I. God Accommodates His people's weaknesses (vv. 1-9). • Don't Fear: Israel will face nations and cities more powerful than they (v. 1). God goes with them and fights against their enemies (vv. 1-4). • Three exemptions (vv. 5-9): New House or Vineyard, New Wife (notice, not go back to your husband) (v. 7), and if fainthearted (v. 8). II. God Regulates how His people engage in war (vv. 10-15). • The notion, "All is fair in love and war" is not correct. III. God Abominates Wickedness (vv. 16-18). • God abhors, despises, hates, etc. wickedness. The language of these verses may shock some but it is for a purpose. TWO APPLICATIONS: God's Great CARE and CONCERN! 1. God Great Care. • God assures them that He is with them ("the Lord your God is with you" v. 1; "for the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you" v. 4) 2. God's Great Concern (v. 18). • What was God concerned about so much that He required that Israel destroy these nations, they must "devote them to complete destruction" (v. 17)? Why we learn of it in v. 18 — so that we wouldn't turn to idolatry and perform those abominable practices!!! Christ gave himself up for us and died for us; we have been bought — our forgiveness is guaranteed, our salvation is secure — all received by faith and repentance! He who loves us and bought us bids us to die to ourselves that we might live, to follow Him that we might have abundant life, to love Him as He loved us by willing to sacrifice all for Him.
We do this NOT TO EARN but to respond in love and thankfulness!!!!
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Dr. Mark Herzer has been the pastor of Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church (P.C.A.) in Warminster, PA since 1997. Before this, he was ordained to labor as an Assistant Pastor of Korean United Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia (1992-1995). He received his M.A.R. and Ph. D....
