Archive for December, 2008

Obsession Leads us to Darkness

Posted: December 16, 2008 in light, Obsession, Truth, Uncategorized
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Micaiah before Ahab & Jehoshaphat

Micaiah before Ahab & Jehoshaphat

God is doing a mighty work in the thing which most matters to Americans, our money. He is trampling upon the god which matters most to us.

I love the simple honesty of God’s Word. During a troublesome time in Israel, King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah united themselves to try to defeat a common enemy. Ahab wanted to battle the enemy immediately, but Jehoshaphat said “first, please ask what the Lord’s will is.” So Ahab assembled 400 of his favorite prophets and they all said “March on the enemy and you will win”. Jehoshaphat wasn’t convinced; he wanted a prophet who spoke for Jehovah God, not the false god’s that Ahab worshiped. He asked, Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let’s ask him.” Ahab replied “There is still one man who can ask the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah” (I Kings 22).

Ahab was a man of obsessions, all of them contrary to the Truth of God’s Word. He despised the voice of God’s Prophet, for it was contrary to his obsessions.

Ahab was a man of Obsessions

Ahab was a man of Obsessions

OBSESSION

Obsession is a vice Americans know all too well. For the last few years Americans have been obsessed with wealth and possessions. Times were good, no, GREAT, and those with greater obsessions were rewarded for their greed. Obsession is a horrible lie. Obsessions deceive our heart into believing lies. Obsessions move our hearts beyond the reach of conscience. Any light that may be in our hearts is turned to darkness. Obsessions cause us to shut out the truth. Obsessions lead us to chose darkness rather than light. “Anyone who does wrong hates the light and keeps away from it, for fear his deeds may be exposed” (John 3:20). In our choice of darkness, God sends greater darkness so that we should believe even greater lies. (cf. 2 Thess. 2:11). All this because we love darkness rather than light, because we disregard, even despise the truth. As King Ahab said, “I hate him”.

The truth of what is going on in the Ivory Towers of American finance and economics, is that men who gave themselves over to obsessions got caught believing several lies. Most Americans too, have been snared by our obsessions, and have come to believe in the lies as well. God’s throne is at work. He wants us to see that we have been walking in the darkness of obsessions that leave Him out of our lives.

come-to-the-lightHow will we be delivered? By one thing only: light! “Anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light” (John 3:21). God is doing a mighty work in the thing which most matters to Americans, our money. He is trampling upon the god which matters most to us. God is revealing the lie behind our obsession. The lie is that wealth is all we need. The truth is there can be no other god but Jehovah God. God is desiring that we come to His Light. We must come to the realization that we have allowed our obsessions to take us away from the truth of God’s Word. We can continue to turn away from God and His light, because we hate him, or we can humble ourselves and come to His light. Only when we seek the light will we see the dangers in our path.

Light reveals the hidden dangers

Light reveals the hidden dangers

I believe the days ahead are a great opportunity for a harvest of true believers in Jesus Christ. When we wake up and realize we are in darkness, then we can see the Light of God’s Son. Jesus Christ is the Great Banker. He knows how to find every lost coin. Even when they lie in the belly of a fish. We need to seek His Light!

Anyone Need Superman?

Posted: December 11, 2008 in David, Psalm 18
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supermanThis morning God brought Psalms 18 to my mind. A verse that has been a source of strength for many years is Psalm 18:29:

For you save a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness. For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God–his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?– (Psa 18:27-31 ESV)

Sometimes I can relate to David on the run, the one hiding in caves, the one whom all his friends and family have rejected and worse, forgotten. I can imagine those moments of wondering and wandering, not knowing what God is doing and perhaps not doing. We have those moments in our life when the path doesn’t seem so clear, and may even seem to be lost.

Why was David the apple of God’s eye? Because of his heart. David knew that God saves a humble people. Only when we continue to look upon God will He light our lamp. When the darkness overwhelms us, look to God and wait. Even though your candle is smoldering and appears to be out, still there is a flame waiting to burst forth.

A Really Big WallGod enables us all to be Superman! For by God we will run through any troop, for by God we will leap over any wall! God’s way, no matter how dark it may seem, is always perfect! His truth will always ring true!

Do you want to be Superman? Then humble yourself before God and know Him as LORD! There is no other rock for your life than the LORD God! The only thing which kept David going through all those years of darkness and hiding, was his confidence in God being his ROCK! God will provide the LightGod was David’s shield. God was there every step of the way.

Is your way darkened by trials and difficulties? Is this economy causing you to worry and fret? Humble your heart before Him, take refuge in God as the LORD of your life. He will light your way. He will make you like Superman. His way is perfect.

Jesus is Mighty God – El Gibbor

Posted: December 7, 2008 in El Gibbor, god, Hero, Isaiah 9:6, Jesus, King, Uncategorized
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Luke and Han are HeroesIn one of the most dramatic scenes on the big screen, we find a young naive boy being hotly pursued by a demonic monster. The young boy has only one chance to make an impossible shot that would destroy a weapon of mass destruction that is being directed at his friends. Just as the demonic monster has the young boy in his sights and is about to finish him off, his friend, Han Solo swoops down to save the day. He shoots at Dart Vader, disabling his ship, and this allows young Luke Skywalker to make that shot in a billion, destroying the Death Star and saving the rebel alliance.

Luke and Han return to the rebel base and are hailed as HEROES!

We love Heroes. Movies, books, video games, sports, are all about Heroes. Images of HeroesWe love Champions. We love Winners! We all have images, scenes burned into our minds of those heroic moments-Chariots of Fire (slow running), Braveheart (blue paint), Rocky vs Drago, even Elle Woods before a joint session of congress saving the animals.

Centuries ago we have a scene recorded in 1st Samuel. A warring nation of Philistines has the Israelites cowering before them. All because they have a Champion named Goliath. He’s big, really big, and the little Israelites are afraid to fight him.

David Holds the Gibbor GoliathUp steps a young boy, barely a man and fights their champion armed only with a sling and five smooth stones. With one shot he kills Goliath and as 1 Samuel 17:51 says “Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion (Gibbor) was dead, they fled.”

The word for champion is Gibbor. Gibbor means hero, champion, conqueror. It also means mighty as in warrior. It is a manly name, not a sissy name. David hero himself, attracted 600 similar “heroes” to his side while he was being pursued by Saul. When David became King, these 600 men became his elite military corps. He called them his Gibborim – “Mighty Men”.

In the context of battle, the word is better understood to refer to the category of warriors. The gibbôr is the proven warrior;

Jesus is Mighty God El GibborNow look with me at Mary & Joseph. Imagine seeing Mary holding a little baby. Joseph is by her side. The baby has just been born and is sleeping. Mary holds in her arms El Gibbor, God the Mighty Champion, God the Proven Warrior, our Divine Hero, God our Conqueror.

This was the second name ascribed to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. Jesus is Mighty God!

In Isa 9:6, The child that is born, the son who is given, is called Wonderful Counselor, and then EL GIBBOR, translated in most of your Bibles as Mighty God. Modern translators have also said Powerful God, Strong God.

Moses Reveals God as El GibborWe first see God called El Gibbor in Deuteronomy 10:17. Moses in Deuteronomy 9 & 10 is preparing His people for their crossing into the promised land. He is reminding them of all God has done over the past 40 years. The way He miraculously delivered them from Egypt and how he sustained them in the desert wilderness. He recounts how God gave him the 10 commandments, not once, but twice. He reminds them of His covenant with them and how they must submit and not be stiff-necked. For God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords, MIGHTY (Gibbor).

Deuteronomy 10: 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

God is Mighty in His ability to Keep His Covenant with His People. Only God Jehovah is Mighty and Strong enough to keep His Covenants with His children.

Psalms 24:8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

God Gave Jesus to mankind as our Mighty God, Our Hero, Our Champion

I. Jesus is Our Mighty Hero

Jesus is our Mighty God!He fought and defeated the enemies we could not.

A. Jesus Defeated His and Our Worst Enemy – Satan

1. He is the destroyer, the enslaver and He is the prince and power of this Word.  He rebelled from the throne of heaven and said in Isaiah 14:13-17 (NLT)

‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’

a) No man has ever been able to defeat his power. His throne and reign on earth is absolute.

b) Jesus met Satan head on and defeated him at every turn. He defeated him by the Power of the Word of God!

c) He may still roam the earth as a roaring lion, but as everyone knows, only the weak old lions roar. The young powerful lions stalk their prey quietly, and then pounce.

d) No Satan is roaring because he was mortally wounded by our Hero God. His days are numbered and he knows it.

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil”. I John 3:8

2. The rest of the story continues in Isa 14:15-17:

15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. 16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask, ‘Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? 17 Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’

The end of Satan is recorded in the Word of God:

Revelation 20:10 (KJV) 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

B. Jesus has defeated Sin.

1. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

2. Jesus was the second Adam who did not sin, and by defeating the power of sin in His flesh, enables all who believe in Him and walk in the Spirit, to escape the power of sin.

3. When God sees believer’s, He sees us in Jesus Christ. He sees us clothed in the righteousness of our Savior.

4. We are that spotless bride.

1 John 3:5 (NKJV) 5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

Jesus is Our Battle Proven Warrior Hero!

Jesus is our proven Warrior HeroC. Jesus has defeated death

1. Peter in his sermon in Acts 2:24 “And God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

2. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. I Cor 15:20-22

3. IF We are in Christ We SHALL LIVE!

“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Cor 15

II. Jesus is Our Mighty Covenant KeeperJesus is our Mighty Covenant Keeper

A. Only Jesus, Mighty God has the Power to Keep the Covenant of Forgiveness and Eternal Life.

B. Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:20

Hebrews 12:24 (NLT) 24 You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.

III. Jesus is the Champion of our Salvation

Hebrews 2:10 (NKJV) For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Hebrews 5:9 (KJV) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is the Champion of our SalvationThe word for captain and author is archegos. prince or leader (Vines). It contains the ideas of supremacy, personal participation, being first. You can picture that first mountain climber to scale Mt Everest, he goes ahead of the others, chipping away footholds, inserting pitons, and extending the rope to his partners. You can visualize him as the mighty warrior going ahead in the battle and single handedly defeating the enemy.

Jesus is our True Champion. He was the lamb slain before the foundation of the world. He is our true champion and the Savior of our souls. We owe Him our lives. We owe Him our obedience. We owe Him our reverence. There is no battle on this earth you can face that He has not conquered. There is no hurt that He does not feel. There is no suffering that He does not know. There is no storm that He cannot silence, there is no problem that He cannot safely guide you through.He went first and He won. He is the Champion that you need each and every day. There will be no drug scandal tainting His victory. There will be no moral scandal in his life. He overcame every possible obstacle, and He Won! He endured the Cross for you and me, and now He reins supreme.

IV. Jesus is Our Conquering King

Jesus is our Conquering KingJesus may not be sitting on a visible throne on earth today. But He reigns on High. And we are citizens of heaven. We are seated in the heavenlies as we walk here on earth. Christ is looking for people who will worship Him as King. You turn away from your sins, you way of living, and confess Him as your King. He becomes the Lord of your life. He becomes your reason for living. Christmas is not just about presents and parties, it is about living your life in obedience to our coming King

He will return, but it will be too late to give your life to Him:

Listen to how Christ is described in Rev 19:11-16:

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.  With justice, he judges and makes war.  His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.  Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.  “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”  He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Some of you may be saying, El Gibbor, so what. He was just a baby born in a manger, no big deal.

There will be no change in your heart, no change in your life, no change in your priorities, no change in who or what drives your life.

There was a similar group of people who were shown, in living color, with powerful video, the EL GIBBOR. He freed them from the mightiest Nation, with  the mightiest army, He vanguished that army in one of the greatest miracles of all time, he fed those people with manna, with quail, he provided them water from a rock which travelled with them in the wilderness. He healed them from snake bites by simply having them look at a brazen serpent held up on a cross. He led them by a fire at night. His presence was visibly among them.

Hebrews 4:2-3 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest.

There is rest for the souls of those who give their hearts and lives to EL Gibbor. He has provided us the most precious gift, the gift of His Son, who himself is El Gibbor.

  • He is our Mighty God
  • He is our Warrior Hero
  • He is the Mighty Champion of Salvation
  • He is our Mighty Covenant Keeper
  • He is our Conquering King

Do You Know My King?

    Do You Know this Mighty God. He’s God’s Son. He’s My King!

    Do you know my King? (with homage to SM Lockridge)

    He’s the sinner’s savior. He’s unparalleled.  He’s unprecedented.  He’s supreme.  He’s pre-eminent.  He supplies strength for the weak.  He’s available for the tempted and the tried.  He sympathizes and He saves.  He heals the sick.  He cleanses the lepers.  He forgives sinners.  He discharges debtors.  He delivers the captives.  He defends the feeble.  He blesses the young.  He serves the unfortunate.  He regards the aged.  He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek.

    That’s my King. Do you know Him?


    He’s the wellspring of wisdom.  He’s the doorway of deliverance.  He’s the pathway of peace.  He’s the roadway of righteousness.  He’s the highway of holiness.  He’s the gateway of glory.  He’s the master of the mighty.  He’s the captain of the conquerors.  He’s the head of the heroes….He’s the governor of governors. He’s the prince of princes. He’s the President of Presidents. He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.

    That’s my King.


    His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting.  His love never changes.  His Word is enough.  His grace is sufficient.  His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  I wish I could describe Him to you . . .but He’s indescribable….

    That’s my King.


    Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. Pilot couldn’t find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn’t get their testimonies to agree. Herod couldn’t kill Him. Death couldn’t handle Him and the grave couldn’t hold Him. He’s the King of righteousness. He’s the King of the ages. He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of glory.

    That’s my King.


    You can’t impeach Him And He’s Not gonna Resign. Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever and forever and when you get through with all the forever’s. AMEN!

    Now that’s my King.


    Do You Know this Mighty God. Does Jesus live in your heart? Do you Know my King?

    Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Though They Cry to Me I Will Not Listen

Posted: December 4, 2008 in Bailout, El Gibbor, god, Jeremiah, repentance, Revival
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Washington DC is ablaze with activity. We have a new President getting ready to assume power. We have the Big Three auto executives begging for money, we have Bernanke and Paulson trying to stem the financial crisis that has settled over America like the Black Plague. The Mudpreacher is not normally pessimistic. People would say he is an optimist. But God keeps telling me that HE IS TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION! What is happening today is merely the tip of the iceberg. By spring time it will be very clear that our Nation is in dire trouble. Unless Repentance and Revival comes to America the emotional and economic pain and suffering will surpass anything this generation has experienced. God is serious about us heeding the message of Jeremiah. The headlines are growing more ominous:

Economy rescue: Adding up the Dollars: The government is engaged in an unprecedented – and expensive – effort to rescue the economy. CNN details the 7.2 TRILLION Dollars the Government has ALREADY committed since December 2007.

Bernanke: ‘Work It Out. Now.‘ Bernanke is Worried“Federal Reserve chairman wants to see distressed mortgages modified quickly, and in large numbers.”Bernanke’s support for debt relief is a departure from February, when he told a U.S. Senate Banking Committee meeting that a bill allowing bankrupcty judges to modify mortgages to save people’s homes would be more of a cost to the US economy than a benefit.”

Pent up Anger Greets Return of Auto Chiefs to Capitol Hill Auto Executives on Capitol Hill“Confirming the fears that taxpayers could lose out, the economist Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com said automakers probably needed much more than their requested $34 billion and perhaps as much as $125 billion. He predicted that the automakers would ask for more money by next fall.”

Dour Reports Show Cracks in ETFs, Economy: “Through the turmoil of the economic downturn, factory orders are getting buried, leaving an underlying weakness on Wall Street and exchange traded funds (ETFs). The deepening recession has left factory orders at their lowest point in eight years, with demand in steel, cars, computers and heavy machinery sinking.”

God wants our Nation to pay attention to the Message of Jeremiah. Jeremiah was dealing with leaders who were conspiring against God. They refused to hear God’s Words. They were going after other gods. Gods of money, greed, self-confidence. Listen to Jeremiah 11:9-12:

Again the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy exists among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers. Therefore, thus says the LORD, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble. (Jer 11:9-12 ESV)

imnotlisteningGod deliberately brought disaster upon Judah and its inhabitants. The warning from God was that “though they cry to me, I will not listen to them.” Then the leaders and people of Judah went and cried to their gods, but they would not save them in their time of trouble.

hallowed-be-thy-nameIf our leaders and if we as God-fearing Americans do not acknowledge God and plead with Him for mercy, wisdom and guidance, God will close His ears to our cries. We will be left to cry out to our gods of money and weapons, but sadly, they will not save us this time! America is bankrupt spiritually, and we will soon be bankrupt financially.

As God said in Jeremiah 11:7-8 “For I solemnly warned your fathers when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice. Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart.”

The time has come to humble ourselves before El Gibbor, our Mighty God. He is the Mighty Warrior, the Mighty Hero that we need. Only He has an inexhaustable supply of mercy and grace and wisdom for the weary and lost, the broken and bankrupt. Only God is Jehovah Jireh, the God who supplies all our needs. Turn and be reconciled, for His mercy endures forever!

God is in Trouble (Again)

Posted: December 3, 2008 in atheists, Deuteronomy 32, Homeland security, Power of God
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God is in TroubleGod is in trouble again, at least in Kentucky. Read the story here.

Seems some atheists are afraid for their safety (at least in Kentucky). They are suing the State of Kentucky to overturn recent Kentucky legislation “stressing the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth.” In addition to seeking to have the legislation overturned, the plaintiffs are seeking financial damages, saying they “suffer anxiety from the belief that the existence of these unconstitutional laws suggest that their very safety as residents of Kentucky may be in the hands of fanatics, traitors, or fools.“

KentuckyhomelandsecuritybrandingAt issue are two clauses inserted in a floor amendment by state Rep. Tom Riner, D-Louisville, and approved by lawmakers. One clause says the “safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God” and cites statements to that effect by Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. A permanent plaque quoting that text is posted at the state’s Emergency Operations Center, as required by the clause. The other clause, listing the executive director’s duties, begins with a requirement to publicize “the dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth.”

These atheists have suffered “somatic discomforts, and mental pain and anguish, from the knowledge that they are made to feel officially excluded from the ranks of citizens who share the belief in a god that is required by the challenged statutes.” Rabbi David Saperstein, national director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, issued a statement saying the law amounts to religious discrimination because the Homeland Security office’s director is required to credit “God’s power as protector of the state.”Security by God

Edwin Kagin, a Boone County lawyer and the national legal director of American Atheists, said he was appalled to read in the Herald-Leader last week that state law establishes praising God — and installing a plaque in God’s honor — as the first duty of the Homeland Security Office. “This is one of the most outrageous things I’ve seen in 35 years of practicing law. It’s breathtakingly unconstitutional,” Kagin said.

The requirement to credit God for Kentucky’s protection was tucked into 2006 homeland security legislation by state Rep. Tom Riner, D-Louisville, a Southern Baptist minister. “This is recognition that government alone cannot guarantee the perfect safety of the people of Kentucky,” Riner said last week. But state Sen. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, said Homeland Security should worry about public safety threats instead of preaching religious homilies. “It’s very sad to me that we do this sort of thing,” said Stein, a frequent critic of efforts to mix religion and government. “It takes away from the seriousness of the public discussion over security, and it clearly hurts the credibility of this office if it’s supposed to be depending on God, first and foremost.“

Most everyone on the web is siding with the atheists. After all, it does seem stupid to depend upon “God’s power as the protector of the state”.  God doesn’t even have a gun. He didn’t do anything to stop the terrorists on 9/11, so why should we depend on Him now?

proclamationofgodsthroneI thought it was most interesting as well as a sign of the times that a Jewish rabbi (David Saperstein) would object to being required to credit God’s power as protector of the state. If anyone should know God’s ability to protect, it should be those familiar with the history of Israel.

In Deuteronomy 32 we find Moses singing his Song to Jehovah God who delivered the Jews from Pharaoh. He is on the verge of bringing them into the promised land and has set before them blessing and cursing. Whichever they receive depends upon the God they chose to obey. The Song of Moses has four distinct divisions: the character of God (Deut. 32:1-4); the kindness of God to His people (vv. 5-14); the faithfulness of God to chasten His people (vv. 15-25); and the vengeance of God against His adversaries (vv. 26-43). The song traces God’s dealings with Israel and is a concise review of the nation’s history, from their wilderness sojourn to the judgments in the end times. It has both historic and prophetic aspects.

I believe Deuteronomy 32 verses 34-43 speak directly to this issue of ultimate protection. When God chastens His people because of their infidelity to Him and His Law, He allows adversaries to come in and exact the judgment God has ordered. This happened many times in the course of Israel’s history. You can read about it in Judges, the Chronicles, the Kings. Much of the Prophets is devoted to warning Israel and Judah about their waywardness and the judgment to come.

However, God warns in 34-35 that even though He would let enemies execute judgment on Israel, He would still hold those enemies accountable for their wickedness and repay them for their evil. (cf 41, 43). Even these who would have conquered God’s people are not safe from the judgment of God. God’s power is absolute. He controls events upon His people, and he controls events upon those he uses for judgment.

In verses 36-38 God says he will have compassion on Israel in judging their enemies. The statement in verse 36 “The Lord will judge His people” means that He would judge for them (i.e., vindicate them). However, Israel would not experience His compassion till they relinquished all trust in their own efforts (when… their strength is gone) and in the false gods in whom they took refuge. Moses ironically called on Israel to turn for help to the false gods, knowing, of course, they would be unable to help Israel.

In verses 39-43, God says His goal in judging Israel was not to annihilate her. It was to bring her to the point where she understood that there is no god besides the Lord Jehovah and that He alone has the power over death and life (verse 39). When in verse 40 he refers  to raising His hand, He is taking an oath. He is saying in verse 41 that he will use the enemies sword to carry out His justice. God will then take revenge on his enemies and repay those who reject Him.

Dwell in SafetyLeviticus 25:18 says “So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety.” Safety is the Hebrew word ‏בֶּטַח‎, (beṭaḥ). It means ‘securely’. In its first occurrence beṭaḥ emphasizes the status of a city which was certain of not being attacked: ” … Two of the sons … took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males” (Gen. 34:25). Thus the city was unsuspecting regarding the impending attack. In passages such as Prov. 10:9 beṭaḥ emphasizes a confidence and the absence of impending doom: “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known [faces certain judgment].” Israel dwells in security apart from any possible doom or danger because God keeps her completely safe (Deut. 33:12, 28). This condition is contingent on their faithfulness to God (Lev. 25:18-19). (Vine’s)

This hope in the safety provided by God is not naive wishing, but a confident expectation. Unlike the pagan religions where anxiety was the rule, the Hebrew religion knew a God whose chief characteristic was faithfulness and trustworthiness (Deut. 33:28; 1 Samuel 12:11; Psalm 27:3). This contrast between anxiety and confidence becomes all the more striking when one recalls that the pagan was never left without mechanisms whereby he felt he had some control over his destiny, while the devout Hebrew knew himself to be utterly without personal resources. In general, the Old Testament contrasts the validity of that sense of confidence which comes from reliance upon God with the folly of any other kind of security. It is made plain that all such trust will end in disgrace and shame, whereas those whose hope is in God alone will be delivered from their enemies (“In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.” Psalm 22:4 ) —(Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament)

‏So a rabbi that refuses to credit God’s power to protect is not a rabbi of Jehovah God. He must follow another god. He must teach another bible.

American’s who refuse to credit God’s power to protect are doomed to experience the judgment of God, who in His mercy works all things to bring His created beings into a loving relationship with Him.

Of course, we refuse to acknowledge God’s power and authority to judge, so we might as well refuse to acknowledge His power to protect. Only time will tell. However, I believe with all my heart that the words of Psalm 2 are being set in motion:

Psalms 2:10-12 (NLT) Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.  Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

ps4_8blueAs for the mudpreacher and Tom Riner, we will sleep like babies, because Psalm 4:8 is our pillow: “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” Sleep Like a Baby

Even if they do away with this provision in Kentucky’s Homeland Security Act, I doubt that atheists will sleep any better. Only fools say “No” to God!

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