The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lasser Bradley Jr. Mm-hmm. Dozen tumblers seem My great Redeemer's praise the glories of my government, the triumphs of his race. This is Aaron Bradley Jr., inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. I've seen the lightning fire And heard the thunder roll.
I felt since breakers dashing, trying to conquer my soul. I've heard the The poor face of Jesus. Tell me still to fight on. He promised never to leave. Leave me never to thee.
Leave me alone. No, no. Never alone. No, never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.
The world's fierce wind. Are following temptations sharp and keen. I feel a peace in no. My Saviour stands between He stands to shield me from danger when earthly. Friends are gone.
He promised. Never to leave me, never to leave me alone. No, never alone, no, never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone when in afflictions balling I'm treading the road of care. My Savior helps me to carry my cross.
I'm going to go to the next one. My feet entangled with bride. Liars ready to cast me down. My Savior whispers his pride. Promise I never will leave thee alone.
No, never alone. No, never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone. He died for me on the mountain. For me, they pierced his side.
For me, he opened that fountain, the crimson cleansing tide. For me, He's waiting in glory, seated upon his throne. He promised never to leave. me never to leave Leave me alone. No, never alone, no, never alone.
He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone. No, never alone. No, never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone. I pray that as we continue our studies in the book of Joshua, you will be blessed by the many practical lessons that are out in front of us.
We come today to Joshua chapter eleven. My subject Promises and Precepts. Reading Joshua chapter 11, verse 6. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them. For tomorrow, about this time, will I deliver them in.
up all slain before Israel. Thou shalt Hawk their horses and burn their chariots. Here then is a promise that God is given. To his servant Joshua. He's going to be facing an enemy once again.
First one. Chapter 11. Here's the enemy faced by Joshua. And it came to pass when Jabon... king of Hazar had heard these things, Now we pause there a moment because the question immediately comes to mind, what had Jabin heard?
Well, no doubt he had heard about the five kings that had united forces and come against Joshua, but. had been totally defeated and the kings themselves had been killed. And then in chapter 10, verse 40, we read this, and are sure that Jabin had heard of it.
So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and of their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.
So when King Jabin Here's about the success that Joshua's had. About how devastating it's been to those that he would have considered his allies. He decides I'm going to Go forward. and fight against the Israelites. And so When King Jaban had heard these things, it says, Then he sent to Job.
King of Madon. In verse 2, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, verse 4. And they went out, they and all their host with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the seashore. in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
Now this expression is found a number of times in Scripture. when it says, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude. I don't think it's intended to say that this is an absolute, that you can identify the actual number of the grains of sand on the seashore, and that same number was in this multitude. It's a form of speech, it's a hyperbole, it's a way of simply expressing the fact that there was a great number. Yeah, thankfully.
Joshua had not had to face an army of this size at the very beginning of the conquest. Things had moved along gradually as they went first to Jericho, simply marching around the walls, and God brought them down flat. I think there's a lesson in this. That The Lord is merciful. Would a person first embarks upon the Christian journey.
They've come to faith in Christ. They've been born again. They're going forward to serve Him. He doesn't give them the greatest battles to fight immediately. He's gracious and gentle with them for a period of time until they have grown and learned and prepared themselves.
And so now. with Joshua's past experience into conflict. with a great multitude, with horses and chariots that were very many. When they Enemy is big. We need always to remember that God is bigger.
So this was a sizable army. This was a big enemy. But God promised he would be with his people and give them victory. Let us think about the experience of Gideon as recorded in the book of Judges chapter 12, reading with the second verse or the 12th verse. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the East lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude.
Now here's another expression, simply to convey the thought that there was an exceptionally large number in this army of the Midianites. They were like grasshoppers for multitude, and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seaside for multitude.
Now here's this enormous force. coming against God's people. And God speaks to Gideon. and says he's going to use him to bring about victory. Gideon felt very unqualified.
He wanted to discuss the matter with the Lord as though, Lord, it surely cannot be me. I don't see how I can do it. And then he put the fleece out three different times for the Lord to convince him that indeed he was to do this great job.
Well, finally he's ready to go. And he has an army of 32,000.
Now, 32,000 soldiers sounds significant, but I suppose in comparison to the multitude that were in the army of the enemy, it wasn't all that great. But interestingly enough, God says there's a problem. Get it? You have too many men in your army. It's too big.
If they win the battle. They will glory as though they did it with their own strength. They're not going to give glory to God.
So I want you to tell everybody that's afraid to go home. and thousands of them disappeared.
Now the army's down to 10,000. And The Lord says there's still too many. Still too many.
So I want them to go down to the brook and drink water. And based on their method of drinking the water, which will determine how important it is in their mind to put the battle first. We'll take the faithful. And the number now has been dramatically reduced all the way from the initial number of 32,000 down to 300. The Lord says You go forward.
Separate your group into three companies of a hundred each. Strange provision that was to be taken. You take lights and pitchers and horns. And as the three groups separated and surrounded the Midianites that were sleeping in the valley. At the given signal, They all blew their trumpets, 300 trumpets blasting in the nighttime, so that those who were asleep were startled.
and jumped up to see what was going on. At that point, They broke the pictures so that they would shine the lights, and so they look up behind them and here, see all of the lights in the woods. They take out their swords, hit the first thing that moves, and in the process they hit only their own men. And Gideon's army was victorious, the sword of the Lord and of Gideon.
Now God gave them the victory. God promised the victory, but it was necessary for them to go out and perform doing what God had instructed them to do. And this whole experience Reminds us of the truth that's contained in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Verse 27. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught the things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. From the human standpoint, It certainly would not have seemed reasonable for 300 men to go out against a great multitude that even could not be numbered. But because it was God's plan, it was a good plan. Because God said, I'm going to be with you. He was with them.
And yet, the army had to be in place, the little band of 300, but it just demonstrates the fact that God hath chosen the weak things to confound the mighty.
Now aren't you glad that's in the Bible? Do you many times feel weak? Feel incapable of the tasks that's before you, doing the things that you ought to do in the service of God.
Well, you can be reassured when you read that God uses that which is weak. He does it for a purpose. that no flesh should glory in his presence. God is going to work in such a way that His name is honored and exalted. Act four.
It uses those things that are weak and those things that In the worlds, I appear to be foolish. But God uses them to the glory of His name. And And we think of another example. That when The enemy is big. We need to remember that God is bigger.
Elisha's servant Woke up early in the morning. 2 Kings chapter 6, verse 15. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city, both of horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, how shall we do? The servant is obviously alarmed.
How are we going to survive this? And he answered, Fear not, for they that are with us are more than they that be with them. And the young man may well have thought, The poor old preacher is terribly confused because the way I count, there's only two of us. And when I look at the enemy surrounding us, it is a multitude. But you see, Elisha was able to observe something that the young servant at this point had not seen.
So Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. When the young man was able to see what Elisha saw, he could have the comfort that Elisha had. Many times we struggle because we do not see clearly.
We're looking upon natural things rather than to look upon eternal things. We're looking upon that which can be seen with a natural eye, touched with our hand. rather than by faith to trust the living God. There was an abundant host of angels. chariots of fire round about to protect Elisha and his servant.
Oh, sometimes when you're fearful, when it looks like the enemy is going to overtake you, pray, Lord, open my eyes so I can see.
So by faith I can rest in your promises and believe that all is well.
So as we think about Gideon We think about Elisha and his servant. We think about you. What about you when you feel that you're facing opposition? Satan is hurling his fiery darts at you. You're terribly discouraged.
You've given way to worry. Let's remember. that whatever the trial may be. That God is bigger. and the enemy.
In 1 John chapter 4, the fourth verse, It says, Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them. Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Uh What encouraging words. The world is in opposition to the people of God. We're told not to love the world, neither the things that are in the world.
But the one that is in you, the Holy Spirit that abides in you, he that is in you, is greater than he that is in the world. Satan is the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh on the children of disobedience. But the one that's in you is greater.
Now he's speaking of those. who do not acknowledge. That Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. He describes that as being the spirit of Antichrist.
So he's saying you can overcome the attacks by false prophets. advocating something that is totally unsound, contrary to that which is the truth about Jesus Christ. You can overcome. And since you can overcome heretical ideas and false teaching, you can overcome every other enemy. Why?
Not because you're so strong and because you're special and you're wise, but it's because the one that is in you is greater than he that is in them, in the enemy, in the world. And so We see the Enemy that is faced, let's think about the promises that are made. Promise to Joshua. Verse six of Joshua eleven. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver them up all slain before Israel.
Now, promises were repeated over and over again. to Joshua. And you might say, well, it seems like that much repetition would not have been necessary. But obviously God saw that it was necessary. It was needed because there was an ongoing challenge, one battle after another.
And Joshua needed encouragement.
Now Some of those promises were repeated from what came through Moses, others came directly from the Lord Himself. As an example, Deuteronomy chapter 20, verse 1. When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, this one coming, of course, through Moses, and he's saying long before they had even started on the journey. Anticipating the time that they would come into the promised land, when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and seest horses and chariots and a people more than thou.
So it was anticipated, you're going to be facing some armies that are going to outnumber you greatly. You see a people that are more than thou, be not afraid of them. For the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. Isn't it interesting to observe how many times reference is made to that deliverance from Egypt?
So I've heard about that over and over again. We sometimes sing about it in our hymns. Uh is that not overdone? No, I don't think so. Because the scriptures are given us by divine inspiration.
You say, well, that was something that's just like ancient history. What's that have for us today?
Well, there's a lesson in it. That deliverance came. Not because of the wisdom of Moses or the strength of the Israelites. It came because God delivered them. And that's exactly what's stated in the text.
That it was the Lord God which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. They had to be reminded of that again and again. And do we not need to be reminded? that it is the Lord Himself who has delivered us. The Lord who called us out of the bondage of sin.
The Lord who saved us by his sovereign grace. It wasn't our effort, it wasn't our work, it wasn't our merit, it was what He did for us. Never forget it. Praise Him for it continually. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies.
to save you. What a promise. Yes, you're going to have enemies. You're going to have big battles to fight, but the Lord's going with you. And you know, he's promised that.
for you as well. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. Promises. are tremendously important. Joshua went into the battle, resting on the promises of God.
And our thoughts need to be always on His promises. Our hearts need to be fixed on him as the source of our strength. and depended upon him to subdue our enemies. Colossians chapter 3, verse 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.
Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord Jesus. Let the word of Christ dwell in you. The original language conveys the thought of it being at home in you. You're so comfortable with it. You're so knowledgeable of it.
You have read it. You have meditated on it. You have memorized it. A situation arises, a challenge. What am I going to do about this?
How am I going to confront this issue? What should be my response? What should be my attitude?
Well, if you've hidden the Word of God in your heart, If you are Consumed with the truth of it because you have studied it, you've read it, you've heard it preached. The word of Christ is dwelling in you richly. then your response is going to be appropriate. It's going to be to the glory of God. And he says You're to teach one another, admonishing one another, in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.
That's certainly something we're looking forward to when we're assembled back. As a congregation, what's more? to be able to sing together. Singing isn't something that a person just initiated Saying, I think this might be a good idea. This was something that was ordered of the Lord.
It's the Lord Himself that says we are to sing. making melody in our hearts unto him. The psalmist talks about the importance of of keeping God's word in our hearts. being always mindful of his promises. Psalm 119, verse 15, I will meditate in thy precepts.
And have respect. Unto thy ways. I'm going to meditate. Everything in Psalm 119, I think all but maybe two verses, has some reference in some form to the Word of God. What emphasis is it put upon it?
How final it is. That we are knowledgeable of God's Word. that we are clinging to His promises, that we are dependent upon Him. And so he says I will have respect. Unto thy ways, meditating on thy precepts.
And then you go to verse 97. Oh, how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day. I'm not talking about the law from a legalistic standpoint. It's talking about the entire scope of God's word, God's truth, God's revelation. I meditate on it.
And then verse 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever. for they are the rejoicing of my heart. Can you say that today? The testimonies of God.
The truth of God. The promises of God. They are the rejoicing of my heart. Oh, how vital it is that we depend upon His promises His promises are for us as we engage in spiritual warfare. Just like Joshua was engaging in battle.
with various enemies when he was conquering the land of Canaan. We have numerous Enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil being three of them that we talked about in the message last week. James chapter 4, verse 7, says, submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh unto God, and He will draw nigh unto you.
What a promise. Starts with submission, surrender. Submit yourselves to God. Eat a bottle. argue with God.
You don't want to complain about God's providences. You want to surrender. Submit your will to him. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Then resist the devil.
Don't give in so quickly to the temptations that easily beset us. Resisting. Just as Jesus resisted Satan during the time of his temptation by the use of the word. You should employ the Word of God. in resisting him.
And if you resist him, Rather than Having a discussion with him and trying to reason things out, you resist him wholeheartedly, he will flee from you. and then you draw near to God. The promise is he will draw near to you. You say, I need the Lord, He's available. is a present help in trouble.
But you must draw near to him. Further study of his word. Through prayer. calling upon him, expressing your need, pouring out your heart before him. The Jesus cared.
When my home Heart is pain to deeply form as the burdens breast and the cares distress and the way grows weary and long. I'm glad you've been with us today and want to mention that if it's your desire for our broadcast to continue on your local station. We need your support at this time.
So address your letter to Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. Or you can go to our website, BaptistBibleHour.org, and make a donation there. The need is very great, so it's up to our listeners whether we're going to be able to stay on the air.
Now, until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. With a name. Must drive And fear as the daylight fades into deep night shades, does he care enough to be near? Oh, yes, the cares I know, the cares his heart is touched with my grief. When the day the Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Leser Bradley Jr.
Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. Does Jesus care when I tried and failed to resist some temptation strong? When for my deep grief, there is no relief, though my tears flow the night long. Oh, yes, he cares I know.
