WAR

 
Wars and Rumors of War By Pastor Dan Kennedy © May 25, 2014 www.pastorkennedy.com It is Memorial Day weekend. We honor those who fought and who died in wars protecting the freedom of our nation. We also honor the One who died to bring us peace with God, in a world filled with WAR against God. Today we are going to explore “war”. • What are the causes of WAR and how do those causes affect us? • How can we survive through the treacherous minefields of WAR that are scattered around us and in us? • How can we live a life that honors God in WAR-complicated days? Jesus Spoke about the Continuing Wars that will be in the World…until the End Matthew 24:3–8 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered: • “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. • 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. • There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. • 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. On the following link you can view wars continuing in 2014 with 1,000 or more Deaths per year...as well as other conflicts in the world today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts. Jesus was accurate: We live in a world filled with war… and the increasing “birth pains” are making all these things intensify as we come closer to the end of this age. “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” - Matthew 24:6-7 The Causes of War • What are the causes of war and how do those causes affect us? 1. Everyone’s Own Sinful Nature is the fundamental reason for strife in the world! In his Biblical epistle, the Apostle James outlines the basic reasons for conflict: James 4:1–3 4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. What Causes Quarrels and Fights among us – leading to “war”? • The desires and passions that battle within us o Our desire to have power o Our desire to be right o Our desire to know certain things o Our desire to have certain things that make us “happy” o Our desire to be in control • We want something but don’t get it, so we murder • We covet and can’t obtain so we fight and quarrel • We do not have because we do not ask God… • But when we ask God, we do not receive what we ask for… • Because we ask with the wrong motives, so we can spend it on our own passions. Not only is everyone’s sinful nature the fundamental reason causing strife in the world, but from our carnal nature within us rises injustices and inequities that bring great strife and war in the world. 2. Inequities and Injustices cause strife and war, rising from our own base desires. Abimelech’s Destructive Power Grab You may have heard about Gideon. He was a man, chosen by God to deliver Israel from the Midianites who severely oppressed them (Judges 5-8). If you remember, it was Gideon that God used to defeat the vast army of the Midianites with only three hundred men – with a lamp in one hand and a trumpet in the other. Gideon’s victory was so astounding, it made him revered in all Israel until he passed away. Gideon evidently had many wives and at least one concubine, because he had 70 sons from his wives, and Abimelech, from a concubine in Shechem. Gideon’s son, Abimelech had an insatiable desire for power, leading to gross murder, deceptive leadership and eventual downfall and death for many…including himself. Judges 8:29–9:57 (see Addendum, at the end, for full text) Abimelech’s Conspiracy • Abimelech was one of the son’s of Gideon (Gideon was also called Jerubbaal [Judges 5:31-32] throughout the story), but Abimelech was born to a concubine who lived in Shechem and not to one of Gideon’s wives…so he, evidently, was not considered by the other brothers to be a “full” brother. • Abimelech was determined to be a leader at all cost, so he conspired with his mother’s relatives in Shechem, against his 70 other brothers, to have undisputed leadership in Israel since Gideon, his father, had passed away. • His relatives in Shechem financed his rebellion. • With the money the Shechemites gave him, Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men who helped him kill 69 of his brothers, so Abimelech could assume an undisputed place of leadership in Israel. • Jotham, Gideon’s son who escaped the slaughter of his other brothers, condemned Abimelech and brought the curse of God on him and those who helped him kill his other brothers. • God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem – to bring evil on Abimelech and those in Shechem for what they had done. • A man named Gaal, with his relatives, moved into Shechem, and became politically active stirring up the city against Abimelech’s leadership. • Abimelech, in order to retain his leadership position, came back to fight the Shechemites, who had turned against him, because of Gaal. • Abimelech defeated the Shechemite traitors and destroyed the town. He burned alive 1,000 Shechemites who had retreated to the stronghold of the Tower of Shechem. • Abimelech went on to Thebez and while attacking its tower a woman threw part of a millstone down and it hit Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull • …And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone left to go back to his own home…Abimelech’s desire for power was finished, and his war with everyone was over in tragedy. God Settled Accounts with the town of Schechem and Abimelech Judges 9:56-57 56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. God deals with every injustice – either in this life, or in the next. 1 Timothy 5:24-25 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. Remember the injustice Jezebel enacted for King Ahab regarding Naboth’s vineyard? (1 Kings 21 – see Addendum) Again, God deals with every injustice – either in this life, or in the next. Review… The Causes of War 1. Everyone’s Own Sinful Nature is the fundamental reason for strife in the world! 2. Inequities and Injustices cause strife and war, rising from our own base desires. 3. Breaking God’s Laws causes war – turning our hearts from Him and living for ourselves, brings God’s wrath on us, affecting our family and those around us. Disobedience to God causes WAR. The Sad Example of King Zedekiah 2 Kings 24:18–20; 2 Chronicles 36:11–16 • 21 years old. Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king. • 11 year reign. He reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. • Evil. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. • No Humility to God’s Servants. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. • He Rebelled and broke his vow before God. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. • He hardened his heart against God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. • He influenced the other leadership in the kingdom against God. All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem. • God persistently sent messengers to him – seeking his repentance. The Lord, the God of their fathers, persistently sent His messengers to them, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. • They mocked God’s messengers. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. • The anger of the Lord came. The anger of the Lord came to the point against Jerusalem and Judah that God cast them out from His presence. • Jerusalem was under siege for a year and a half. • Zedekiah the king, and his army tried to escape, but were caught and brought to trial. • The king’s sons were killed in front of him, his eyes were gouged out and he was carried away into captivity. • God’s Temple and City were destroyed and the people taken. • Instead of being blessed, they were cursed – by their own God! Sin and Rebellion caused Jerusalem to Fall – and so it caused many others to fall! Jeremiah 21:1–10 21 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, saying, 2 “Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us.” [Was Zedekiah remembering what happened when Hezekiah prayed to the Lord and God decimated the king of Assyria’s army in years gone by? 2 Kings 19:32-37 What Zedekiah was forgetting was that Hezekiah was seeking the Lord and Zedekiah was not.] 3 Then Jeremiah said to them: “Thus you shall say to Zedekiah, 4 ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. And I will bring them together into the midst of this city. 5 I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and strong arm, in anger and in fury and in great wrath. 6 And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great pestilence. 7 Afterward, declares the Lord, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants and the people in this city who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword. He shall not pity them or spare them or have compassion.’ 8 “And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war. 10 For I have set my face against this city for harm and not for good, declares the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.’ Solomon’s solemn reminder: The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 We have looked at three causes of war and how those causes affect us. Now, let’s look at our survival in spiritual warfare, as believers in Jesus Christ. • How can we survive through the treacherous minefields of WAR that are scattered around us and in us? The Armor of God is our Protection! Ephesians 6:10–18, gives us the armor we should put on when in spiritual warfare: 1. Comprehend the strength we have in Christ Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 2. Understand our Enemy We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 3. Realize that it is only the armor of God that will allow us to withstand in the evil day. “Stand” by putting on God’s spiritual armor! 4. Put on Truthfulness: the Belt of Truth. Truthfulness does not make us ashamed…it makes us strong! We have nothing to hide. 5. Put on the Bullet Proof Vest of Righteousness. 6. Lace up the Shoes of Readiness given by the gospel of peace. 7. Protect yourself with the Shield of Faith – with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. 8. Protect your mind and emotions with the Helmet of Salvation. 9. Arm yourself with a Powerful Weapon – the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 10. Praying at all times – in the Spirit. 11. Keep alert with all perseverance – crying out in prayer for other believers. We can Praise God for His amazing provision of Spiritual Armor available for us to put on, to stand against the powerful schemes of Satan, our enemy. We live in a war-torn world, both physically and spiritually… • How can we live a life that honors God in WAR-complicated days? We honor the One who died to bring us peace with God, in a world filled with WAR against God! Jesus Christ is our Hope and Salvation! We who have put our faith and trust in God’s Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, put our confidence in His Power and Provision for our daily needs and eternal future! War is threatening physically and spiritually. Casualties are both seen and unseen. We often see them around us. What should we do when we face extenuating circumstances? How do we advise those who are suffering in these wars? One reason that God allows suffering is to turn our hearts toward Him. If we are seeking God, adversity, in the battle should turn our hearts to be even stronger toward the Lord. Unfortunately, the carnal heart is often unrepentant. The problem we often face is that war – hardship, suffering and death, does not always turn a carnal heart to the Lord…we are so easily deceived that we may think the hardship came because we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or that we are just “unlucky”, or that God is out to hurt us…. • Instead, we need to understand that if we are living in sin, God is trying to get our attention in adversity so we will repent and not suffer His Wrath for eternity! • If we are not living in known sin, that God is refining us to trust in Him even more, so we can become like Him! The following are thought provoking verses in Revelation pointing out God’s judgment on the world and how those in the world receive it…instead of repenting of their sin against God! Revelation 16:8–9 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. Revelation 16:10–11 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. Revelation 16:18–21 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. When we experience severe causalities in “war”, let us evaluate our relationship with God and return to Him if we are far from Him. In any case, let us commit our lives into His Good Hand, for His will to be worked out and completed in us! A Christian Wages War Differently 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. We live in a world at war…both physically and spiritually. • What are the causes of WAR and how do those causes affect us? o Everyone’s Own Sinful Nature is the fundamental reason for strife in the world! o Inequities and Injustices cause strife and war, rising from our own base desires. o Breaking God’s Laws causes war – turning our hearts from Him and living for ourselves, brings God’s wrath on us, affecting our family and those around us • How can we survive through the treacherous minefields of WAR that are scattered around us and in us? o The Armor of God is our Protection! Ephesians 6:10–18 • How can we live a life that honors God in WAR-complicated days? o We must understand that if we are living in sin, God is trying to get our attention in adversity so we will repent and not suffer His Wrath for eternity! o If we are not living in known sin, our understanding is that God is refining us to trust in Him even more, so we can become like Christ! For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 Addendum Abimelech, Gideon’s son’s, Desire for Power, leading to Murder, Deceptive Leadership and eventual Downfall Judges 8:29–9:57 The Death of Gideon 29 Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house. 30 Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. 31 And his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he called his name Abimelech. 32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, at Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 As soon as Gideon died, the people of Israel turned again and whored after the Baals and made Baal-berith their god. 34 And the people of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies on every side, 35 and they did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel. Abimelech’s Conspiracy 9 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem. 7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ 16 “Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— 17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and you have risen up against my father’s house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.” 21 And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and lived there, because of Abimelech his brother. The Downfall of Abimelech 22 Abimelech ruled over Israel three years. 23 And God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, 24 that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. 25 And the leaders of Shechem put men in ambush against him on the mountaintops, and they robbed all who passed by them along that way. And it was told to Abimelech. 26 And Gaal the son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his relatives, and the leaders of Shechem put confidence in him. 27 And they went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards and trod them and held a festival; and they went into the house of their god and ate and drank and reviled Abimelech. 28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal, and is not Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem; but why should we serve him? 29 Would that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Increase your army, and come out.’ ” 30 When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. 31 And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you. 32 Now therefore, go by night, you and the people who are with you, and set an ambush in the field. 33 Then in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, rise early and rush upon the city. And when he and the people who are with him come out against you, you may do to them as your hand finds to do.” 34 So Abimelech and all the men who were with him rose up by night and set an ambush against Shechem in four companies. 35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, and Abimelech and the people who were with him rose from the ambush. 36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Look, people are coming down from the mountaintops!” And Zebul said to him, “You mistake the shadow of the mountains for men.” 37 Gaal spoke again and said, “Look, people are coming down from the center of the land, and one company is coming from the direction of the Diviners’ Oak.” 38 Then Zebul said to him, “Where is your mouth now, you who said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? Go out now and fight with them.” 39 And Gaal went out at the head of the leaders of Shechem and fought with Abimelech. 40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. 41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem. 42 On the following day, the people went out into the field, and Abimelech was told. 43 He took his people and divided them into three companies and set an ambush in the fields. And he looked and saw the people coming out of the city. So he rose against them and killed them. 44 Abimelech and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed upon all who were in the field and killed them. 45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed the people who were in it, and he razed the city and sowed it with salt. 46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the house of El-berith. 47 Abimelech was told that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. 48 And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an axe in his hand and cut down a bundle of brushwood and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. And he said to the men who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry and do as I have done.” 49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women. 50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower. 52 And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. 53 And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. 54 Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died. 55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, everyone departed to his home. 56 Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. 57 And God also made all the evil of the men of Shechem return on their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal. The Painful Deceit of Jezebel, Ahab, and Naboth’s Vineyard 1 Kings 21 21 Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. 5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city, the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.” 15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it. The Lord Condemns Ahab 17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.” ’ ” 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. 21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. 22 And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. 23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’ 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.” Ahab’s Repentance 25 (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.) 27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. 28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.” (Ahab was subsequently killed in war, and Jezebel died, as prophesied. Ahab’s family was destroyed in his son’s days.) The Whole Armor of God Ephesians 6:10–18 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 http://www.pastorkennedy.comhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflictsshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1