59.300 --> 00:19:01.240 There's something else you need to know about Eglon. 00:19:02.520 --> 00:19:04.000 He's morbidly obese. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:08.400 He's extremely fat. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:13.040 And he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. 00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:16.259 We'll see that played out in a little bit. 00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:22.900 But in verse 14, Israel served Eglon for 14 years. 00:19:23.180 --> 00:19:24.440 14 years of oppression. 00:19:24.680 --> 00:19:29.000 14 years of bringing tribute, silver and gold, to this king. 00:19:29.120 --> 00:19:32.040 They're a vassal state of Moab. 00:19:32.980 --> 00:19:34.100 So they're being oppressed. 00:19:34.099 --> 00:19:35.339 And the Lord is behind it. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:37.599 Maybe come back. 00:19:39.459 --> 00:19:44.379 The third thing of this cycle that we're seeing is in verse 15. 00:19:45.379 --> 00:19:47.659 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord. 00:19:47.719 --> 00:19:51.519 Again, we're not quite sure what kind of crying out this is. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:53.359 We're not giving the details of it. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:20:01.579 But just as Israel with Cushion, Rishatham, they had forgot their God for eight years, and then they remember him. 00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:08.480 Now Israel, after 14 years, remembers their God. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:09.480 And they cry out to him. 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:11.539 And they cry out to him. 00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:16.519 And then in verse 14, oh, excuse me, the fourth move sets in. 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:25.319 Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up for them a deliverer. 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:31.480 Remember, this is God waiting and watching for his people to cry out in his grace. 00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:40.319 They cry out to him, and he provides for them an imperfect Savior who's going to accomplish a temporary salvation. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:42.079 But it is relief. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:55.919 We learn about Ehud that he is a Benjamite, which literally means son of my right hand. 00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.599 But he's a lefty. 00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:02.200 He's a lefty son of my right hand. 00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:04.159 Any lefties in the room? 00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:10.820 This is not some kind of like God saying lefties are bad. 00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:15.900 Lefties actually had an advantage in battle. 00:21:17.340 --> 00:21:20.120 Some scholars think that Ehud was ambidextrous. 00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:25.060 But right out of the gate, you notice something's different about him. 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:30.940 Now, the pattern that we saw with Othniel was this. 00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:36.299 Israel cries out, and then God raises up a judge. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:43.920 He rescues his people from that kind of enemy, and then he gives the land rest for a certain amount of time. 00:21:44.600 --> 00:21:47.500 And one is kind of expecting that as we read this. 00:21:48.320 --> 00:21:51.620 But what happens in verse 15 is that, yes, God raises up Ehud. 00:21:51.619 --> 00:22:04.039 But if you move forward to verses 27 through 30, it's later on that we learn that God rescues his people from Moab. 00:22:04.739 --> 00:22:09.739 That the Lord gives his enemies into their hands. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:13.339 Verse 29, they kill 10,000 of those Moabites. 00:22:13.459 --> 00:22:14.319 Not a man escapes. 00:22:14.479 --> 00:22:15.439 That's the rescue. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:21.340 And then in verse 30, the land is given rest for 80 years, two generations. 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:25.480 And so you have this pattern, but it's broken up. 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:28.680 And so you're not like, what's in between? 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:37.480 What's in between the raising up of this judge, this deliverer, and God's rescue and giving of rest? 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:43.059 And what's in between is a really graphic assassination account. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.259 And we've got to ask the question, why is that there? 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:50.579 So let me just walk you through a crown. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.160 It's graphic, just to be aware. 00:22:55.759 --> 00:23:02.759 So Ehud, he gets selected to be part of a group of people who bring tribute to Eglon. 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:09.140 And so they're going to bring like a chest of gold and silver because they are vassals of Moab. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:17.799 But what we learn in verse 16 is that Ehud sees this as an opportunity. 00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:27.879 He makes for himself a sword, an 18-inch sword, a double-edged, literally double-mouthed sword. 00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:31.460 And because he's a lefty, he straps it to his right thigh. 00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:35.080 And whether it's on the inside or outside of his thigh, it was concealed. 00:23:36.520 --> 00:23:39.300 And so what we see is someone's planning something. 00:23:41.280 --> 00:23:43.100 This is an opportunity of sorts. 00:23:44.800 --> 00:23:47.960 What is Ehud going to do with that knife? 00:23:48.040 --> 00:23:51.640 By the way, that knife is not a slashing sword. 00:23:52.040 --> 00:23:54.380 It is a piercing dagger. 00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:59.040 It requires you to be up close and personal to use. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:14.000 So what we then read is that Ehud and this company, they deliver the tribute, verse 17, to Eglon king of Moab. 00:24:15.120 --> 00:24:19.560 And then in verse 18, Ehud and his group, well, they leave. 00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:23.180 They start going back to their homes. 00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:28.440 But in verse 19, Ehud says, I'm turning back. 00:24:28.779 --> 00:24:30.560 And he turns back at the idols of Gilgal. 00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:34.440 Again, this is just another hint, reminder that there's Canaanization happening. 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:39.539 And he gets back to Jericho. 00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:43.340 And he gets back in front of King Eglon. 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:46.259 And he says something very tantalizing to him. 00:24:46.259 --> 00:24:53.180 In verse 19, he says, I have a secret message for you, O king. 00:24:54.619 --> 00:24:56.519 And we know what the secret message is. 00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.799 But Eglon doesn't. 00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:02.680 And so what Eglon does is this. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:07.420 He dismisses all of his attendants, servants and bodyguards. 00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:14.340 What that first visit did was establish some trust between Ehud and Eglon. 00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:20.560 And now that Ehud's back with a secret message, Eglon's like, yeah, wait, yeah, everybody out. 00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.740 And you know what he's done? 00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:26.600 He's left himself alone with Ehud. 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:34.919 We're seeing some gullibility here. 00:25:36.099 --> 00:25:44.119 We're seeing some trusting, some unawares, or we're aware of what's really happening. 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:48.019 So in verse 20, now Ehud is alone with Eglon. 00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:53.079 And he kind of says this something again, but even more tantalizing. 00:25:53.199 --> 00:25:55.919 He says, I have a message from God for you. 00:25:56.599 --> 00:26:00.759 And we all know that Ehud means this 18-inch message. 00:26:03.879 --> 00:26:04.559 Eglon doesn't. 00:26:06.899 --> 00:26:11.799 And so in verse 20, Eglon stands up. 00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.639 And you know what that's a picture of? 00:26:16.959 --> 00:26:17.439 Vulnerable. 00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:25.019 And then in 21 and 22, Ehud strikes like a viper. 00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:31.579 He grabs the blade with his left hand on his right thigh, and it gets super graphic. 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:34.279 The story slows down. 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.720 We get so much detail. 00:26:36.139 --> 00:26:38.639 This is to be imprinted on your mind for a reason. 00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:44.059 And he takes that blade, and he sticks it into Eglon. 00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:51.579 And he puts it in so far, he lets it go, and the fat rolls of Eglon close around it. 00:26:53.339 --> 00:26:54.220 It's disgusting. 00:26:56.139 --> 00:26:57.099 But that's not it. 00:26:57.980 --> 00:26:59.159 It gets even worse. 00:26:59.899 --> 00:27:01.899 At the end of verse 22, the dung came out. 00:27:02.500 --> 00:27:03.899 I don't know how that works biologically. 00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:08.700 I don't know if that blade hit a nerve, but he lost control of his bowels. 00:27:10.380 --> 00:27:12.160 And so it is just disgusting. 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.880 Fat rolls covering the sword. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:18.640 His feces coming out all over the place. 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:20.220 He literally had a bowel movement. 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:32.019 And then in 23 and 26, Ehud somehow locks the attendants out of this room that they are in, 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:33.279 and he escapes. 00:27:33.779 --> 00:27:39.759 And while he's on his escape, his attendants start getting very uncomfortable about the amount of time that's passing. 00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:44.000 In fact, they think Eglon is actually going to the bathroom. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.880 And we, this is dark humor, we know he's had a bowel movement. 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:54.259 They eventually find a key. 00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:54.980 They unlock the door. 00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:58.900 They find Eglon dead on the floor in his feces. 00:28:00.059 --> 00:28:01.119 And Ehud is long gone. 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:05.380 What is this doing here? 00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:10.539 In verses 27 through 30, now kind of the rest of the story picks up. 00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:19.799 He goes back, he plays the shofar, and the Ephraimites come, and they go down, they capture the fords of the Jordan, 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:23.740 and then they just decimate 10,000 Moabites. 00:28:25.659 --> 00:28:28.200 The Lord gives them into their hand. 00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:28.920 Rescue! 00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:33.319 And then the land is given rest for 80 years. 00:28:35.899 --> 00:28:36.639 You know what? 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.859 Who's the hero of the story? 00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:38.639 God is. 00:28:38.640 --> 00:28:41.880 But you know what this little account does? 00:28:43.340 --> 00:28:45.920 Ehud kind of eclipses God in this. 00:28:50.140 --> 00:28:56.360 We're left wondering about this imperfect Savior, this temporary salvation. 00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.259 We're left wondering. 00:28:58.420 --> 00:29:01.040 We're maybe even a little uneasy about this Ehud. 00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:06.940 And what you need to know is that God is not, like, endorsing this account. 00:29:06.940 --> 00:29:13.880 What you're going to see in the book of Judges again and again and again is that we go from bad to worse with Judges. 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:16.779 They're compromised characters. 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:19.019 They become more and more clear. 00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:20.240 Wait till we get to Samson. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:26.920 But we're left asking a question like this. 00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:30.480 Is this an assassination or a murder? 00:29:31.620 --> 00:29:39.620 Is this equivalent to what the Judahites did to Adonai Bezek when they cut off his thumbs and big toes? 00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:42.160 Is this out of the Canaanite playbook? 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:45.680 We don't know. 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.980 And that's the point. 00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:50.000 It's getting confusing. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.220 Is this canonization? 00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.960 Let me put it another way. 00:29:58.960 --> 00:30:02.960 Let's say you've got a 22-year-old daughter. 00:30:04.860 --> 00:30:05.700 She's not married. 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:14.000 And on the same day, Othniel and Ehud propose to your daughter to marry them. 00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:18.640 Your daughter's like, Mom, Dad, I need help deciding between the two. 00:30:19.799 --> 00:30:20.660 Who do I marry? 00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:23.000 Do I marry the Eagle Scout? 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:25.180 Or do I marry the assassin? 00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:26.019 Maybe a murderer. 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:27.880 What do you tell her? 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.980 Marry the Eagle Scout. 00:30:34.420 --> 00:30:39.279 It helps you start to see the digression between these judges. 00:30:40.700 --> 00:30:42.120 Their character is not the same. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.259 Canonization's going on here. 00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:52.140 And what we're going to see is this digression happening more and more and more. 00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:54.480 God's people fail. 00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:56.920 But God remains faithful. 00:30:57.519 --> 00:31:01.539 He raises up an imperfect Savior and brings about a temporary salvation. 00:31:02.379 --> 00:31:04.299 But you're left kind of like, huh. 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:07.859 I'm not sure what quite to think about that. 00:31:09.460 --> 00:31:10.879 So what does this mean for us? 00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:21.180 Well, just on one level, I want you to help you to see the pattern in the book of Judges. 00:31:22.800 --> 00:31:24.640 Israel does what's evil in God's sight. 00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:30.260 God, in his anger, raises up someone to oppress them. 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:34.140 Israel then cries out, and God, in his grace, delivers. 00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:36.140 I just want you to see that pattern. 00:31:36.140 --> 00:31:39.100 But what does that mean for us now? 00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:44.080 It's a warning against worldliness. 00:31:45.540 --> 00:31:47.580 Against canonization. 00:31:48.540 --> 00:31:52.980 About theological amnesia and cultural accommodation. 00:31:55.440 --> 00:32:02.060 Think of these accounts that start in verse 7 and verse 12 with Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:32:02.320 --> 00:32:04.760 Think of them as warning signs for us. 00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:11.279 You know, there's warning signs in Kenosha right now. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:14.240 You know Lighthouse Pier? 00:32:15.779 --> 00:32:16.779 There's a warning sign. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:19.140 Don't go in the water. 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:22.720 You're going to be swept away by a current. 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:26.220 People die off that pier. 00:32:26.220 --> 00:32:30.000 The other warning sign is down by La Fagata. 00:32:30.559 --> 00:32:31.680 The mouth of the Pike River. 00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:32.900 Warning signs. 00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:33.720 Ripped currents. 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.279 People die over there. 00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:40.740 We've got two warning signs in our city of dangerous currents that sweep you away. 00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:51.579 But these two accounts, these two, they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, are warning signs for us. 00:32:53.920 --> 00:32:57.480 The world generates a dangerous current, brothers and sisters. 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:03.259 And if you're unaware of it, you're just walking by warning signs. 00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:18.279 Both of these accounts show us what happens when you forget God. 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:22.839 Here's what our culture does. 00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:32.939 When thinking about who God is, the world tends to say things like this. 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:41.579 Well, even if there is a God, aren't all the different gods kind of leading to the same salvation? 00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:48.759 It's a way that the world thinks that all religions are the same. 00:33:48.939 --> 00:33:51.899 They're just trying to figure out different ways to the same God. 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:57.500 But in our Bibles, Jesus says things that I'm the way, the truth, and the life. 00:33:58.280 --> 00:34:00.220 No one comes to the Father but through me. 00:34:00.540 --> 00:34:03.460 There's no other name given among men by which they can be saved. 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:06.000 There's only one God. 00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:09.900 All other gods are just demonic distortions. 00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.360 Misleading people. 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:23.480 If you've been pulled into that current, you need to get your feet underneath you. 00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:31.620 Another way that the world thinks that's very dangerous is when it comes to biblical sexual ethics. 00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:44.619 It's the Bible clearly teaches that the gift of sex is to be enjoyed between one man, chromosomal man, one chromosomal woman, united together before God exclusively for life. 00:34:44.619 --> 00:34:49.259 And what the world will say are things like, that's old-fashioned. 00:34:50.079 --> 00:34:50.900 That's passé. 00:34:52.400 --> 00:34:54.279 That's kind of outdated. 00:34:55.079 --> 00:35:02.059 But if you were to ask God what he thinks about a biblical sexual ethic, he says, oh, this is my gift to all of humanity. 00:35:02.440 --> 00:35:03.420 This is my design. 00:35:03.579 --> 00:35:04.699 This is for your good. 00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:08.319 And to ignore it is to ignore it at your peril. 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.799 Brothers and sisters, can you see it? 00:35:14.939 --> 00:35:16.119 Can you see that we're in it? 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:21.739 We live in these currents daily. 00:35:24.639 --> 00:35:29.099 But it doesn't stop with just the way that the world thinks about things. 00:35:29.439 --> 00:35:32.059 It continues with what the world values. 00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:38.379 I want to put a phrase in your mind. 00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:41.159 I've used it before, and I want you to get familiar with it. 00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:43.299 It's the word expressive individualism. 00:35:44.179 --> 00:35:48.339 What the world values is personal autonomy. 00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:52.279 It's self-determination. 00:35:52.759 --> 00:35:56.579 It shows up in language like speak your truth. 00:35:56.579 --> 00:36:05.319 It shows up in this biblically foreign idea that you can determine your own gender based upon how you feel. 00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:10.639 These things are evil in God's sight, brothers, sisters. 00:36:11.340 --> 00:36:12.239 This is not of God. 00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:14.939 There's a book. 00:36:15.099 --> 00:36:16.379 I referenced it last week. 00:36:16.539 --> 00:36:18.939 Carl Truman, Strange New World. 00:36:19.259 --> 00:36:19.939 You need to get it. 00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:20.619 You need to read it. 00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:27.559 It helps you to think about this expressive individualism, this value that permeates our culture. 00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:30.199 It's the currents that we're in. 00:36:30.379 --> 00:36:33.939 And if your feet aren't on solid ground, you will get pulled. 00:36:33.940 --> 00:36:42.740 What expressive individualism is, is this. 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:50.860 When you forget your God, expressive individualism says, you are your God. 00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:54.159 It's me, Dollar Tree. 00:36:54.159 --> 00:37:01.500 There's also the danger of the world's methods. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:06.859 Did Ehud murder Eglon? 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:10.519 Was that a Canaanite playbook thing? 00:37:12.679 --> 00:37:15.719 The world says the ends justify the means. 00:37:16.699 --> 00:37:21.119 Whatever you need to do in order to get that done, do it. 00:37:21.119 --> 00:37:28.359 But God says, no, I am just as concerned about the means you use as the ends that I have called you to. 00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:40.900 So if you are cohabitating with someone who is not your spouse, that's an unbiblical means to an end. 00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:43.579 It's evil in God's sight. 00:37:44.739 --> 00:37:46.440 God would not have you do that. 00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:49.119 He'd call you to something else. 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:54.900 There are other world's methods. 00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:57.059 We see it in politics, brothers and sisters. 00:37:58.279 --> 00:38:03.159 The world's means to the world's ends. 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.219 Who's in control? 00:38:04.420 --> 00:38:05.299 God's in control. 00:38:05.300 --> 00:38:19.400 So maybe you're in this room right now and you're thinking, man, I've kind of waded out into a current. 00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:21.880 What do I do? 00:38:25.080 --> 00:38:26.360 Maybe you've been swept. 00:38:26.360 --> 00:38:33.900 And you're in one of the rip currents of this worldliness that we're in. 00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:35.640 What do you do? 00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:37.920 You cry out. 00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:48.820 You cry out to the one God has raised up who is the perfect Savior and has accomplished a permanent salvation. 00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:58.599 And can I just encourage you, if you're aware that you have bought into some kind of worldliness and that you have forgotten your God, don't wait 14 years. 00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:00.880 Don't wait 8 years. 00:39:01.519 --> 00:39:03.819 Don't wait 14 months or 8 months. 00:39:04.259 --> 00:39:06.980 Don't wait 14 hours or 8 hours. 00:39:08.259 --> 00:39:12.219 Don't wait 14 minutes or 8 minutes. 00:39:12.219 --> 00:39:22.959 As soon as you realize by God's gracious, convicting work of His Spirit that you have forgotten your God and now are adrift in the current of Canaan. 00:39:23.159 --> 00:39:25.299 As soon as you realize that, cry out to Him. 00:39:25.939 --> 00:39:26.679 And you know what you're going to find? 00:39:27.679 --> 00:39:30.599 Solid ground under your feet. 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:37.480 He's the perfect Savior. 00:39:40.259 --> 00:39:41.439 Permanent salvation. 00:39:42.219 --> 00:39:45.039 Brothers and sisters, all day long we're going to be tested today. 00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:47.559 All week long we're going to be tested. 00:39:47.819 --> 00:39:53.659 We're going to be either picking our feet up in the current or we're going to be standing in Christ against the current. 00:39:55.359 --> 00:39:59.119 And so there's this warning against worldliness. 00:39:59.859 --> 00:40:05.639 But there's also a wooing to the wonder of Jesus. 00:40:07.759 --> 00:40:08.659 Remember Othniel? 00:40:10.099 --> 00:40:11.899 Squeaky clean Eagle Scout. 00:40:12.219 --> 00:40:13.559 He's imperfect. 00:40:13.559 --> 00:40:13.859 He's imperfect. 00:40:14.000 --> 00:40:14.419 He died. 00:40:16.579 --> 00:40:20.639 Surely, we know from our Bibles that there was sin in His heart. 00:40:21.819 --> 00:40:23.739 And He accomplished a temporary salvation. 00:40:23.859 --> 00:40:24.339 40 years. 00:40:24.399 --> 00:40:24.959 One generation. 00:40:24.960 --> 00:40:30.019 But He seems to have a squeaky clean reputation. 00:40:30.019 --> 00:40:32.740 Do you know who out-righteoused Him? 00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:34.800 Jesus. 00:40:36.240 --> 00:40:39.539 He is the greatest of all squeaky clean Eagle Scouts. 00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:42.239 Never sinned once. 00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:43.159 33 years. 00:40:45.019 --> 00:40:46.279 Perfect obedience. 00:40:48.119 --> 00:40:48.519 Ehud. 00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:50.539 Imperfect Savior. 00:40:51.659 --> 00:40:55.599 We're not sure if He is an assassin, murderer, if that's good or bad. 00:40:56.480 --> 00:41:00.099 He accomplished a temporary salvation of 80 years, two generations. 00:41:00.099 --> 00:41:03.819 You know how Jesus outstrips Him? 00:41:06.380 --> 00:41:08.019 Jesus is no assassin. 00:41:09.960 --> 00:41:11.779 He doesn't take lives. 00:41:11.780 --> 00:41:16.400 He gave His life for His people. 00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:19.960 Oh, He is a perfect Savior. 00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:20.019 Savior. 00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:26.880 And the salvation He accomplished is permanent. 00:41:28.220 --> 00:41:29.340 He's alive. 00:41:31.179 --> 00:41:32.019 He offers it. 00:41:32.019 --> 00:41:36.619 The rest He offers is not a 40-year rest. 00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:38.079 It's not an 80-year rest. 00:41:38.500 --> 00:41:40.320 It is an eternal rest. 00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:42.440 Eternal life. 00:41:43.380 --> 00:41:45.679 Peace with God forever. 00:41:46.659 --> 00:41:48.420 That's what Jesus Christ accomplished. 00:41:48.780 --> 00:41:54.480 He's the perfect Savior who has accomplished a perfect, permanent salvation. 00:41:55.420 --> 00:41:56.139 Sinless life. 00:41:56.840 --> 00:41:57.259 Fully God. 00:41:57.360 --> 00:41:57.840 Fully man. 00:41:58.219 --> 00:41:59.059 Died in our place. 00:41:59.280 --> 00:42:00.019 Raised from the dead. 00:42:00.239 --> 00:42:01.179 Alive today. 00:42:02.019 --> 00:42:04.239 Offer salvation to all for eternity. 00:42:07.820 --> 00:42:10.239 You know what I need to tell you? 00:42:11.759 --> 00:42:12.739 Don't wander. 00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:19.679 Don't wade into the dangerous waters of the world. 00:42:21.219 --> 00:42:21.980 No, no. 00:42:24.300 --> 00:42:25.639 Stand firm on Christ. 00:42:27.559 --> 00:42:28.719 Your perfect Savior. 00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:29.699 Permanent salvation. 00:42:29.900 --> 00:42:30.480 Stand on Him. 00:42:30.480 --> 00:42:31.679 Stand in Him. 00:42:32.840 --> 00:42:36.199 When we fail, and surely we will, He will remain faithful. 00:42:37.719 --> 00:42:39.039 But we stand on Him. 00:42:39.099 --> 00:42:40.199 We purpose to that. 00:42:40.199 --> 00:42:49.399 It's like we're all living in a huge above-ground pool called the world. 00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:52.059 We're in the world, but we're not to be of the world. 00:42:53.980 --> 00:42:59.779 The world is the spiritually dead humanity who organized rebellion of God against God. 00:42:59.939 --> 00:43:02.059 And the world creates currents. 00:43:02.059 --> 00:43:03.059 God in His grace. 00:43:03.059 --> 00:43:08.340 But God in His grace has raised up the greatest judge of all. 00:43:10.139 --> 00:43:11.159 He's alive. 00:43:12.480 --> 00:43:14.719 He's standing against the current of the world. 00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:15.719 And so now we cling to Him. 00:43:15.719 --> 00:43:17.399 And so now we cling to Him. 00:43:17.459 --> 00:43:18.659 And we cling to each other. 00:43:18.899 --> 00:43:21.799 And we stand firm in Him. 00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:24.380 Can I just tell you what He says? 00:43:24.380 --> 00:43:27.060 Let this be an encouragement to you. 00:43:27.059 --> 00:43:30.320 End of John 16. 00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:35.500 I have said these things to you, disciples, that in me you may have peace. 00:43:35.500 --> 00:43:38.639 In the world you will have tribulation. 00:43:39.820 --> 00:43:40.920 But take heart. 00:43:42.239 --> 00:43:44.300 I have overcome the world. 00:43:46.539 --> 00:43:50.099 Don't wade into the dangerous waters of the world, brothers and sisters. 00:43:51.179 --> 00:43:53.260 Stand firm in Jesus Christ. 00:43:54.320 --> 00:43:55.500 Our controlling center. 00:43:56.599 --> 00:43:57.840 The overcomer of the world. 00:43:57.840 --> 00:43:59.920 Will you pray with me? 00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:11.760 Father, thank You so much for pouring Your Spirit out on Jesus. 00:44:12.960 --> 00:44:13.900 Our Redeemer. 00:44:15.000 --> 00:44:16.120 Our Deliverer. 00:44:17.860 --> 00:44:22.100 And Jesus, thank You so much for pouring the same Spirit out on us. 00:44:23.360 --> 00:44:27.160 Would You strengthen us in the Spirit according to Your Word. 00:44:27.159 --> 00:44:30.779 To stand firm in the Lord. 00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:33.319 And having done everything, we stand. 00:44:34.659 --> 00:44:37.000 Stand in Christ. 00:44:38.279 --> 00:44:41.039 Because You, Lord Jesus, have overcome the world. 00:44:42.899 --> 00:44:45.559 You are the perfect Savior. 00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:49.279 Yours is a permanent salvation. 00:44:50.379 --> 00:44:51.879 And it's in You we trust. 00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:53.359 Amen.