Judges 6

… Now I'd like to read four short scriptures, four from the Old and four from the New Testament. The first read in the book of Judges. Judges 6 and verse 37. Behold, I will put out a piece of wood in the floor, and if the dew be on the piece of wood, and it be dry from all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save it by my hand, as thou hast said. And it was so. For he rose early on the morrow, crushed the piece together, and whipped the dew out of the piece, and poured forth it. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once. Let me prove I pray, but this once with the priest. Let it now be dry upon the priest, and upon all the ground that there be dew. And God did so that night. For it was dry upon the priest only, and there was dew upon all the ground. Now, Judges 14. Judges 14 and verse 14. And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the river. Now, the first book of Samuel. First book of Samuel and chapter 17. Verse 2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set their battle in array against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, and there was a valley between them. And there came out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an element of brass upon his head. He was armed with a coat of mail. The weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass, and he had greens of brass upon his head, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the stump of his spear was like a weaver's bane, and his spearhead weighed six hundred shekels of iron, and one bearer's spear went before him. And he stood, and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants of Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants. But if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. Now, in the book of Esther, and verse seven, And came and answered the king for the man whom the king delighted to honour, that the royal palace he brought, which the king used to wear, the horse of the king riding upon, and the crown royal which he set upon his head. Let this apparel of the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighted to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of his city, and proclaim before him, This shall be done to the man whom the king delighted to honour. Then the king said to him, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even to more decair than you that sitter at the king's gate. Let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken. Now just four short scriptures in the New Testament. This is a compliment to those who have been there. Acts 2. Well, I don't propose in the context of this discussion, and in a language such as this, that there could ever be anybody who does not know something about the terms of the gospel. I find it vain that oftentimes these unconverted people, they can indeed at least speak about something of the terms of the gospel, knowing that Christ died for us. It's the city general knowledge. But whether or not the veil is part of it or not, it's quite a different matter. So I'm not going to speak on that side of things tonight. But I want to say a particular four aspects, four little steps, four particular Old Testaments, and show how they've been wonderfully wrought out in the New Testament. Now the first one that I want to speak about is Gideon. The sign of Gideon. Gideon's sign. I want to link that up with... Now that's acts per se. Acts per se. Well indeed, I think we get an answer. So we get a sign. Now first of all, in Gideon, we find a mark in a sign from God. And he said, I will put a place out, and I want the place to be wet. And all who find the place know it to be dry. And God answered this very simple request. And he rose up early in the morning. It was on that day. Because he rose up early. You'll be surprised how many times this occurs in your scriptures. Rising up early. Rising up early. The only time that I can get to read my Bible these days is to rise up early. To read my Bible. But anyway, Gideon was around at that early. And he squeezed the place. And he squeezed out a bit of cold water. And all the ground around was wet. Then he said, lift up my heavy weight. Hop against me. You should be able to shine. Let the place be dry. And all the ground must be wet. And it was so. And God answered his request. Now I don't know what you think of this. But this has ever been a thoughtful instruction to me. Showing me in a critical way. A figuratively way. That God, as to his ways on earth. He has indeed brought to himself a people. The Jews. God's Jewish people. And he cut them apart. And he blessed them. I take that to be the request. All around was dry. I take that to be the Gentiles. They were outside. We get the illustration of this in Ephesians 2. Which tells us that the Gentiles were indeed outside. Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Failing to the promise. Without God. Without hope. And in the world. What a hopeless position they were in. But you know. There was another sign written. That not only can God bless Israel. And the nations be as it was originally afar off and unblessed. Which is indeed the character of the Old Testament. Israel was peculiar in it. Blessed of Jehovah. He signally brought them to himself. They signally had the blessing of the Lord upon them. As others were unblessed. They were outside the faith. But you know. As this little sign shows here. God is above. He can bless Israel. And the nations of Gentiles may be unblessed. And I think this is the sign in the second part. It shows that God can bless the Gentiles. And give hope to Israel. And I think we've seen this in God's healing in the world. And we get to a moment when we lay back. In relation to this. That indeed the blessing was going away from the healed. Nor be turned to the Gentiles. Now this is of great importance to you today. As being of the Gentiles. So if you are unblessed. I want you to know that this is your day. This is your day. This is your day of opportunity. Now the wonderful thing is this. That God in Old Testament times. Was signally taken up. Specifically with Israel. And the nations around him were unblessed. The priest was wet. The ground was dry. But today. But today. Since the rejection of Christ. There took us their Messiah. Since they rejected him. And the testimony that was given about his exaltation in heaven above. They even rejected that. They sent a man after him. Saying not only would they not have this man. The Lord Jesus. But they sent a man after him. We still don't want him from the glory. And the gospel that was available then. The spiel of the blessing. Was indeed then opened up to the Gentiles. Now I think this is wonderful. And if there is anybody here tonight. Unsaved. Unblessed. I want you to know that this is your day. This is your day. This is the moment. When Israel has been for centuries unblessed. Israel has been dry. The Gentiles have been wet. With the blessing of God. And thanks be to God. Just on the line that we had last night. Any of the children of Israel who are blessed. They are not blessed in Canaan. In their land. But today they are blessed in Goshen. Under the true Joseph. That's what we had last night. The same spiritual advice today. That indeed they are not offering kingdom blessing to Israel. But is indeed offering gospel blessing to whosoever will. It's gone outside the realm of Israel. It's gone indeed to the Gentiles. This is your day. This is our day. This is my day. This is the day when the Gentiles have indeed been wonderfully blessed of God. Now that's one point I want to make. I hope that's of interest to you. See how this Old Testament sign. I think it's wonderful. What thrills me about this book is. How God can figuratively and typically and prophetically. In all these spheres in the Old Testament. He can foretell and show forth New Testament teaching. And New Testament principles and the way of blessing. I think it's wonderful. This stumps to me. This stumps the stump of God on this book. Now I want to turn to another side. Samson's River. Samson's River. This is another picture of the Gospel. Not only is this the Gentiles day. The Gospel going out to the Gentiles. The opportunity to be blessed. Here and now for us. How is the blessing available? Now this is a wonderful thing for me. Out of the eater has come forth meat. Out of the strong has come forth sweetness. Well you know. When things weren't quite as plentiful. As they have been this last few years with people. When things were a little bit more hard to combine. Households answers what's to be going on with you know. There were days indeed when we were. Had a bit of irises golden syrup on our table weren't we. At least it were in our house. Many times I've seen that before. I am that thing you know. Out of the strong came forth sweetness. I didn't know where it came from you know. I didn't know it was scripture. But my word you know. I've come to enjoy that. Not only the irises golden syrup. That was sweetened that day. But I've come to enjoy what it means. Out of the eater. What's the word? Eater. Death. Death. Oh it's wonderful. Out of the eater. Has come forth meat. Out of the strong. Has come forth sweetness. How's this been done? I like this with Hebrews too. Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood. He likewise took part of the same. That flew death. That flew death. This is wonderful. Death. Yes. My one man sinner to the world. Death. Passed upon all men. All men because all have sinned. Death. Death. That. The penalty of sin. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Dying thou shalt die. And that's just what we're doing. While we're living we're dying. That's why we say how old are you? How old are you? We hear it. Dying thou shalt die. You know you keep going to the doctors. At least I am getting a bit older you know. You come to a point where you say how old are you now? And you tell them well you know it's all you can expect. All you can expect. You're getting a bit older you know. Dying thou shalt die. And you know it takes the great men. It takes the Hitlers and the Muslims. We've seen them rise. And all after all. Of all. The great. Yes. And the men at the fire. The poor on the street of Leeds. They die too. They die alone. The great. At least. The great leader. The great leader. And all the scientific men with all their acquired knowledge. Wonderful things that the brain of man can indeed grasp with and grapple with. And work out and pattern. It's wonderful. But there's no answer to this. No answer to this. We can try to transplant it all easily. And we thank God for the measure of success. The lengthening of a few years. How we all grasp. And the little prolonging of our life here. We all do it. Life's sweet you know. It's grand. It's grand. I'll tell you now. Only this afternoon. My work takes me to the top of a very high building. It's a real tall building is where I work. And I have to go right to the top. And out of there is a wonderful view. A marvellous view. Of the Wharf Valley. Overlooking the Oakley Moors. That place is often heard sung about. And it's beautiful. The trees just now are magnificent. And I said to the nurse that's up in that surgery there. I said can you have a look at this view. She said yes. In a disinterested way. I'll ask her if she's got me. It's beautiful. It's grand to be alive isn't it. I've got one of many people who don't see that view. It's our dear sister who's not here. But they don't see. Do we appreciate these things? Death comes along doesn't it. Great Ada. The great and the small. Great and the small. Takes them all. And God has wonderfully used this. This shows the stamp of God. This is the stamp of God. That which was against us. It turns into a blessing. Out of the Ada has come forth meat. What do we sing about? We sing about the death of Jesus. We went down to Whitley Bay this afternoon. To see the old folks down there. And they went on for about half an hour. Shouting out hymns. They wanted singing. What were they about? They were about indeed the triumphant death of the Lord Jesus. That a triumphant death in hell. They were indeed feasting on this. Out of the Ada has come forth meat. Out of the strong has come forth sweetness. They gave out 153 that we had this morning. We blessed it out. Holy Lamb of God. Whose blood. We don't get His blood without His death. Whose blood has brought us nigh. Out of the eater has come forth sweetness. And out of the strong. The strong that held everybody. All of Adam's race. Everyone. Out of the strong has come forth sweetness. So sweet that we're going to fill eternity singing the praises of Him. That bled and died. And we indeed battled with the strong man there. Out of the eater has come forth meat. Out of the strong has come forth sweetness. And because the children of Adam's are flesh and blood. He likewise took part of the same. What a wonderful thing that they did. If He hadn't come down and taken part of the same. Being partaker of flesh and blood. So that as man and for man. Where every other man failed. This wonderful. This true Samson. You know what it says about Samson. I hope you know. Samson. He read the lion as if it had been a kid. He read the lion as if it had been a kid. The lion was strict. He said the strongest of all beasts. Tell it not back to many. He read him as if it had been a kid. And there was nothing in his hand. Nothing in his hand. This tells me of the mighty son of God. Who came down from heaven. The creator, sustainer of the ends of the universe. Who as man and for man. Came to do. He battled death forces. He rolled back every way. When he had by himself. Made preparation for sins. He sat himself down. On the right hand of the majesty. In the heavens. With nothing in his hands. When he had by himself. First ever sins. Samson will. David. From Samuel here. We all know the story of David and Goliath don't we. David and Goliath. The great one. Small one. Yes. They call machinery Goliath. You know great big box of machinery. That can shift this and shift the other. They call it the Goliath. David and Goliath. Who doesn't know about David and Goliath. Well you know it's amazing isn't it. Here they were on the mountain of the enemy. Up on this side the children of Israel. And there's a wonderful principle here you know. He comes out and gives you all this business. He says give me a man. Give me a man. One man. If he can kill me. We'll be yourselves. If he kills me. He kills me. I kill him. We'll be ourselves. It's all centered in one man. It's all centered in one man. And you know. Some people think this is against them. Because Adam sinned. Because Adam sinned. Why should I be condemned. All this sort of business and all this argument. My dear friend. It's for you. God's turned it to your account. He turns it to your account. Romans 5. Romans 5. He turns it to your account. By the first night day. By one man's disobedience. Many. Many. Were constituted sinners. So. By your obedience of. One. Many constituted. Righteous. So the battle evolves. Round about. These two great armies. One on this mountain. One on the other. It's between two men. Between two men. Between two men. Oh. Thanks be to God for the two men. He's slow. With not immense strength. No. He couldn't go in King Saul's armour. Or the poor lad would weigh him down with it. He couldn't walk with it could he. No. He says no. It's no good to me. He says look. They came alive in the day. And they stole the sheep. And had delivered them out. God helped him. And God helped him then. Showed him indeed to be. God's man. God's man. And so we are in pain. This wonderful principle. By the disobedience of one. Many were constituted sinners. By the obedience of one. Many constituted righteous. So we want to bring before you. The one who was indeed. Obedient. Christ. By the work and death by sin. So let us go. Amen. By the disobedience. Of one. Many constituted. Sinners and righteous. By the obedience of one. Many constituted righteous. This is what we hang on. This is what we wrestle on. He. Blessed be the conqueror. Blessed be the conqueror. He won the native crown. By being shrunk down. A host of us. Made sin. Sin stepped off too. Out of the grave. Destroyed it's soul. And death by thine slew. Blessed be the conqueror. Slain his victory. Who lived. Who died. And who lives again. The power of God. I don't like being prestigious. In any way. But saying there are some children here tonight. Just you old ones. Go to sleep for a minute. I don't want to hear what I've got to say. Do you know what Goliath said. When David. Slagged a storm in. And it sunk into his forehead. And he fell down dead. I'll tell you. Don't listen you old ones. It's not for you. It's for the people. Such as he had never been in his head before. I've just got a children. They might even think on that you old ones. Forgotten they have forgotten you old ones. Such as he had never ever been in his head before. And. With nothing in his hand. He had with a sword. He cut off his head. With his own sword. Death by dying. He slew. He cut his head off. He had with a sword. He cut it off. With his own sword. He battled death's forces. And he rode back in the way. We live because he died. We live because he died. And you know. It came upon the other side. A mighty triumphant victor. He was delivered from our defences. And he was praised again. For how he stood against us. Well. The last one of the night finished. Esther. What shall be done to the man that the king delighted to honor? What shall be done to the man that the king delighted to honor? Oh you know. Haman thought. The question being directed for him. Now who would the king thought delighted to honor? Oh. Oh. So Esther thought. The best he could think of. Let the royal attire be brought. The horse that the king delighted to honor. And the crown royal. And let a noble man parade it through the street. And say. Thus shall be done to the man that the king delighted to honor. Aye. Oh. The tables were turned weren't they? The tables were turned. The man that the king delighted to honor was Mordecai. And what had Mordecai done? Why you know I remember that Sunday school. I remember my Sunday school days. You Sunday school teachers. Young men and young women. Carry on with your Sunday school. It's amazing what we learn at Sunday school. The stories in the Sunday school. The stories in the Sunday school. That helped me. That helped me in my Christian pathway. There were secrets sewn there. That God was able to germinate. And make me spring on to everlasting life. Carry on with your Sunday school. Classes. Dear young men and young women. You never know. You never know what you're doing. A lot of us are thankful for our Sunday school teachers. Mine. I can say God bless her. God bless her. She was incredible. Haman had built gallows fifty feet high. I remember my Sunday school Sunday school teacher telling me. Fifty feet high. And they were going to hang this man Mordecai around here because he was in Haman's way. Oh the king was promoting Haman. But there was one man that wouldn't bow down to him. Oh it rattled. It rattled in his heart. Mordecai wouldn't bow. The gallows were fifty feet high. They were going to hang Mordecai around here. What a shock Haman got. When the king had asked him what should be done to the man Mordecai. Who would he like to run for the king? So he got the biggest list he could think of. The crown. The horse. Let him be paraded through the street. Then the king said Go and do it to Mordecai. That's you. Mordecai. That despised man. Mordecai. That's you. That's you. And by the way That's you. That despised you. What did Peter say? What did Peter say? He crucified him. God has glorified him. God has glorified the second Jesus whom he crucified. That's just what Haman was going to do to Mordecai. And you know my Sunday school teacher was never sold the shoulders of us so they hanged Haman. They hanged Haman on his own gallows. That's just what God's done. That's just what God's done. It's wonderful. It's wonderful. God has indeed taken Christ and crucified him. There they crucified him this morning. There they crucified him. It's wonderful that God's coming. Of course it's not possible that he should be ordained on death. He's raised him from the dead. And he's made him both Lord and Christ. What shall we do? What shall we do? What shall we do? Now when they heard this they were picking their heart and said unto Peter unto the rest of the apostles men, brother what shall we do? And Peter said unto them repent. Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Joseph said you know to his brethren Joseph who they rejected the one we spoke about last night they rejected him and he was indeed cast into prison and finally he was indeed exalted. Exalted. 17 years old when they saw him 13 years old when he was indeed exalted when they came down they didn't know him but he knew them. He knew them. And they were told in their hearts you know it was their conscience that was working but you know he spake basically unto them he said be not grave with yourself ye may become to be believable God may become to people good to preserve as it is at this time much people are like that and so it is so it is God's reversed God's reversed man's decision I was once walking through the streets and I've been talking with a brother from Ireland you know and the elections were on at that time and there were various posters vote for so-and-so vote for so-and-so he said did you know, did you realise the Lord Jesus is the only man that lost the vote and gained the seat is the only man that lost the vote and gained the seat this word says not this man but God has made this same Jesus whom he crucified he's made in both God and Christ repent and believe and accept these wonderful little steps of the gospel that this is our day was a day of Israel blessed, this is a day of the Gentiles blessed the gospel is going out of the whole public of the world, blessed be God blessed be God the Apostle Paul said he did Jesus all fit for this blessing will go away come to the Gentiles and the Gentiles come, come into the blessing don't miss it brother, don't miss it don't miss it brother, wherever you might be tonight, don't miss it this is your day out of it Peter has come forth David and out of it Saul has come forth sweetness and the battle revolves for the whole race, one goes all into condemnation one can take it all into justification and in all the rest by the disobedience of one many constituted their acts by the obedience of one many constituted their acts how simple isn't it how simple God has indeed reversed the decision of men will not let this man reign over us for he crucified God at that point he was delivered, this is a wonderful thing he was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God before man was born here in this world it was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, God knew it beforehand that this would be the very means that he would indeed procure the blessing for you and for me out of it Peter has come forth David out of it Saul has come forth sweetness, he was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, God reversed men's decision and was made in both God and Christ he is the true Joseph he is in exhortation he is Lord of all he is a soldier amongst the Gentiles today this is a wonderful day a lot of people think you know it has been a grand day to have walked here when the Saviour was here but I'm glad to be here now glad to be here now I think this is a wonderful day God said to Thomas no because I was seen I was delivered blessed are they that have not seen me yet believe, this is a special day when we not only know Christ down here but we know Christ at heart there we know the battle's won the true Samson is battled death forces, he slain the lion and he's got the money in his hand for you and for me the forgiveness of your sins it's the most sweetest thing you have ever experienced in your life it's wonderful it's wonderful well may you know it may you know it and enjoy it and then join in what we sing our first hymn a thousand tongues to sing his praise it's going to be that you know it you're going to sing about the one and to the one who lived and who died and who lives again for thee is the church for thee …