Sermon # 24 - Redeemed Not Forsaken Series

We read in Judges 5:31, “And there was peace in the land for forty years.”(GNB)

The people of Israel enjoyed peace in the land for forty years, and this was possible because the Lord rendered the enemies of the Israelites powerless and established peace in the land. It is indeed true that the Lord is the source of peace, and if the Lord does not accord us with peace, no one else on earth can grant it to us.

We read in Judges 6:13, “And Gideon said to him, "Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian." (ESV)

The Israelites who had experience tranquility for forty years, were now under the aggression of the Midianites, and Gideon was distraught. Gideon’s lament in the midst of the oppression, was that the Lord had forsaken them. Gideon it seemed placed the entire blame on the Lord for the predicament they were in. For forty long years the peace of God and His protection had prevailed over the people of Israel, but when they chose to walk away in rebellious disobedience, the Lord handed them over to their adversaries.

There are many believers who have been overwhelmed with the feeling of being abandoned by God like Gideon and the Israelites did. In the midst of those trying situations, the thought that is topmost on their minds is, if the Lord is with them, why are they faced with so many trials, hardships and difficulties? They are overpowered by their circumstances, that they are convinced that the Lord has forsaken them. Like Gideon, often we don’t introspect to see where we have failed or gone wrong and conveniently blame God for all our troubles. Often times our adverse circumstances are a result of us not having walked with God, and having lived in obedience to His word.

If we go back to Judges 6:1, we read, “The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.”(ESV)

The Lord who watched over his people for forty years, intentionally handed over the people of Israel to the Midianites, only because they did evil in the sight of the Lord.

The Israelites were a chosen people

The people of Israel who were walking in rebellion and disobedience to God were a chosen people. We read in Genesis 22:16-17, "I make a vow by my own name---the LORD is speaking---that I will richly bless you. Because you did this (obeyed) and did not keep back your only son from me, I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies.” (GNB)

The promise of God to Abraham was that He would surely bless him richly, and make his descendants numerous. He also assured Abraham that his descendants would conquer all their enemies. The Israelites who were the descendants of Abraham were therefore children of promise, who were assured of God’s blessings and protection. God who promised Abraham is a faithful God who always keeps His promise. But, we notice that Gideon and the children of Israel were being oppressed only because they chose to walk away from the Lord in disobedience and rebellion.

Many believers start off in their journey with the Lord with faith, zeal and live in obedience to the word of God. However, as time goes by they begin to blend in with the world, and allow sin to take over, causing them to backslide. The consequence of this is that they are confronted with myriads of problems, that they bring on themselves, and then blame God for all of it.

The word of God is full of promises that God has made to each one of us. His promises are always for our well-being. Therefore, when we are met with those defeating situations, instead of complaining, it is good for us to examine ourselves to see if we have disobeyed God in any way. We can be confident knowing that the Lord who called us will never forsake us or abandon us even for a moment. God is not man to change His mind, or to fail in fulfilling His promises to us.

God’s great plan that man subverted

We read in Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the land, and conquer it. Rule over the fish of the sea, the flying creatures of the sky, and over every animal that crawls on the land.” (TLV)