Today on real life radio. The enemy though attacks and his attack plan is Always Listen, always. To blind our Vision. to cause us not to see. This is real life.
Welcome to Real Life Radio with Pastor Jack Hibbs. I'm David Jay, thanking you for joining us today as we listen, learn, and are challenged by God's Word, the Bible. In a world growing darker by the day, will you stand firm or be swept away? Pastor Jack Hibbs' new book, Called to Take a Bold Stand, is a wake-up call for every believer. With biblical clarity and real-life conviction, Jack Hibbs shows you how to overcome fear, hold fast to truth, and make every moment count.
That's Called to Take a Bold Stand by Pastor Jack Higgs. Get your copy for a gift of any amount at jackkids.com slash real radio. On today's edition of Real Life Radio. Pastor Jack continues in his series now called First Samuel and a message titled Oh Say Can You See? Part 1.
Samuel of the Old Testament was the last judge of Israel and he was the first of its prophets.
So here in chapter 11 we'll learn how Saul steps forward to defend Israel even when his kingship was not yet fully established. You see, when serious threats arise, real leadership requires taking responsibility. Samuel anointed Saul as king, but his position was not yet settled. Still, when Saul sees that what was happening would not only affect him, but his people, It motivated him to act.
So today, Pastor Jack teaches that just as the people of Israel came together under Saul's leadership to rescue and protect the vulnerable. We need to realize that seeing injustice or suffering is just not enough. We too must act with purpose and unity, even at the risk of failure.
Now with his message called, Oh Say Can You See, Part 1, here's Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs. 1 Samuel 11, verse 1. Then Nahash, the Ammonite, came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead. And all the men of Jabez said to Nahash. Don't worry, we'll come back and talk about these people.
Make a covenant with us and we will serve you. And Nahash the Ammonite answered them and said, On this condition, I will make A covenant with you. that I may put out all your right eyes. and bring reproach on all Israel. Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, Hold off for seven days that we may send messengers to all the territories of Israel.
And then, if there's no one to help us or save us, we will come out to you.
So the messengers came to Gibeea of Saul and told the news in the hearing of all the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and they began to weep.
Now there was Saul coming behind the herd from the field, and Saul said, What troubles the people that they weep so? And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh. Then the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he had heard this news, and his anger was greatly aroused.
So he took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all of the territories of Israel by the hands of, I guess, would be FedEx back then. Whoever does not go out with Saul and Samuel to battle.
So it shall be done to his oxen. And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the people, and they came out with one consent, or having one mind. And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were 300,000. and the children of Judah 30,000. And they said to the messengers who came, Thus you shall say to the men of Jabesh Gilead, Tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.
You shall have help. Then the messengers came and reported to the men of Jabesh, and they were glad. Therefore, the men of Jabesh said, Tomorrow we will come out to you. And now they're speaking to Nahash and the invading army.
So verse 10, the men of Jabezh said, Tomorrow we'll come out to you. And you may do with us whatever seems good to you.
So it was on the next day that Saul put the people in three companies, that they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed the Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered so that no two of them stood together. Then the people said to Samuel, Who is he who said, Shall Saul reign over us? Bring these men to us, that we may put them to death. That's a reference back to verse 27 of the last chapter.
But Saul said, Not a man. shall be put to death this day. For today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel. Then Samuel said to the people, Come, let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there.
So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before. The Lord at Gilgal. There they made sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord, and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced. Greatly. Oh, say, can you see?
Yeah. Listen carefully. Get the players down. It's important if you're in note-taking or if you have margins in your Bible, write them down. It's very important.
Nahash, he's a bad guy, he's the king of a bunch of bad dudes. The Ammonites are bad people. This was not the only battle Israel would have with him. There would be other battles to come. But Nahash, mark it down, you Bible students, you're going to want to know this.
Nahash, his name in Hebrew means snake or snake-like. It can also be translated: one that is made of metal or steel, of copper or brass. Oh my goodness, some of you are getting it already. One who is snake-like, one who also's name can be copper or brass? Remember when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness made out of brass?
A symbol of Jesus Christ on the cross prophetically to the future. Yes, but what was judged at the cross? Our sin. And Satan was judged at the cross, wasn't he? Nahash, snake-like, one who's made out of metal like copper or bronze or brass?
What a name. What a story before us. It's already interesting. We could stop right here and have a good time with this. It's amazing.
Now, the Ammonite nations were followers of his. He was their king. They were completely a group of of uh nomadic, despotic people. They were marauders. They were tyrants, renegades, rogue people.
They dwelt in caves. They were hard to predict. Thus, Nahash in his name, even being their leader, runs like a snake. What is a snake like? It's very slippery and difficult to deal with, isn't it?
Isn't it interesting? Israel is going to go to war. The nation of God is going to go to war against this one who is snake-like. Tells us the story in his name. I find that extremely interesting.
Jabesh Gilead. is a place that is Oh. In your mind's eye, it's north of Israel. It is across the Jordan River on the today Jordanian side. And um For those of you who have been to Israel, it's kind of sort of almost opposite Bethshin on the other side of the Jordan River.
And that's where these people were dwelling. Quietly. enjoying themselves, but Nahash surprises and comes against. And attacks them. But he first attacks them with words.
And we're going to march through this thing and hopefully glean a lot out of this. But note this: the attack first comes with words. Christian, write that down. The attack that will come first of all to us usually will take the form of words. In fact, I think almost always, in one way or another, the attack will come via words.
Could be doctrine, could be Propaganda, whatever. The enemy, though, attacks, and his attack plan is. Always Listen, always To blind our Vision. to cause us not to see. If the enemy, if Satan can get you and I to not see all of God's power for our lives, or all of God's power for our homes, or all of God's power for our nation.
If Satan can get us to focus on one aspect of something, You know, like the little fires. Do you run around putting out all the little fires while the while the. Building falls down. Satan loves to bother God's people with little fires. Little Nipping words, things like this.
Notice as we go through this study, how much, though this story's thousands of years old. How much it applies to our lives, not only my life and your life, but our nation. Four points total. Jot down the number one point this evening. It's in verses one.
Two and three. One through three, and that is this: the enemy delights. In compromise. Oh, say, can you see? What?
Whenever we compromise, we lose our sight. We can't see as well. Whenever a man, a woman, a team for God is hot and pursuing God, what is Satan's plan? Get their vision blurred. Just skew it a little bit.
And so the question is: oh, say, can you see? And you might be here this evening saying, I can see fine. Are you sure? Because I tell you, as I went through this study, I'm asking my own heart: Am I seeing things okay? God, am I seeing things through your eyes?
Because I can be so easily distracted by my life.
So the first thing I realize in verses 1, 2, and 3 is the first point to our study: if Nahash. Who is a former type of Satan? If he could get you to focus on something like fear and attack and hurt, and get your mind and your eye off of what is just and right and holy and good, he's got you going. Look what happens here. I'm going to offer to you that the enemy delights in compromise, number one, because, or he loves to do this by wrapping us up in fear.
Write it down. Compromise often comes by tempting us to fear. Verse 1, then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against. He didn't even attack them. He just pulled his wagon train around the city, around their tents.
Yeah. That's so satanic. That's how Satan works in my life. He just brings in his wagons. circles around and goes, boom!
And if I don't have my eyes on God, I'm gonna jump. You're listening to real life with Pastor Jack Hibbs. To learn more about this ministry or to catch up on some previous episodes, Go to jackibbs.com. That's jackibbs.com. And now, let's get back to today's message.
Once again, here's Pastor Jack. Interestingly enough, last night a couple of families came up to me last night. They didn't even want to talk about. The Song of Solomon series. Independently, they came up and they wanted to talk about the demonic activity that's been going on in their Christian home.
And I said, I've got to tell you that you should be rejoicing. What? I said it's been going on to my house too! Amazingly. Last Sunday, third service.
I'm always standing over here before the service. Or, as the service worship portions concluding before the word is to be taught, I'm usually standing over here. But on third service, I didn't for some reason. And while you were singing the battle belongs to the Lord, I never would have remembered that. Normally, but I came down the aisle, came up here, and to be honest with you, I was just trying to survive third service.
I kid you not. I was doing all that I had within me to survive third service. And I got done, and you guys were closing in the song, and I walked out there, and a gentleman came up and said, I want to be very careful about what I'm going to say to you. And I said, okay. And you gotta understand, by third service, I'm Fried.
I've almost heard it all. And it's like, okay. And This precious man said, I don't know how to tell you this, but God gave me a vision. And as I saw you, you walked past me up the middle aisle. In the vision, and he goes, I don't have these things.
I haven't had these things. This is a, it blew my mind. I hesitate even telling you this. And he was trying to. Apologize.
He said the whole audience, and the church was packed. He said the whole crowd turned into like a Madison Square garden setting. It was a prize fight scene. And he said, as you walk down the aisle, he said, in the vision, the stage became a boxing ring. And he said, Satan was sitting in the corner right over there with his gloves on, and you came up.
And he said the crowd began to roar, and the two boxers, the opponents, began to approach each other and just. As the bell rang for the first Punch to be delivered. God's hand came in and knocked Satan right absolutely out of the ring. And And the guy said, Jack, I want to say. He goes, that had to be from God.
And I just told him, I said, brother, if you've known the week that I've had, that was from God. That's exactly what I told him. I said, if you knew the week that I've been having, that's exactly from God. And I was encouraged by that. Words.
The circle being drawn around your home or your life, and you feel like you're caving in. Where's my help? Where's my strength? God's your deliverance, He's your strength. And often, let me encourage you: often, when you feel like He's not gonna deliver you, He's gonna deliver everybody else but you.
Have you noticed every Christian feels like that? I know he's going to save you. I know he's going to deliver you. I know he's going to come to your rescue as I just fade away. But that's my trial, and the same thing happens to you in your trial.
Isn't that funny? We can laugh because we can relate to that. I don't have any problem believing God's promises for your life. But I find myself rarely applying his promises to my life. I have great faith for you that God's going to do wonderful things in your life.
But I don't have that faith for my life. Why? Because Satan is personal. And he has a network of demons. And their first line of propaganda is, are you ready?
You're gonna be surprised. Their first line of propaganda. is don't believe in me and us. If you sit here tonight and say, I'm a Christian, but I don't believe in a personal devil, you know, the. Um Oh, the not the Gallup guy, but the Barnapole.
George Barna, his poll, he gave the statistics of how many Americans believe. That Jesus is personal and God can be known personally. It was huge. And how many Christians or how many people claim that the Bible is the Word of God? And then he asked the question: do you believe in a personal devil?
And half of those people who say they believe in the Bible said that there was a personal devil, which half of the people polled said that they believed in the Bible, in reality, do not believe in the Bible because Jesus said Satan's real. And personal. He's not omnipresent. He doesn't know your thoughts. But he's been around enough to know the tendencies of mankind.
And he's got a lot of little demons who work for him. Should we be afraid? No. Should we respect his power? Of course.
But know this. Greater is he that is in us. than he that is in the world. We've got to be careful. We've got to be prayerful.
Satan is moving, and don't get caught up into his scheme. Be in God's plan. The people of Israel are panicking. There's an attack coming on, and fear is the first thing to wrap us up, and the enemy delights. And we don't often, listen, we're guilty, we need to repent of this.
We don't often equate fear and doubt with compromise. And my friend, the Lord has shown me today in just preparing for this that that's the first place that my compromise begins: in fear and in doubt. When I am doubting the Bible, I get myself in trouble. When I'm doubting the Bible, I get fearful. Compromise.
comes in and I make a bad call. Bad judgment. It happens, I believe, to every one of us. We have to be on guard. We have to be walking in the Spirit that we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
And I don't mean the lust of the flesh and all the normal type of male. Uh Stimulate things, not that, the lust of the flesh for revenge. The lust of the flesh for us to do this or that, or you know what, Israel? I tell you what, we're going to do. You know what?
No way. Let's wait upon the Lord. And do it God's way. In our lives, with our kids, in our home, and in our nation. Let's do it God's way.
Thank God. And so, listen, we need to be careful about the fact that the enemy will try to get us to compromise. Gonna try it. Through Nahash. Against the children of Israel.
Not only will the enemy try to wrap us up in fear, verse 1, look at verse 2. He will try to disable us. He will try to disable us. in our ability to fight back. Satan is against you.
He's wanting to disable you.
so that you don't fight back. Say, Janet, you know, are we really supposed to fight back? Listen, when Satan comes attacking you, the Bible demands that you pick up the sword of the Spirit. Do you remember? We just quoted it in one of the services recently: that the weapons of our warfare are not earthly.
Look at verse 2. He delights in getting us to compromise if he can get us. To be disabled, and that is unable to fight back. And Nahash and the Ammonites answered them and said, On this condition, Watch this. On this condition, I will make a covenant with you that I may put out all your right eyes and bring reproach on Israel.
What? Yeah, at the end of verse 2, when the invaders came, hey, we're gonna get you guys. Oh, oh, wait. Let's let's make a deal. And it's amazing.
Because in verse 1, they make mention In Jabish, they say, let's make a deal, let's draw up a covenant. And listen, the word in Hebrew means, let's draw up a covenant of cutting. Seriously, literally, cut him. You remember the old blood brothers deal? Let's cut our fingers and mix our blood and brothers, you know, brother to brother, yours, and life and death, and all that kind of stuff.
Guys did that stuff. And he had whatever.
Okay, we'll have an agreement, a covenant by cutting. First of all, God said in his law, no cutting. Leviticus, did you know that? Don't cut your flesh. To the nation of Israel.
Don't cut your skin. That's gut. He says it's my skin. You think it's your skin? He's my skin.
You're my people. I own you. I made you. Don't cut my skin.
So God says, no cutting. They say, ah, we'll make a covenant with you. Hang on, give us time to think about it. And so arrogant was Nahash that when these people said, give us seven days, we're going to think about it. He was so confident with his Ammonite troops that they were just going to sit in the circle.
Circle around about them and wait for seven days.
So confident that nobody would come to the help of this poor group of people. That these people succumbing to the attack and the compromise, the fear. They say, listen, we'll agree. Um If you invade us, if nobody comes to our aid and you invade us, okay. Uh you want to cut out our right eyes?
Okay, you can cut out our right eyes. You know what? I don't know about you guys. Seriously, if somebody tried to. Cut out my right eye.
Forget that. If somebody tried to cut out my left eye. Um You might as well just kill me. Just kill me. It's not that I'm going to be bummed about being one-eyed or being able to see only 50%.
If I'm going to go through that much pain, just kill me. But Satan's attempt to get us to compromise his. Diabolical scheme is to disable us to fight back. Say, Jack, where in the world do you get that out of verse 2? It's the right eye.
Circle it. The right eye. He says, Well, I still don't get it. You guys listen. Satan or Nahash wants to put out their right eye.
This is a fact. The right eye was the eye used in battle. for battle. Did you know that? It still is today.
Did you know that we live in a right-handed, right-eyed world? Did you know that? Listen. It's a fact. Because it worked in fellowship with the right hand.
For it was the right hand that held the sword for battle. That's why that wicked king knew, Let me cut out your right eye, because it was a right-handed world back then, much as it is now.
Soldiers were taught to fight with the right hand. Why? The left hand, the shields, the shields were made for the left hand. He's saying this: I'm not interested in your left eye. I want your right eye.
Satan's saying that to Christians tonight. I want your right eye. If I can take your right eye out, then you can't use your sword correctly. What is the sword? It's the word of God, says the Bible.
Ephesians chapter 6. The right eye. What good you can have a shield? But if you don't have a sword, you're gonna die, friend. You have got to have both shield and sword.
The left hand was for the shield, the right hand was for the sword, and you were to fight. And no wonder Nahash, having his satanic insights, says, I want your right eyes, every one of you. Diabolical, huh? The left eye, as I said, was used in battle, for battle, because it worked in fellowship with the left hand. to hold up the shield.
Exodus 15, 6. It says, your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious. in power. Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed my enemy to pieces. Yes, God's right-handed.
Pastor and Bible teacher Jack Hibbs. Here on Real Life Radio. with his message called O Say Can You See Part 1. You know, this message is part of Pastor Jack's series called 1 Samuel. A series that highlights the prophet Samuel, who was called by God during one of Israel's darkest ages, to bring the people back to a heart of true worship.
and will continue on the next edition of Real Life Radio. Did you know that along with the radio program, Pastor Jack also has a TV show with more of the Pastor Jack Hibbs content that you like? It's called Real Life TV. If you enjoy Pastor Jack on the radio, you're going to love him on TV.
So check out your local listings or visit jackhibbs.com and catch the latest episodes. That's jackhibbs.com. This program is made possible by the generous contributions of you, our listeners. Visit us at jackhibbs.com. That's jackhibbs.com.
Until next time, Pastor Jack Hibbs and all of us here at Real Life Radio wish for you solid and steady growth in Christ and in His Word. We'll see you next time here on Real Life Radio.
