OBJECTIVES OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE

 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Lesson Objective

This lesson aims to understand the goodness of God as opposed to the evilness of the devil. Understanding the goodness of God is first and foremost in spiritual warfare to build the kind of faith that will move mountains and fulfill God's promise of victory in our lives.

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction

2. The Battle Begins

3. The Art of War

4. The Enemy of the Soul

5. Our Weapons of Warfare

Introduction

The believer must recognize that they are in a battle. Not knowing the spiritual conflict that is raging around the believer is why there are so many defeated Christians. This is the basic fact that allows one to prepare for battle and face an enemy that can only be seen with spiritual eyes. Ignorance is a Christian's greatest weakness. Keep Christians ignorant, and they will be no threat to Satan. One of the other most important things to know is that the two kingdoms conflict. This is the source of all spiritual battles that we face. There is the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of Light. These are the kingdoms of Satan and the LORD, respectively. In his letter to the church at Rome, Paul admonishes the saints to put on the armor of Light. Christians are in a war against the kingdom of darkness, and our weapons are spiritual.

This study aims to encourage the student to seek to understand the spiritual conflict in which Christians are engaged thoroughly. It intends to provide discipline and training in the art of skillfully using the sword of the Word of God. The follower of the LORD has been admonished to, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

To lean not unto our understanding seems simple enough, but this is a journey that is a life-long struggle and requires us to truth the LORD every day. Jesus commanded us to seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. Here we have been admonished to "seek," which implies a continuous effort and a never-ending learning process--it is a life-long study. The Word of God gives us the means to develop the art of spiritual self-defense. The Christian is in a daily battle fighting the enemy of the soul. The only protection against defeat is in knowing the Word of God. It would not be very smart for someone to say they are not interested in being thorough in understanding how to live a victorious life in Christ Jesus. Being faced with an enemy experienced in spiritual conflict, the challenge for us today is to master the Word of the LORD.

The Battle Begins

The moment a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and receives God's Holy Spirit, that person is instantly translated from the kingdom of darkness of this world into the kingdom of God's Light by God's Holy Spirit of truth. The Apostle Paul describes this process as the "mystery" revealed, which is "Christ in you," the hope of glory.

Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Col 1:27 to whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

The believer is saved from the power and bondage of sin, the carnal nature, the devil, and supernaturally empowered with the Holy Spirit. The power of darkness is anything that blinds a person to the reality of sin. It is the power of darkness that blinds a person to their need for salvation and from receiving God's gift of the Holy Spirit. By the Holy Spirit's conviction, God draws the sinner towards Him by the Light that lightest everyone who comes into the world that leads to salvation in Christ by the cross. The people of the world reject the truth of Christ and are under the control or deception of the God of this world, which is the devil. Scripture states,

1 John 5:19 "We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in the evil one."

2Co 4:4 in whom the god [devil] of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the Light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them.

The Art of War

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33)

"These were nobler than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

Without trying to over-analyze, the command "seek" directly implies an endeavor to find the knowledge that must be sought out by work and discipline. In other words, it's a process, a path, a journey, a continual quest.

This seems simple enough. But that's the whole trick, isn't it? The keyword here is "seek." It should be indisputable that this skill is not to be approached lightly. But when do you know you understand the righteousness of God? I don't think we ever truly do, which is why the "seek" part implies a continuous effort and never-ending process. We must maintain an open-ended approach to a life-long study of the righteousness of God. We should never become conceited in thinking that we have learned all the skill which is to be learned already, we are deceived if we think we understand all there is to know.

The subject "Art" here focuses on self-development in a systematic methodology of God's Word teachings. There is no questioning the depth of wisdom and sophistication of fighting knowledge contained within the scriptures. We need to explore. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to victory or defeat. Therefore it is a subject of study which cannot be neglected.

It's long been an axiom of military science and martial arts that wisdom begins with an honest evaluation of strength and weakness. There is nothing to gain by self-deception and self-delusion when it comes to gauging our capabilities and vulnerabilities.

Our success is based on five conditions:

Personal salvation - "Therefore if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 517)

Yielding to the Will of God, "Do not yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but yield yourselves to God, as one alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God." (Romans 6:13)

Filled with the Spirit, - "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)

Studying to be approved, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

Applying the Word of God, "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." (1 Timothy 4:16)

The believer that applies and acts upon this knowledge will be victorious in defeating the enemy of the soul. The believer that ignores this will suffer defeat. Paul, writing to Timothy, advised him to take heed to his own life and the doctrine or teachings of the scriptures; he learned how to apply the principles of spiritual warfare. By working to prepare ourselves to fight the good fight of faith, we obtain the ability to execute spiritual warfare principles.

The Enemy of the Soul

The enemy of our soul is Satan. Satan is the God of this world system and is called "evil" in 1 John 5:19. Jesus faced the same enemy as we met when he was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. We read,

Luke 4:5 - 8: And he [the devil] led him [Jesus] up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment. And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give all this authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever, I will I give it. If thou, therefore, wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

This position of Satan power and world domination was acquired when both Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, being tempted of the devil in the Garden of Eden. The lure of the temptation of Adam and Eve was to be like God. Satan hates God and His creation and seeks to win humanity over for its destruction. All dominion over the earth was originally given to Adam and Eve, but because of their sin, all of humanity and nature itself fell under the destruction and power of the devil. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Rom. 5:12

The enemy of the soul first appeared to man in the Garden of Eden when he deceived Eve into disobeying the LORD. God had given a command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil." But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." Gen 2:17 Eve being deceived, disobeyed the LORD. "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it." Gen 3:6

The result of just one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people. By yielding to the enemy of the soul, one man's disobedience every one now born into the world is born a sinner. So by the sin of Adam, death was passed upon all mankind. All of us came into this world with a desire to gratify the cravings of our carnal nature. James writes, "Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." This is how the enemy of our soul wages war against us through the need to gratify the cravings of our carnal nature.

He lost the battle to dethrone God and was cast back to his domain-Earth. He now attacks God by making war on humanity. With this understanding of events, we can see that our battles in this spiritual warfare come from principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and the spiritual host of wickedness in high places. We are in a life and death struggle against evil. The enemy of the soul is the God of this world—Satan.

From the moment Adam disobeyed the commandment of the LORD, all of God's creation, the plants, the animals, sea life, and of course humanity itself began to suffer and die. This account is found in the first 3 chapters of the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve's sins brought the curse of sin to all the earth, in which we have our redemption only in Christ. It is only Christ, the Son of God, Who suffered the penalty of this curse to set us free and bring us back to God; therefore Christ is the only way we can be saved.

Our Weapons of Warfare

The power of God is released, as we utilize every piece of the armor of God against evil spirits, who Paul labels as principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness on high. We are asked to prepare ourselves as soldiers in spiritual warfare, because as a forbearer of God's truth and power, Christians and God's work are targets of the devil for destruction. The intense hate of the devil, and his devil spirits against God's creation is unimaginable, but nonetheless real, he is cruel and merciless; however, he cannot defeat God, and therefore he uses trickery and deception to defeat believers, or draw them into vulnerable positions. Some of these positions are: fear, doubt, confusion, condemnation, temptation through pressure or pleasure, spiritual blindness, pride, affliction or persecution, intended to frustrate the purposes of God through His people. He is cunning and attempts to oppress us in our weakest areas (through our thought life or other people and circumstances), in which the "unaware" are led into chains of depression and other forms of bondage.

We have been commanded to "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." The armor consist of having our, ". . . feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: We are to, "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; which is also referred to as the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. This is the armor that will quench the fiery darts of the wicked-"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

When we are equipped with the armor of God, the power God protects us against evil spirits, the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness on high. We are asked to prepare ourselves as soldiers in spiritual warfare, because as a witness of God's truth and power, Christians and God's work are targets of the devil for destruction. The weapons of the devil are: fear, doubt, confusion, condemnation, temptation through pressure or pleasure, spiritual blindness, pride, affliction or persecution, intended to frustrate the purposes of God through His people. He is cunning and attempts to oppress us in our weakest areas (through our thought life or other people and circumstances), in which the "unaware" are led into chains of depression and other forms of bondage.

If we fail to use the protection that God has given us, we will find that we are no more than Satan's amusement. The conflict will vary; however, if we rely on our strength, we will fall into an endless pattern of defeat, being victimized by the same snares or traps. Often, hostile situations may reoccur because the spirit forces behind a condition are left undetected, and by relying on our human wisdom and strength, we are left without a solution to our problems. We must attempt to identify the area of the enemy's infiltration. We need to keep in mind that we are never told to remove the armor of God; it is a way of life for the Christian.

The Armor of Light--Theology According to Truitt

Put on the armor of Light. And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of Light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Rom 13:11-14

While preparing a series of messages on spiritual warfare, I ran across this passage of scripture. I am sure that we are all familiar with the passage in Ephesians 6 that talks about the whole armor of God. In fact, you may have had a Sunday School teacher who had you make all the armor from cardboard and remember the verse that went with each piece of armor. This passage in Roman is hidden in the message of how we should conduct ourselves as Christians being people of the day and not of the night.

What started out as reading a few commentaries on the 12th verse which took me on a wild ride of information jumping. You know where you are reading something, and a new idea is presented, and you follow it, and another new idea is presented. Well, this ride was an exciting ride.

I was waiting for a meeting to start, so I thought I would check out some more on the "armor of light". I was trying to find how Light could be the armor of the Christian. No luck. This got me to thinking about when Adam was created-- how was he clothed? It has long been taught that he was clothed in Light. So this started me on a new search. But before I get to the really interesting information, let's go back to the command.

Christians are commanded to "put on the amour of light" and "to put on the Lord Jesus." What does this mean? To be clothed with a person is a Greek phrase, signifying to assume the interests of another--to enter into his views, to imitate him, and be wholly on his side. Putting on the armor of Light is being clothed with Jesus Christ, signifies I have put on Christ; and consequently having the mind that was in Christ.

Christians are soldiers in the midst of a spiritual conflict and must have personal protection armor that they may stand against the enemy of the soul. A Christian undressed is unarmed. The graces of the Spirit are the armor, to secure the soul from Satan's temptations and the assaults of this present evil world. Put on the righteousness of Christ for justification; be found in him (Phil. 3:9 ) as a man is found in his clothes; put on the priestly garments of the elder brother, that in them you may obtain the blessing. Put on the Spirit and grace of Christ for sanctification; put on the new man (Eph 4:24); get the habit of grace confirmed, the acts of it quickened." Jesus Christ is the best clothing for Christians to adorn themselves with, to arm themselves with; it is decent, distinguishing, dignifying, and defending. Without Christ, we are naked, deformed; all other things are filthy rages, fig-leaves, a sorry shelter. "Put him on as Lord to rule you, as Jesus to save you, and in both as Christ, anointed and appointed by the Father to this ruling saving work."

I think we get the point of how important it is to identify with Christ. But what is interesting is that Paul would use the expression "the armor of light." The fact that God is light is important to our study of putting on the armor of Light. It includes a description of God's character as well as implications for the life of Christian discipleship. In fact, the character of God as Light and the Christian putting on the armor of Light has its foundation in the creation of Adam. This is where I started down a long road of inquiry.

Adam was created in God's image and likeness, which includes the appearance of God. We can reason more of how Adam was before he fell into sin by understanding how he was clothed in Light. Adam was covered with Light as with a garment, similar to his God. Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering Yourself with Light as with a cloak, Ps.104:2

We also have seen that the Holy Spirit was indwelling in Adam when he was created. God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul. God created Adam in His image and likeness concerning his general shape (head, shoulders, hands, and feet) plus Adam was emitting Light in a manner similar to God, and he was also filled with the Spirit of God. The question that I had to ask myself was where did the Light come from?

This question side tracked me into searching for the answer. Here is what I found. Fritz-Albert Popp thought he had discovered a cure for cancer. It was 1970, and Popp, a theoretical biophysicist at the University of Marburg in Germany, had been teaching radiology -- the interaction of electromagnetic (EM) radiation on biological systems.

What Popp discovered was that benzo[a]pyrene (the cancer producing molecule) absorbed the UV light, then re-emitted it at a completely different frequency -- it was a light "scrambler". The benzo[e]pyrene (harmless to humans), allowed the UV light to pass through it unaltered.

Popp was puzzled by this difference, and continued to experiment with UV light and other compounds. He performed his test on 37 different chemicals, some cancer-causing, some not. After a while, he was able to predict which substances could cause cancer. In every instance, the compounds that were carcinogenic took the UV light, absorbed it and changed or scrambled the frequency.

Popp kept wondering why a cancer-causing substance would be a light scrambler. He began reading the scientific literature specifically about human biological reactions, and came across information about a phenomenon called 'photorepair'. The quick summary of this phenomenon is that light aids in the healing process of the cells. Well, this led me to another question, is there Light within the body?

What is it that enabled the tens of thousands of different kinds of molecules in the organism to recognize their specific targets? Photons (Light) control everything in the cells of our body. Photons switch on the body's processes like an orchestra conductor bringing each individual instrument into the collective sound. At different frequencies, they perform different functions. Popp found that molecules in the cells responded to certain frequencies, and that a range of vibrations from the photons caused a variety of frequencies in other molecules of the body.

Remember in the Gospel of John, "That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world". If the cells of our body repair themselves through a process of photo repair and Light controls every cell within our body, could light then play a major role in how man was designed? So I asked myself this question, does Light play a part in our DNA?

To save you from all the scientific language, let me cut to the chase. One of the most essential sources of light and biophoton emissions is DNA. DNA was like the master tuning fork of the body. It would strike a particular frequency and certain molecules would follow. Our DNA not only emits Light, but absorbs Light as well. It would seem that our DNA is like an electric capacitor which can store tiny amounts of electricity and then discharge it. In a similar way, we can speculate that the Light that was coming from Adam was not being produced from his own self, but was first absorbed from God and then reemitted, very much like how things glow in the dark. Glow-in-the-dark objects need to be exposed to Light, or charged, in order to glow.

Adam must have emitted large amounts of Light or photons from his DNA. When he sinned, the Light that he received from God, the Light source, was presumably extinguished. Proverbs 13:9 says: "The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out," Then Jesus spoke to them again: "I AM THE LIGHT of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the LIGHT OF LIFE." (John 8:12) In HIM WAS LIFE; and the LIFE WAS THE LIGHT of men. (John 1:4 KJV)

The conclusion of Dr. Popp's research was best summarized in his own words, "We now know, today, that man is essentially a being of light."

When Paul told the Christians at Rome to put on the armor of Light, he was telling them to become a new creation. Our new man has been created in God's image – imagine that! We, as new creations are in the image of the One who made us! Paul states that Jesus is the image of God: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15 NET). Then he states that we are in that image using the same Greek word "and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it," (Colossians 3:10 NET). We must not forget, however, that Adam was originally created in the image of God. Thus if in our new man we will be like God (not be God in all of his glory, but like Him!), then we must conclude that when God made Adam in His image or likeness and Adam emitted Light in a way similar to God. As long as Adam was connected to the source, he was protected from the enemy of his soul.

When we put on the armor of Light, we are connecting to the source of Light and are protected from the enemy of our soul. Have you put on the armor of Light?

PREPARING FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE

 Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Lesson Objective

After this study, the student will be equipped to face the spiritual warfare facing all Christian believers. This Study will include: understanding the weapons of spiritual warfare, mastering the weapons, preparing for battle, showing the importance of practice, facing the enemy, fighting the fight of faith, handling defeat, overcoming the enemy, and facing death.

Introduction

What we believe wh influences our childhood experiences have conditioned our belief system, education, what we watch, hear and read from the mass media, and various other external influences such as our politics and religion. As we get older, the previously held belief system has been overly simplistic and lacked depth, and we often change.

As we acquire new information, we begin to question the established standard seriously. The new information is examined under the old paradigm. If it disagrees with our belief system, it is discarded, even though it can be verified as truth. This action is dangerous and places the believer in a precarious situation.

There comes a time in our life that all of us resist letting go of old beliefs. Then there are times when we are excited to explore new ways of thinking. It should be noted that I have no desire to make you believe anything. I am only interested in challenging you to expand your belief system to accept what is truth. To prepare you to engage an enemy that is seeking to destroy your soul is my only intent.

There are times when our belief system conflicts. As a child in Sunday School, we were taught to love "everyone in the world." But as we grow older on a general level, we may believe that all humanity is shown, love. Yet, on a personal level, we may feel fully justified at times in being angry and upset at individuals who are hateful and evil, and you have no love for these people. Some may go so far as to justify killing, not that they would be guilty of the act, but would condone others acting. We have no problem making sense of what may appear "illogical" even when it conflicts with our belief system.

By choosing to be honest, the inconsistencies within us and the world become increasingly apparent, allowing us to decide how we deal with them. We naturally become more open and better able to understand and integrate conflicting beliefs on various levels. Through choosing to identify, understand, and transform the inconsistencies within ourselves, they can become potent teachers inviting us to expand our awareness if we allow them.

The more soundly we believe those beliefs will shape something, the more likely our lives change. The more deeply we know something to be accurate, the more likely we will see and experience the world in terms of that truth. That is why it is essential too, Study to show thyself approved—rightly dividing the word of God.

Yet this does not necessarily mean that what is valid for one person will be true for others no matter how deeply it is experienced. Perception is reality. Through their interpretation of what happens to them throughout life, each person develops their version of reality, which has varying amounts of overlap with what others believe to be the reality. We may believe something to be accurate and authentic, but our emotional experiences can be different. The more honest we are to ourselves and the spiritual world around us, the more consciously we can make choices. And the more open we are in expanding our knowledge and beliefs, the more powerfully we can face the enemy of our soul.

Let's then choose to be open, transparent, and honest both with ourselves and with each other and offer support for the possibilities of spiritual growth that lie within each one of us. This will only happen when we are aware of the spiritual conflict in which we are engaged. Preparing ourselves for the battle is part of the Christian journey.

Study Outline

1. Objectives of Spiritual Warfare- Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

2. Understanding Your Weapons-(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)

3. Mastering the Sword- All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

4. Mastering the Shield- So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

5. Mental Preparation for Battle-But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

6. The Importance of Practice-Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

7. Facing the Enemy- Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:-There is nothing loving about the enemy of your soul".

8. Fighting the Good Fight of Faith- Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

9. Combat on the Battlefield-Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

10. Handling Defeat- A righteous man falling down before the wicked [is as] a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring.

11. Overcoming the Enemy- In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

12. Facing Death- Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

Judges- Christ Through the Bible

Text: Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who, shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? Judges 1:1

Introduction 

Joshua is dead, and the children of Israel are wondering who will lead them against the Canaanites?  The Book of Judges is a transitional book. The leadership is once again changing, “Joshua died, and they buried him;" and there is a uniqueness in the close of his history.  It was Joshua that divided the land by lot and gave to each tribe a portion to enjoy.  But for Joshua, there is neither wife nor children nor any choice possession. He, however, blessed Caleb, of whom it is said, "his seed shall possess the land," for "the less is blessed of, the greater;" and in this as in his life and death a type of Christ, the Giver of all good, Who," though He was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." " Joshua died, and they buried him;" we read of no weeping of friends, or no individual honors paid him on his death.  " Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders that over lived Joshua.” 

The Book of Judges is a transitional book, and it has been said to stand in the same relation to the Old Testament as the Acts of the Apostles, and the Book of Revelation hold to the New Testament. The Book of Judges shows the operations of the Holy Spirit in some of those " Saviors" who were raised up from time to time to deliver Israel, and the Book of the Acts displays the workings of the Holy Ghost in the Apostles, the judges of the twelve tribes of spiritual Israel, enabling them to overcome the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, and extend the inheritance of the Church. The book of Revelation reveals the sin of human pride and ambition.  The Book of Judges, though full of encouragement to the Church that the gifts of the Spirit will not fail even in the darkest days, is also filled with grave warnings against the abuse of those gifts, and displays a depressing picture of the defection of Israel, and the unfortunate consequences that followed.  The Old Testament speaks to us of Christ, His Person, His Work, His Glory.  

In the Book of Judges, there are as many types Christ as there are leaders." The history of the Judges is full of mysteries; after Joshua, the Judges succeed and after Christ, the Apostles.  Here is a list of all the judges and the meaning of their names. 

·         Othniel-  "God's strength, God's lion." (3:7-11) 1st Judge after Joshua's death.

·         Ehud- "love; pleasant; united." (3:12-30) Fought the Moabites.

·         Shagmar- He is here a stranger (3:31) Led Israelites against the Philistines.

·         Deborah- Bee 4:5 Prophetess, guided Barak, she was the only female judge.

·         Gideon- He who cuts down". (6-8) Defeated Midianites with 300 men.

·         Abimelech- My father, the King (9) Only judge to win leadership through treachery.

·         Yair- He will enlighten (10: 1-5) Judged Israel for 22 years.

·         Jepthah- Whom God sets free (10:17-12:7) Defeated Ammonites.

·         Ibzan- Father of a target (12:8-15) Judged people for 7.

·         Elon- Oak (12:8-15) Judge for 10 years.

·         Abdon-  Servant (12:8-15) Ruled for 8 years.

·         Samson- Sun (13-16) Fought Philistines singlehandedly.

·         Eli- High (1 Samuel 1:9) Priest, ruled people from the sanctuary at Gilo.

·         Samuel- God heard Last judge before the kingdom came under the rule of Saul. 

God gave the judges a mission, and they performed it with unwavering faith; the performance of it constituted their trial, and on their going through it their final justification. It was for their faith they are praised, and their names are in the Book of Life.  The Apostle says, "through faith subdued kingdoms," as Barak, and Gideon, and Jephthah ; “wrought righteousness, stopped the mouths of lions," as Samson; "escaped the edge of the sword," as Gideon and Samson ; "out of weakness were made strong," as Deborah and Jael; "waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens," and so displayed the working of the Divine Judge and Savior of Israel, in His own Person as the God-Man, and in His servants the Apostles and elders of His spiritual body the Church.  

The Book of Judges also displays the disastrous condition of a nation, or an individual soul, who forsakes God.  The death of Joshua is the date of degeneracy in Israel; so, in spiritual respects, as long as the True Joshua (Jesus) lives in the soul, there is health. Paul says, " I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;" but if Christ dies in the soul, that death is the death of the soul.  The first victory of the tribe of Judah reveals to us what Israel might have done with God's help if they had been steadfast in their allegiance to Him.   It should be noted that the conquest of Canaan would be based on the moral character of Israel. It was not the superiority of the Israelites over the Canaanites, that made them victorious but the purity and integrity of their obedience to God's law, and their righteous.  They held the country as it were by a lease based on their willingness to serve the LORD, and forfeited their title when they defied God.

 Abimelech, the son of Gideon, has been regarded as having the spirit of antichrist. When the men of Shechem made him king, they were defying God.  Abimelech was made king by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem, the very spot where Joshua had made a covenant with Israel as subjects of Jehovah, their king.  This was the place where the people had said, "The Lord our God will we serve, and His voice will we obey.”  This was a foreshadowing of the future fulfilment of Paul's prophecy concerning the man of sin.   

Jotham was Gideon's youngest son and the only one that escaped the sword of Abimelech. In his Parable of the Trees, he predicts the downfall of Abimelech.  The curse of Jotham was speedily fulfilled, both Abimelech and the men of Shechem, were killed by fire. God brought an end to the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father in slaying his seventy brethren: and all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham, the son of Jerubbaal." He made Abimelech an instrument for punishing the wickedness of the men of Shechem, and He punished Abimelech, in the hour of victory, for his sin against his father and his brethren, and against the Lord. No mention is made of the burial of Abimelech; though of the following judges it is said that they died and were also buried, and because, in contrast to Abimelech, they had hope in their death and were buried in peace, and in the faith of a resurrection, as Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. 

There were five Judges of Israel Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, of whom nothing is recorded, because, as some say, they did nothing, or, because writer knew nothing about them. Jair's thirty sons, riding on thirty ass colts, the emblems of peace as contrasted with the war-horse of battle are a type of the future Judge of Israel, riding on the foal of an ass, to His own city Jerusalem, the city of Peace, a type of Heaven, that the children of the true Jair, a name derived from " light," will follow Him in His meekness, and reflect His glory.  Jesus is the Light that lighteth every man and we are a reflection of that Light. 

The book of Judges is not a history book that is recording every event that took place over the leadership of the judges.  These recorded events are chosen because they relate directly or indirectly to the Jesus Christ and our salvation. 

Since Samuel is covered in the two books bearing his name, I will cover Samuel later.  The main judge for this message is Samson.  Samson has many events in his life that parallel with the life of Christ. 

The Angel of the Lord, the Son of God, appears to Manoah's wife. The promised child is to be a Nazarite from his mother's womb.  A type of Christ sanctified from birth.   Monoah’s wife bare a son and called his name Samson.  Samson was a figure of Christ in the annunciation of his nativity by an Angel.  He typified Christ in his sanctification to God and in his name which signifies the Sun. He became the deliverer of Israel and in the destruction of their enemies by his death. 

Samson was a difficult son.   He went against his parents when he married a Gentile bride.  Samson’s parents argued with him for not choosing a wife from his own people. Some writers see this as the Gentile Church. Samson's choice had been directed by God. 

And Samson went down to Timnath and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.   And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now, therefore, get her for me to wife.  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.   But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the Lord, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. Judges 14:1-4

Let  me wander off for a little bit.  God is the One who ultimately judges the nations. The psalmist wrote.  But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another (Psalm 75:7).

Daniel told king Nebuchadnezzar that the God of the Bible is Lord over all.

You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will (Daniel 4:32).

Daniel stressed the fact that God will give the kingdom to whomever He wills. He can withdraw kings as well as raise them up.

It is God who sets the various boundaries of the kingdoms of the world. From one ancestor he made all nations to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live (Acts 17:26).

All authority is ultimately under the control of God. Paul wrote. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God (Romans 13:1).

Egypt The Bible says that God’s dealings can be seen in His workings with Egypt. Paul wrote.

 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even, for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Rom. 9:17

Pharaoh made the choice to defy the LORD.  His choice resulted in the loss of his kingdom and his army.  He could have repented but he didn’t.  This Pharaoh considered himself a greater god than the LORD.  Pharaohs were considered one of the more important of all the Egyptian gods. While a pharaoh was ruling, he took on the "incarnation" of the god Horus and the son of Re.  That is why the cultural significance of the gods relied heavily upon the beliefs of the pharaoh who was ruling. It was believed that the fate of the nation lay strictly with the pharaoh.   It was this Pharaoh that the LORD chose to destroy the false gods of Egypt and bring the empire of Egypt to a close.

Babylon--   Babylon, the nation that God used to judge Israel, would find themselves judged by God. This would happen through the Medo-Persian Empire – particularly by King Cyrus. God said of Cyrus.

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him — and the gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me (Isaiah 45:1-5).

The Medo-Persian Empire was God’s instrument to overthrow Babylon. (Daniel 1-5, Jeremiah 50-51, and Isaiah 47-48).

The Medo-Persian Empire, which followed the Babylonian, was also a target of God’s judgment (Isaiah 44:24-45:1-7; Daniel 2, 7). He is the One who allowed them to rise and He is the One who caused them to fall. Their destiny was completely in His hand.

Greece After the Babylonian Empire, and the Medo-Persian Empire, came Greece. Greece rose and fell according to God’s time frame (Daniel 8:1-25; 11:1-35). Again, He was the one in control of their destiny.

Rome The Roman Empire, according to Scripture, would rise up after these three previous world empires (Daniel 7:7,23, 9:24-27). This happened exactly as the Bible predicted. Again, the Lord was in total control.

History tells us that the LORD has been working behind the scenes. The rise and fall of nations is at His desire. It is ultimately He who decides their fate. We discover this in the history of Egypt, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, and even now the Islamic nations.

Back to Samson.

Samson, married a Gentile woman to get close to the enemy of Israel.  This was God’s plan to bring judgment on the Philistine kings.

His first deed of skill showing his strength was his encounter with the lion, recalls the words of the Psalmist,--Thou shalt go upon the lion, and the adder: The young lion and the dragon shalt Thou tread under Thy feet.   Just as Christ, trod under His feet the roaring lion, when, " moved by the Spirit," as Samson was, He encountered the tempter in the wilderness and was with the wild beasts.   

Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

When Samson killed the lion, he did not brag about the lion and its death.  If you recall Jesus did not want to call attention to the things, He did.   It was several days later, Samson came back on his way to get married.  The lion that he killed was still there with a swarm of bees in its body. They had made some honey. Samson got some of the honey when he arrived at his parents, he gave them some of the honey, and they ate it too. But Samson did not tell his parents that he had taken the honey from the body of the dead lion. 

It was prophesied of Christ that in a spiritual as well as in a literal sense, " Butter and honey shall He eat;" and " O how sweet are Thy words unto my throat," says the Psalmist, " yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth."  

Samson’s wife along with her father and family were burned to death by the Philistines.  This made Samson very angry.  He goes fox hunting and catches 300 live fox.  He ties them together in pairs and put a torch between their tails and send them running into the fields and vineyards of the Philistines burning their crops to the ground.  The Philistines, now are angry and go to Judah to get their revenge.  The conduct of the men of Judah, in saying that the Philistines were their rulers, and delivering Samson to them, was like that of the Jews, saying, " We have no king but Caesar," and delivering up Christ to the Romans. Samson's victory over them with the jaw-bone of an ass typified a triumph over the enemy. 

Samson allowed himself the glory which he ought to have given to God.  With the jaw-bone of an ass,' he says, - have I slain a thousand men.' He erected no altar, he offered no sacrifice; but forgetful of the duty of praise and thanksgiving, and assuming the honor of the conquest, he chanted a hymn of praise to himself, and consecrated the place to his own name, and called it Ramath-lehi (the lifting up of the jaw-bone.)" But God mercifully made him feel his dependence upon Him, and "he was sore athirst;" and then indeed he ascribes his deliverance to God and prays for help against his enemies; and " God carved an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout," when  on the Cross Christ said, " I thirst," can make His grace to flow even from the most despised instruments. " God brought water out of the rock for Israel and brought water out of a bone for Samson. He gave him honey from the mouth of the lion, and water from the jaw bone of an ass. life out of death? 

In the next event of Samson's history, his carrying off the gates of Gaza, we are reminded again of that truer Samson, Who, when His enemies thought that He was lying a prisoner in the grave, arose from the sleep of death at midnight, and broke the bars of death and hell the stronghold of Satan.  He carried the gates far beyond " the hill that is before Hebron," where lay the bodies of the Old Testament Saints, even to Hebron itself, giving assurance to all the seed of Abraham in the words of the prophet Micah,  the Breaker is come up before them ; their King shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them ;" for " He hath broken the gates of brass and smitten the bars of iron in sunder."  

Three times in the history of Samson is Christ's Passion prefigured when he was shut in at Gaza, when he was bound on the top of the rock Etam, and when he died with the Philistines. We see the Lord's temptation in the wilderness in the story of Delilah.  

Three times was Samson tempted to betray the cause of his people, " If they bind me with seven green withs,"—" if they bind me fast with new ropes,"—" if thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web." Satan would have bound our Lord with the ropes, as the prophet calls them, of the seven sins, which are the heads and fountains of all sins: " And he brake them from off his arms like a thread." 

Delilah, the familiar friend in whom he trusted, is bribed by money to betray Samson, as Judas was to betray Christ and Samson replied to Delilah's temptations by three lies, but Christ responded to the temptations of Satan by three sayings from the Scripture of truth.  And now Samson reveals his secret. He had no idea indeed that anyone would dare to approach him so carefully as to shave off his seven locks; but the Spirit of the LORD left him and what he did not imagine to be possible, now came to pass.  

Delilah called for a man to shave off the signs of his dedication to God, but it was not till after Samson himself had suggested and permitted that those seven locks should be woven in her web. Samson "wist not that the Lord was departed from him," for he was already morally and spiritually blinded by sin; and as his eyes were the first offenders which betrayed him to evil desires, it is in them that he is punished, and the very scene of his sin is made the place of his punishment. 

As the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven, and his repentance and prayer, to God would bring redemption to Samson, but it would cost him his life. The blinded Samson was brought out to be mocked by his enemies at a great religious festival and where was that banquet-- in the house of Dagon.  

When the thirty pieces of silver were paid for Christ, when the band of men came with their swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people, when all was arranged so that there should be no uproar among the people, when they had chosen the place, the garden of Gethsemane, when they had fixed the time, the midnight before the Passover began,—indeed those hosts of evil angels then said, " our god," even the god of this world, — " hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us." And not only they, but the chief priests, and scribes, and elders, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the governor and the soldiers, were gathered together to the spectacle, little thinking that the more illustrious the assemblage, the more complete the victory. 

 This chapter from the Book of Judges might well be a page from the conclusion of the Gospels. " And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport." "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto Him the whole band of soldiers.  And they blindfolded Him, and bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews."  

It would be by that very sport, the five lords of the Philistines provided the way to their own destruction. They lifted Christ on the Cross, as the Philistines put Samson between the two pillars to make-sport of him, this was the moment of victory. Samson, exposed to the ridicule of the people, his arms stretched out grasping the two main pillars of the house just as Christ had His arms stretched out on the wood of the Cross. Samson’s hands gripping the two main posts of the House of Dagon bowed His head, not in the weakness of death, but with all the strength of full life brought down the temple of evil.  Just as Christ cried with a loud voice to show that no man took that life from Him, but that He laid it down of Himself, that He had power to lay it down, and that He had power to retake it. When Christ said, it is finished the house of Satan fell, and the ruin of that house was great. He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost." " So, the dead which He slew at His death were more than they which He slew in His life."  Christ in His dying destroyed death, hell and the grave.  He led those held captive free from the captivity they were kept in. The law, sin, death, hell, had never been vanquished but by the death of Christ, he gave to all mankind the hope of salvation.

That hope is offered to everyone.  If you have not accepted the gift being offered by Jesus Christ, He calls to you today.  Hear the Spirit of the LORD and answer His call, and accept His salvation now.