Bulletins - Rock Family Church of Morgantown WV

- - Bible Trivia
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Spiritual Victory Brings National Rest
Definition
8252 שָׁקַט [shaqat /shaw·kat/]
Quiet, still, settled, tranquil, lie still, be undisturbed, pacify

Righteousness Brings Rest
· Repentance brings rest
· Victory brings rest
o Israel’s land rested from war after she defeated her attackers / oppressors.
o America will have rest once the church takes control of our entire land!

Sin Brings Unrest
· Like Israel, America has sinned against God – causing UN-rest in our land
· Removing God, prayer and the Bible from our schools, government and courts
· As a result, the USA is on the verge of another civil war with each other
o or revolutionary war with the government

Sin - turn away from God – toward false gods = idolatry
· worshiping the very gods the natives were sinning with! - sex gods – ritual prostitution – acting like the world

The basic cause of Israel’s problems in Canaan was spiritual, not agricultural, economic, educational, or military. Israel had turned from a wholehearted obedience to God.
· They put God’s law behind their backs (Neh 9:26),
· “forgot the Lord their God” (1 Sam 12:9), and
· “followed and worshiped various gods of the people around them” (Judg 2:12; see also 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).

Two of the major foreign deities the Israelites worshiped were Baal, a Canaanite storm and fertility god, and Ashtoreth, a fertility goddess[1]

Suffering by enemies - Servitude – chastening, slavery, taxation
· The price of Israel’s sin was high, decades of national suffering and oppression. Israel had sinned against God; therefore, God punished Israel with the surrounding foreign nations whose gods the Israelites were serving in order to cause them misery.
· Weakness - they were no longer able to resist” (Judges 2:14).
o America is in a place of weakness – the world can see it and is now taking advantage of it
o The American church is also in a state of weakness – she has compromised the Word and now has little faith to stand on as ungodly legislation is trying to be passed, as our churches are being closed and our voices being silenced. (hare speech)

Supplication – turn back to God
· The Israelites’ troubles eventually brought them to their knees before God (Judg 3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:7; 10:10, 15).
· Admitted their sin
· Prayed for forgiveness
· Asked for deliverance - from the hands of our enemies
· repentance - which involved
o getting rid of the foreign idols
o return to their worship of the one true God.

Salvation
· In response to the Israelites’ repentant prayers and actions, God brought deliverance.
· Just as God used people to bring judgment on Israel, so God used people to bring deliverance
· Judges were hand-picked liberators who were military leaders who
o performed heroic individual actions (Judg 3:21; 14:19; 15:8; 15; 16:30)
o mobilized the Israelite tribes against their enemies (Judg 4:14; 7:1–18; 11:6).[2]

1 – Joshua Takes the Promised Land (Joshua 9-12)

Summary: started good, made mistakes, but God helped when they asked. Result” Land had rest from war.

· (9:14–15) Israelites do not consult the Lord
· tricked into signing a peace treaty with the local enemy (Gibeonites)
· Increased burden
o This caused Israel much unneeded trouble because now they have to take care of all of them
· Increased Vulnerability / Attacks
o (10:1-14) – Five pagan kings attack Gibeon for signing a peace treaty with Israel
· Divine Intervention
o hailstorm (10:13)
o Sun stood still (10:13)

Joshua 10:13–14 (NLT)
13 So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.
14 There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lordanswered such a prayer. Surely the Lordfought for Israel that day!

o Victory over united attacks from multiple enemies (Joshua 11)
o Giants Killed – Joshua destroyed the giants in the land (11:21)

Joshua 11:23 NLT
23 So Joshua took control of the entire land, just as the Lord had instructed Moses. He gave it to the people of Israel as their special possession, dividing the land among the tribes. So the land finally had rest from war.

Grace Factor:
- God gave Israel military victory even though some oppressors were allowed in through Israel’s disobedience!

2 – Othniel Defeated the Arameans – 8 years oppression – Spirit of the Lord – 40 years peace
Judges 3:7-11
Sin: idol worship – Baal and Ashtoreth

Judges 3:7 NLT
7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.

Enemy = King Cushan
Punishment = God turned Israel over to (or allowed) King Cushan to oppress Israel for 8 years
Repentance = Israel repented
Who = God raised Othniel – Caleb’s nephew (1:13; Josh 15:18)
How = The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel
Victory = Othniel expelled King Cushan from the land (voted out?)
Rest = 40 years

Judges 3:11 NLT
11 So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

· Peace = same H8252 as “rest”

Modern application = The church can expel evil leadership with God’s help

3 – Ehud Defeated the Moabites - 18-year taxation – 80-year rest
Ehud the Judge destroyed the Moabites

Background:
Israel sinned – did evil in the Lord’s sight
God gave control over Israel to an enemy nation
Israel repents
Ehud kills king Eglon – head overthrows head – pivotal moment – decisive action – small scale by example – leadership is crucial!
Ehud sounds a trumpet – call to arms – rallies the nation to battle
Israel overthrows the enemy nation of captors – nation overthrows nation – larger scale victory

Judges 3:30 NLT
30 So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.
· Peace = same H8252 as “rest”

4 – Deborah defeats the Canaanites – 20 years oppression, 40 years rest
· Sin again
· Ruthless oppression
· Enemy = Canaanites
· Hero: Deborah – a female prophetess who becomes a judge
· Leader appointed: Barak appointed by Deborah
· Israel led to victory –
· How: destroyed the army commander
· Divine intervention: enemy army confused, panic

Judges 5:31 NLT
31 “Lord, may all your enemies die like Sisera! But may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power!” Then there was peace in the land for forty years.

· Peace = same H8252 as “rest”

5 – Gideon Defeated the Midianites – 7 years oppression – 40 years rest
· Enemy: Midianites
· Oppression: cruelty, starvation – outnumbered – destroyed crops, stole livestock
· Effect on nation: fear, hiding
· Israel repents
· Gideon called to deliver God’s people
· Enemy alliance – vastly outnumbered
· Divine Intervention: bravery

Judges 6:34 NLT
34 Then the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram’s horn as a call to arms, and the men of the clan of Abiezer came to him.

Psychological warfare –
· tricked the enemy into thinking Israel’s’ army was large when it was small. – novel battle tactic with torches, pots and trumpets
· Gideon Won with 300 men

Judges 8:28 NLT
28 That is the story of how the people of Israel defeated Midian, which never recovered. Throughout the rest of Gideon’s lifetime—about forty years—there was peace in the land.

· Peace = same H8252 as “rest”

6 – Israel defeated the Arabs (Persians)
· Israel refused to bow to the government

Hero: Esther
Tactic:
· expose enemy plot to destroy the Jews
· laws written in Israel’s favor
· defend themselves against attackers

Esther 9:22 NLT
22 He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

“Gained relief” = rest
5117 נוּחַ, נוּחַ, נָחָה [nuwach /noo·akh/] [3] = rest

Rest for Israel Today:
· Won the 1948 war for national independence
· Won the 1967 war to recapture Jerusalem
· Jews returning to the Promised Land for the last time before Messiah returns!
· Israel is the only truly democratic nation in the Middle East.

Rest for the Middle East
Abraham Accords
· In 2020 Israel, the UAE, and other Arab countries established diplomatic ties, known as the Abraham Accords.
· HISTORIC PEACE (rest) in not only Israel, but the Middle East
· Signed 9/11/2020
· Experts said it could never be done
o Much of the world never saw coming
· Opening of embassies

Despite growing chaos in the Middle East, the Abraham Accords are moving forward.
Share opportunities, technology, commerce, travel and security against a common enemy (Iran)
Creating prosperity and stability

Bahrain –
UAE –
· holding firm 1 year Despite Iran Threats
· When Israel and the UAE normalized relations, it became the first peace agreement between the Jewish state and an Arab state in 26 years.
Sudan – seizes weapons from Hamas
Morocco
Egypt - direct flights

· PROPHETIC rest in the Holy Land –
o (Isaiah 19:23-24) – highway from Egypt to Assyria (Iraq) and Israel

Rest for America?
Like Israel, America will once again have rest if she too repents and turns back to God for the forgiveness of her many sins of pride, idolatry and sexuality
· Genesis 12 – Peace blessings on USA?
· 1st nation to recognize Israel as a sovereign state
· 1st nation to recognize Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel by moving her embassy there
· Brokered the Abraham accords
· Funding of the “Iron Dome”
- - Matthew 11:28NLT
- - John 6:35NLT
- - John 7:37–38NLT
- - Psalm 91:1–2NLT
- - Psalm 62:1NLT
- - Jeremiah 31:25NLT
- - Exodus 33:14NLT
- - Matthew 11:29NLT
- - Mark 6:31NLT
- - Psalm 23:1–2NLT
- - Mark 2:27NLT
- - Matthew 11:30NLT
- - 1 John 5:3NLT
- - Luke 8:22–25NLT
4 – EMOTIONAL Rest – through relationship
Intro
Relationship with God Brings Personal Rest

1 - People are stressed
Pandemic
Show stats
Affects health and relationships, job

2 - need rest
We were created to rest
God’s day starts with rest – sundown
God’s week ends with rest – Sabbath

3 - be blessed!
come to Jesus!
Don’t look in the wrong direction - world

1 – Turn = Go Where God Is
Go where I am…

Matthew 11:28 NLT
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Weary
2872 κοπιάω [kopiao /kop·ee·ah·o/]
· Tired – to grow tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief)

Carry heavy burdens
5412 φορτίζω [phortizo /for·tid·zo/][1]
· to place a load upon

Rest = G373 ἀναπαύω [anapauo /an·ap·ow·o/]
· Refresh – “take ease”
· to cause or permit one to cease from any movement or labor in order to recover and collect his strength.
· to keep quiet, of calm and patient expectation.
Jesus Factor
· we can enter the Lord's rest through faith in the finished work of Jesus.
· Christ fulfilled the Law, offering us the opportunity to have God's rest in our lives.

Rest from Hunger
John 6:35 NLT
35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Rest from Thirst
John 7:37–38 NLT
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ”

Rest From BUSYNESS
Psalm 91:1–2 NLT
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him.

Rest From LONELINESS
Psalm 62:1 NIV84
1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

Rest from WEARINESS
Jeremiah 31:25 NLT
25 For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing.”

Rest From Insecurity and Uncertainty
· God’s presence went with Moses into the Promised Land, which brought rest to God’s people:

Exodus 33:14 NLT
14 The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

2 – Teach = Hear What God SAYS
Matthew 11:29 NLT
29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

“Rest for your SOUL”
372 ἀνάπαυσις [anapausis /an·ap·ow·sis/]
1 intermission, cessation of any motion, business or labor
2 recreation

Rest from Work (Ministry)
Mark 6:31 NLT
31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Rest from BURDENS
Psalm 23:1–2 NLT
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

· “Makes me to lie down” – some folk have to almost be “forced” to rest

FEAR of SILENCE
· the unrenewed soul does not like silence, because they have to face themselves
· insecurity does not know what to say
· Mind starts wandering

Defense Mechanisms
What do they do?
· Keep the sound on – TV all night (or social media) – to drown out the loneliness and their own thoughts
· “Busy” ness - Keep the activities full so they never have to sit at home. Use “good things” as an excuse for spiritual laziness
· Result = constant UNREST
· Answer – LEARN of God’s presence through His Word and personal EXPERIENCE

The Sabbath is Made for You!
Disciples picked grain on the Sabbath
Why? because they were hungry

Mark 2:27 NLT
27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.

ESV = 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

3 – Take = Do What God DOES
TAKE My yoke = follow My example – live victorious (and restful) like Me

Matthew 11:30 NLT
30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Easy to bear
5543 χρηστός [chrestos /khrase·tos
· “better”, “gracious”, useful, good.
· 2 manageable.
· 2a mild, pleasant (as opp. to harsh, hard sharp, bitter).
· 2b of things: more pleasant, of people, kind, benevolent.[2]

Burden
5413 φορτίον [phortion /for·tee·on/]
· Load – the freight of a ship.
· Obligations – the gentle obligations Christ lays upon his followers, in contrast to the oppression of the Pharisees

Light
1645 ἐλαφρός [elaphros /el·af·ros/] adj. Probably akin to 1643 and the base of 1640; GK 1787; Two occurrences; AV translates as “light” twice. 1 light in weight, quick, agile.
His Commandments are Light
1 John 5:3 NLT
3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

Rest from Natural (Spiritual) Storms
Object lesson – Jesus just warned about the cares of life choking the Word (unrest through fear)
Humanity – Jesus knows what it is like to be tired…

Luke 8:22–25 NLT
22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. 23 As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. 24 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. 25 Then he asked them, “Where is your faith?” The disciples were terrified and amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “When he gives a command, even the wind and waves obey him!”

· Note – waves collapsed as from exhaustion
· Rest can be interrupted by attack
o Enemy forces cause upheaval in nature and in men’s souls – mind, will, emotion
· Rest is restored by authority
o when we take our God given authority over those forces and rebuke the attack

Emotional Rest:
· Turn = Go Where God Is
· Teach = Hear What God SAYS
· Take = Do What God DOES

Spiritual Victory Brings National Rest

Righteousness Brings Rest

Sin Brings Unrest

Sin - turn away from God – toward false gods = idolatry

Suffering by enemies - Servitude – chastening, slavery, taxation

Supplication – turn back to God

Salvation

1 – Joshua Takes the Promised Land (Joshua 9-12)

2 – Othniel Defeated the Arameans – 8 years oppression – Spirit of the Lord – 40 years peace

Modern application = The church can expel evil leadership with God’s help

3 – Ehud Defeated the Moabites - 18-year taxation – 80-year rest

4 – Deborah defeats the Canaanites – 20 years oppression, 40 years rest

5 – Gideon Defeated the Midianites – 7 years oppression – 40 years rest

6 – Israel defeated the Arabs (Persians)

Rest for Israel Today:

Rest for the Middle East

Rest for America?

Matthew 11:28NLT

John 6:35NLT

John 7:37–38NLT

Psalm 91:1–2NLT

Psalm 62:1NLT

Jeremiah 31:25NLT

Exodus 33:14NLT

Matthew 11:29NLT

Mark 6:31NLT

Psalm 23:1–2NLT

Mark 2:27NLT

Matthew 11:30NLT

1 John 5:3NLT

Luke 8:22–25NLT

4 – EMOTIONAL Rest – through relationship

Relationship with God Brings Personal Rest

1 – Turn = Go Where God Is

Rest from Hunger

Rest from Thirst

Rest From BUSYNESS

Rest From LONELINESS

Rest from WEARINESS

Rest From Insecurity and Uncertainty

2 – Teach = Hear What God SAYS

Rest from Work (Ministry)

Rest from BURDENS

The Sabbath is Made for You!

3 – Take = Do What God DOES

His Commandments are Light

Rest from Natural (Spiritual) Storms