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Warnings and Exhortation
"WARNINGS AND EXHORTATION"
"And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the assembly sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience"
(Acts 13:15-16).
In the book of Deuteronomy, which Christ quoted more than any other Old Testament book, we find fourteen written warnings and exhortations, all of which tell us to remember something. In this artical we will look at one of those example. "Remember what Amalek did unto you by the way, when you come forth out of Egypt; how he met you by the way, and attacked your rear ranks, even all that were stragglers behind you, when you were tired and weary; and he feared not God. Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which the Lord your God giveth you for an inheritance to possess it, that you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shalt not forget it" (Deut 25:17-19).
We are reminded by God to remember what Amalek did to the Israelites when leaving Egypt, we are told not to forget it. The Apostle Paul when speaking to the Hebrews, said, "The just shall live by faith." Who are the "just?" The just is used in reference to a person that is examined and found righteous, and guiltless. ‘Now the just shall live by faith." "Living by faith" means, by faith, the just are to endure patiently the troublous times that is to proceed Christ’s return. That verse continues, "But if any man draw back" [that is, cast away his confidence], My soul shall have no pleasure in him."
Those who draw back from the pathway of faith can never expect to hear the words, "Well done, you good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord" (Matt. 25:21). But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [that is final destruction], but of them that believe to the saving of the soul [reserving of the soul]" (Heb. 10:38-39).
Following this foundational knowledge, we read in the book of Luke. "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed. In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:26-32). What did she do that we are to remember ?
Reading Genesis 19: will refresh our memory,"And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, arise, take your wife, and your two daughters, which are here; lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that He said, escape for your life; look not behind you, neither stay you in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed’ But his [Lots] wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." (Gen. 19:15-17, 26).
Lots wife physically left Sodom and Gomorrah but her heart, thoughts and desires was still in it. Christ held her up – for us as a warning not to challenge or tamper with His offer of salvation.
When going back to the story of Amalek, God made clear we are to remember what Amalek did to Israel on their way out of bondage,how he struck down the stragglers and how he destroyed the weary, tired and the weak. Amalek knew that he could never bring a frontal attack and win against Israel. So what was Amalek’s strategy? It was to attack those who were not keeping up, those that were lagging behind! He attacked the stragglers; those who lacked strength; those who were not able to endure and keep up with the march or keep up the pace, physically and spiritually! Do we know someone that thinks that way?
Amalek is a type of the adversary we know as Satan. He reminds us of the devil and his mind set. He knows he cannot defeat us when we have on the armor of God. How do we know that? Because we find evidence of that in Ephesians 6: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [the crafts and deceits] of the devil" (Eph. 6:10-11).
God, the one who forged the armor, guarantees its effectiveness. Satan knows a frontal assault would never penetrate God’s armored church, who has on the armor of truth. This is proven by what Christ told Peter in Matthew 16:18. Satan was there and heard Christ’s words. "And I say also unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Satan was there when the apostles were waiting in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come on the day of Pentecost. Satan saw the restoration of God’s true church. Satan knows he is no match for God’s loyal, dedicated called out ones. Satan knows God’s church is destined for streets of gold and walls of jasper with gates of pearl. But, he does not give up. He is always searching for those he can ambush, especially those who are weak - those who are not keeping up with Bible study, prayer, fasting and meditating on God’s ways. Satan knows the weak don’t study or practice God’s laws and he patiently waits for that weakness to manifest itself, so he can infiltrate the church with false doctrines and Jewish fables. He has picked up on the bandwagon of carnality and worldliness.
Satan looks for those closest to the back door of the church, who can’t wait to leave and go back out into the world! There he can find the unconsecrated, the undedicated, the careless, the prayer-less, the stragglers, the weary, the tired, and the weak. These are the ones that are in danger to Satan, it does not matter who are lagging behind, who are weak, who do not practice loyalty to God’s laws. Young or old – it just does not matter - they are all his target. He preys on those who live close to their past sinful yesterdays.
How can you, tell if you are sliding back into Satan’s world? First of all, backsliding begins with the knees. Backsliding begins when knee bending stops and we cease to pray. Second, backsliding is the easy thing to do. Backsliding quickly becomes complacency, meaning you do nothing!
The devil will be satisfied with you if you are satisfied with him. People seldom lose their religion by a blow out, it is usually a slow leak. In order to guard against that, we need to watch and pray as Matthew 26:41 says, "Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation [God’s called are not to wait for Christ return in idle expectancy, we are to be vigilant in obedience to His truth]. The verse continues, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Satan knows that when you are weak, you begin to lag behind! Remember Lot’s wife. She had her eyes on what she was giving up, she had her eyes on her material losses - she did not have her eyes on the salvation provided her.
Lot’s wife knew a man, that knew a man, that knew God. She did not know God herself! She only enjoyed the blessings of those that were around her that knew God. We see from her husband Lot, the example that we are to flee God’s wrath.
When speaking about that subject, it’s interesting what John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees. "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to the baptism, he said unto them, ‘O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?’" (Matt. 3:7). Christ said about the same thing in Matthew 23, when He pronounced 8 woes on the Scribes, Pharisees and other hypocrites. Christ and John the Baptist knew that these men were not sincere. They recognized the true nature of their faithlessness. Genuine faith places you and me in the front - at the forefront of salvation. Unbelief puts us in the rear - where we become easy prey for Satan.
Remember what Hebrews 10: 38 and 39 said, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [final destruction] but of them that believe to the saving of the soul [the obtaining of life]."
Many are straggling behind in their Christian growth because they lack faith and then fear over takes them. Satan uses the emotion of fear. It is one of his most effective means of hindering progress among the people of God. It was Franklin D. Roosevelt who made the statement that has become so famous. "We have nothing to fear but fear itself!"
You and I cannot allow fear to cause us to lag behind or become fearful of the unknown! The highway of fear is the shortest route to defeat. The fear of failure is the father of failure!
Why did God create in us the emotion of fear? The function of fear is to warn us of danger, not to make us afraid to face a trial or test. Remember again what Hebrews 10:38 said, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back [lag behind], My soul shall have no pleasure in him."
We are all familiar with the "man after God’s own heart," David. Did David ever lack faith and have fear? Yes, David feared Saul and Achish. We can see that in I Samuel chapters 21 to 29, which gives us a little biography on David. "And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. V.12, And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath." (1 Sam. 21:10,12). "And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to getaway for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them" (1 Sam. 23:6). Initially, fear gained control of David’s thinking and actions and he began hiding in fear.
There is a saying, "Both faith and fear sail into the harbor of your mind, but only faith should be allowed to anchor!" Fear is a powerful influence in that it causes us to lag behind. David’s weakened faith caused him to have a broken fellowship with God for over a year. "And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months" (1 Sam. 27:7).
David did not write any psalms during this 16 months that he was fearful and separated from God. You and I, cannot afford to be fearful and separated from God either. But David turned the situation around. Look at the last sentence in chapter 30, verse 6, "But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." David’s repentant attitude began to produce positive fruit. Having now a humble heart he could meet his new challenges head on. In order for us to meet our challenges ahead, it is essential that we put on the armor of God so we don’t find ourselves fearful, weak, and stagnating!
Paul spoke in his closing letter to God’s true church, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles [temptations] of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:10-17).
"God gives us all the protection that we need. We must see that there is a ring of truth about our walk with the Lord; that our lives are right [righteous] with God and with one another; that we seek to make peace wherever we go; that we lift up that shield of faith together to quench the flaming darts of the evil one; that we protect our minds from fears and anxieties that easily assail and that we use God’s word to good effect in the power of the spirit. Remember it was by the repeated sword thrusts of God’s word that Jesus overcame his adversary in the wilderness" ("Discipleship," written by David Watson in 1981).
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"
(2 Tim. 1:7).
James Russell
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