Introduction: The Strange Work of God

Weaver introduces the topic by referencing Isaiah 28:21 and Isaiah 63:10, noting that God's judgment on His people is a 'strange work.' He poses the question: When do God's people become His enemies?

I do always do not look forward to the last message. And the reason is because I have so much I want to preach, and I've only got one message left. I was just thinking before service, I've got four messages I'd really like to preach. One of them is entitled, "Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers." Another one is entitled, "I Feel Just Like Jeremiah." And another one is entitled, "Will It Happen Again?" But by God's grace tonight, I'm going to preach from Isaiah 63, and the title of the message is "When God's People Become His Enemies." So I want you to look in Isaiah 63 and right now, verse 10, and then we're going to just turn back to Isaiah 28. I'm not going to be preaching from Isaiah 28, but I just want to point out one verse by way of introduction. So if you look at Isaiah 63 and verse 10 and mark this passage, because we certainly will come back to this passage. But in Isaiah 63 and verse 10, the Bible says this, "But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit."

Now, if you look at Isaiah chapter 28 and verse 21, the Bible says this: "For the Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act." I was preaching a message to our people from Job 31 and Isaiah 28, and the title of the message is "The Strange Work of God." And it's called the strange work of God because he was judging his people. And while I was preaching that message, the thought came to my mind: When do God's people become his enemies? And I thought to myself, even as I was preaching, I need to examine that, and that's exactly what I did.

There's absolutely no doubt in our minds that the professing church has fallen far below the norm and the standard of the Word of God. In fact, the truth of the matter is, I receive complaints and lamentations from believers all over this country that it is impossible to find a biblical church or impossible to find a church in their area where the true Word of God is really preached. And there have been a number of believers that I have talked to that have actually confronted their pastors and their elders about their unbiblical actions both in and out of the pulpits, and their unbiblical interpretations. And you know, the interesting thing is, most of these people who actually confront lovingly and kindly, most of them who confront the elders and the pastors are usually simply looked on as rabble-rousers and troublemakers and bigots. I've actually known individuals who have taken a biblical stance and they were kicked out of the church for being biblical, because the church actually did not want that. The truth of the matter is, it appears that modern day Christianity as a whole has absolutely no desire to return to biblical Christianity.

The Modern Church's Decline

The professing church has fallen below biblical standards, with many believers unable to find faithful churches. Those who confront unbiblical practices are often labeled troublemakers.

There's absolutely no doubt in our minds that the professing church has fallen far below the norm and the standard of the Word of God. In fact, the truth of the matter is, I receive complaints and lamentations from believers all over this country that it is impossible to find a biblical church or impossible to find a church in their area where the true Word of God is really preached. And there have been a number of believers that I have talked to that have actually confronted their pastors and their elders about their unbiblical actions both in and out of the pulpits, and their unbiblical interpretations. And you know, the interesting thing is, most of these people who actually confront lovingly and kindly, most of them who confront the elders and the pastors are usually simply looked on as rabble-rousers and troublemakers and bigots. I've actually known individuals who have taken a biblical stance and they were kicked out of the church for being biblical, because the church actually did not want that. The truth of the matter is, it appears that modern day Christianity as a whole has absolutely no desire to return to biblical Christianity.

Vance Havner is now dead. He was a Southern Baptist evangelist. He summed up our situation very well when he said it like this. He said, "Christians have been subnormal for so long that when one becomes normal, everyone else thinks they're abnormal." And that's certainly the truth. And the truth is, the New Testament church today is vastly different from that church in the New Testament era. We have fallen away doctrinally, practically, ethically, and we've become pragmatic. All you have to do is look around because the average attitude of the average church is, if it works, we're going to do it.

It doesn't really matter if it's biblical or not. It doesn't matter if it's scriptural or not. If it works, we're certainly going to do it. In order to substantiate that statement, all you have to do is look around at all of the extra unbiblical programs and games and entertainment and blatantly unbiblical attitudes and actions which occur regularly. Let me just put it to you like this. The Church of Jesus Christ was never intended to be an entertainment center. It was never intended to be a babysitting service. It was never intended to be a psychological den or a feel-good-about-yourself society. It was never intended to be an arm of the state or an arm of the federal government. It was never intended just simply to be a political action committee. The truth of the matter is, the church of Jesus Christ was ordained by God the Father to exalt His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to proclaim His gospel, to edify His saints, to call sinners to repentance, and to worship and praise Him alone.

The Church's True Purpose vs. Pragmatism

The church was ordained to exalt Christ, proclaim the gospel, edify saints, and call sinners to repentance, not to be an entertainment center or political action committee. Modern churches have become pragmatic, doing whatever works regardless of biblical fidelity.

It doesn't really matter if it's biblical or not. It doesn't matter if it's scriptural or not. If it works, we're certainly going to do it. In order to substantiate that statement, all you have to do is look around at all of the extra unbiblical programs and games and entertainment and blatantly unbiblical attitudes and actions which occur regularly. Let me just put it to you like this. The Church of Jesus Christ was never intended to be an entertainment center. It was never intended to be a babysitting service. It was never intended to be a psychological den or a feel-good-about-yourself society. It was never intended to be an arm of the state or an arm of the federal government. It was never intended just simply to be a political action committee. The truth of the matter is, the church of Jesus Christ was ordained by God the Father to exalt His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to proclaim His gospel, to edify His saints, to call sinners to repentance, and to worship and praise Him alone.

And the truth of the matter is, the modern church has failed and is failing in most of those areas. We have become basically everything except that which we should be. Let me say it like this, and I'm going to show you the modern church has become the enemy of God.

God Fights Against His Rebellious People

Using Isaiah 63:7-10, Weaver shows that when Israel rebelled, God became their enemy and fought against them. Since God is immutable, He will do the same to New Testament believers who rebel.

Now, let me ask you a question. Is it possible for God's people to become his enemies? Is it possible that God actually fights against his people? Let me go farther. Is it possible that the reason that the church of Jesus Christ as a whole is defeated and discouraged and downtrodden and dominated by our enemies is because the one true and living God is fighting against us? Wow. And the answer to all of those questions is yes. I want you to look back in Isaiah 63. And let's begin reading at verse 7. I want you to see how clear this is. Isaiah 63, verse 7: "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed upon us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses."

"For he," that is God, "said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie. So he was their Savior. In all their afflictions, he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his pity, he redeemed them. And he bared them and carried them all the days of old." Here it is. "But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit. Therefore, he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them." Wow! Do you realize when Israel rebelled against the Lord, they became God's enemy and God actually fought against them? Now you have to remember that God is immutable. God does not change. As he was then, so is he now. Malachi 3 and verse 6, "For I am the Lord, and I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are not consumed." You remember Hebrews 13 verse 8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." So since God does not change, if he fought against his covenant people in the Old Testament because they rebelled against him, certainly he will fight against his covenant people in the New Testament if they fight against him as well.

Biblical Examples of God Fighting His People

Jeremiah 21 and Lamentations 1 demonstrate God actively fighting against Judah and Jerusalem because of their sin. The modern church has similarly lost its power and influence.

Let me ask that you turn in your Bibles, please, to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 21, very quickly. Jeremiah 21, and I want you to look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 1, and to show you how God actually fought against Judah and Jerusalem. Notice in Jeremiah chapter 21, beginning there with verse 1. Jeremiah 21 and verse 1. King Zedekiah, of course, is sending to Jeremiah because Nebuchadnezzar has come up and he wants Nebuchadnezzar gone. So look what he says, Jeremiah 21 verse 1: "The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent unto him Paschur, the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Messiah, the priest, saying, Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord for us. For Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, maketh war against us. If so be the Lord will deal with us according to all of his wondrous works, that he," Nebuchadnezzar, "may go up from us." Now watch. "Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall you say to Zedekiah, Thus said the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them

in the midst of this city, and I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and great wrath, and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both men and beasts, they shall die of a great pestilence." Wow! Did you hear that? Zedekiah said, "Pray, Jeremiah, that maybe the Lord will let Nebuchadnezzar leave us." God says,

said God,

Wow. God fought against his own people, because his own people had rebelled against him. You remember, Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations. I want you to turn to Lamentations chapter one very quickly, because look at what Jeremiah reveals concerning the fall of Judah and Jerusalem.

Look what he says. Just let's read the first nine verses. Lamentations 1. You know, there are five chapters in the book of Lamentations. Actually, there are five poems and each one of these poems view the fall and destruction of Jerusalem from a different aspect. So if you look in Lamentations 1, here is the part of the first poem beginning with verse 1.

How has she become as a widow? She that was great among the nations and princes among the provinces, how has she become tributary? She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her. All her friends have dealt treacherously with her. They are become her enemies. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction and because of great servitude. She dwelleth among the heathen. She findeth no rest.

All her persecutors overtook her in the straits. The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feast. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. Her adversaries are the chief. Her enemies prosper, and the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions. Her children are gone into captivity before the enemy, and from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed. Her princes are become like harts, they find no pasture, and they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries, all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell in the hand of the enemy, and none did help her, the adversaries saw her, and did mock her sabbaths. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned, therefore she is removed. All that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness. Yea, she sigheth and turneth backwards. Her filthiness is in her skirts. She remembered not her last end, therefore," watch it, "she came down wonderfully. She had no comforter. O Lord, behold my affliction, for the enemy hath magnified himself." Did God's professing people become his enemies? Absolutely. Absolutely. Undoubtedly, this is also a picture of the modern day church. The modern day church has lost its power, its position, and its prominence. Do you realize the Church of Jesus Christ in this country was once a force to be reckoned with?

There was no statesman, and we had statesmen in those days. There were no statesmen that would do anything without consulting the pastor, or without consulting the church, and seeking the blessing of the Lord upon his positions, or upon his office, or upon his undertaking. But today, the modern church is absolutely ridiculed, is disparaged, and the truth is, the modern day church is helpless, worthless, and useless. The story is told about the Catholic priest who was speaking to a Baptist pastor. And the priest smiled and very smugly said, "We no longer have to say silver and gold have I none." The Baptist pastor kind of dropped his head and said, "That is true. But no longer can we say, 'In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.'"

We've lost our power and our position. How can the church—how can professing Christendom become the enemies of our Lord? And here's the answer. Exactly the same way the professing people of God in the Old Testament became his enemies. You know, the Apostle Paul gives us a little hint of the answer in Colossians 1 and verse 21. Here's what he said: "And you that were sometimes alienated," now listen, "and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now be reconciled." But notice he said, "you were enemies in your mind." Do you understand that when we think unbiblically, when we think humanistically, we become enemies in our mind, because that is the way the old man always thought. We are not to be old men, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians chapter 4 and Colossians chapter 3, we are to put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness. You see, what we've forgotten is this, that thinking and acting go together. What does the Bible say in Proverbs chapter 23?

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." The Apostle Paul said it like this in Philippians 3 in verse 18, "For many walk, of whom I have told you, and even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ." So when you begin to think wrongly, you begin to act wrongly. When you think unbiblically, then you walk and talk unbiblically as well. Listen to this very carefully. When we think and when we act unbiblically, for all practical purposes, we're fighting against the Lord and we become His enemies regardless of our profession.

How We Become God's Enemies: Rejecting His Law

We become God's enemies by rejecting and disobeying His law. A king rules by his law; to reject God's law is to reject God Himself. Hosea 4, Deuteronomy 8, Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 5, 2 Kings 17, and Micah 6 illustrate this.

We've lost our power and our position. How can the church—how can professing Christendom become the enemies of our Lord? And here's the answer. Exactly the same way the professing people of God in the Old Testament became his enemies. You know, the Apostle Paul gives us a little hint of the answer in Colossians 1 and verse 21. Here's what he said: "And you that were sometimes alienated," now listen, "and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now be reconciled." But notice he said, "you were enemies in your mind." Do you understand that when we think unbiblically, when we think humanistically, we become enemies in our mind, because that is the way the old man always thought. We are not to be old men, according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians chapter 4 and Colossians chapter 3, we are to put on the new man, which is created in righteousness and true holiness. You see, what we've forgotten is this, that thinking and acting go together. What does the Bible say in Proverbs chapter 23?

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." The Apostle Paul said it like this in Philippians 3 in verse 18, "For many walk, of whom I have told you, and even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ." So when you begin to think wrongly, you begin to act wrongly. When you think unbiblically, then you walk and talk unbiblically as well. Listen to this very carefully. When we think and when we act unbiblically, for all practical purposes, we're fighting against the Lord and we become His enemies regardless of our profession. It doesn't matter what we say. We can stand and say, "I love the Lord" all day long, but as long as we're thinking unbiblically and acting unbiblically, we are becoming His enemies.

Now, let's ask this question: How did Israel become the enemies of God? I'm going to answer that for you. First, we become God's enemies the same way they become God's enemies, and that is this. We become God's enemies by rejection of and disobedience to His law. We become God's enemies by rejection of and disobedience to His law. Here's a very simple truth. A king rules by his law.

That is true of earthly kings. That is true of a king, the one true and living God, who is the king of heaven and earth. You see, the law happens to be an expression of God's will. I wish I had time tonight to teach you on 1 Samuel chapter 8, where the people were willing to trade God for a man. And you have to understand, you cannot really comprehend what is going on in 1 Samuel chapter 8 unless you see it as a transition from one law structure to another. Because they're now rejecting God, they're rejecting His law, and now they've got a human king, and now this human king is going to establish His law. And God says, "Alright, I'm going to let you have this man, but I'm going to tell you the manner of the king that shall rule over you." So you cannot reject God and God's law without at the same time becoming an idolater, because when you reject God and God's law, you're going to bow to man and man's law.

So, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Hosea, chapter 4. Here it is, very clearly pointed out. Hosea, chapter 4. Notice Daniel, Hosea, and let's begin reading there with verse 1. I want you to follow the analyzation of what Hosea is delineating for us. Watch carefully. Hosea chapter 4 verse 1: "Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel. For the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land."

Now let me just stop there. Think about this. You want to fight against God? You want to argue with God? You want to get into a controversy with God? I don't think I would. But the Bible says that God has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land. Why does God have a controversy? Here's why. "Because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land." Now God said, I'm willing to fight over those things. I'm willing to have an argument over those things.

Watch what happens in verse 2. "By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood." So you have to ask yourself this question. Why do you have all the lying, and swearing, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery? And the answer is, because there's no truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land. They've forsaken God's law. Look, if you would, please, in verse 3. Here's the result. Here's what happens. "Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein shall languish.

With the beasts of the field and with the fowls of the heaven, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away." By the way, man's sin also affects his environment. Watch verse 4. "Yet let no man strive or reprove another, for the people that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother." That is, I'm going to take care of the nation. I'm going to destroy it. Look what he says in verse 6. Everyone can quote this verse. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Now watch. "Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me, seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Now, God said, seeing you have forgotten my law, I will also forget your children.

This is the lex talionis. This is the law of retribution. This is perfect justice. Do you know what God's law is? God's law is an expression of His will for your life. God is telling you exactly how He wants you to live. This is His law. It's an expression of His will for your life. What are your children? Your children are an expression of your will. Mom and Dad, you wanted them. You had them. God gave them to you. Now what God said is this, here's perfect justice. You reject my law, which is a manifestation of my will, I will reject and forsake your children who are a manifestation of your will. You see, when you forget God's law, it is the same as forgetting God. When you reject God's law, it's the same as rejecting God. You cannot separate God and His law.

I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8. Let me show you this about forgetting God. Look in Deuteronomy, chapter 8, and let's begin there with verse 10. Deuteronomy, chapter 8 and verse 10. In fact, I have a message just on this chapter on forgetting God. Notice in Deuteronomy, chapter 8, beginning there with verse 10. Here's what God says. Deuteronomy 8 and verse 10.

"When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Beware! Here's a warning. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day. Lest, when thou hast eaten, and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein, and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied, then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage."

Now, let me tell you something. When you and I are in a state of desperation, when we're hungry, when we're broke, when we're sick, when we're hurting, when we're needful, it's easy to remember the Lord. Because we want to be healed. We want to be supplied. We want to be taken care of. But God said, here's a danger. Many times you're going to have plenty and you're going to be blessed beyond your imagination. And God said, you better take heed lest you forget me and lest you forget my law.

You know what we have become? I'm talking about God's people. We have become an unthankful and ungrateful and unappreciative people because we have basically rejected God and forsaken God and his law. I know Christian people that will never bow their head in a public restaurant and thank God for their food. Why? Maybe they're ashamed. I don't know. I never will forget one of my pastor friends. He was telling me about Pastor Richard Wurmbrand.

You remember the book "Tortured for Christ"? 14 years in a Romanian prison. By the way, he was at our house. He preached in our church. And all my girls were small at that time. They were young. And my twins had some gerbils. And so after dinner, we were sitting around and the girls brought the gerbils out and said, "Look, Mr. Wurmbrand, gerbils." He said, "Rats." They said, "No, gerbils." He said, "Rats.

I know what they are. I had to eat them for 14 years just to stay alive." One of my pastor friends told me he was up north with a whole lot of other pastors who took Richard Wurmbrand out to a restaurant for dinner. They were all sitting around talking. And said, when those waitresses brought out all of that food and sat it on the table in front of them, Wurmbrand immediately dropped to his knees in the restaurant and began in a loud voice to thank God and praise God. And my pastor friend told me, "I was so embarrassed." Then he said, "I got embarrassed because I was embarrassed." He said, "You know, if I'd eaten rats for 14 years, I think I could learn to appreciate a little food too." Just stop and think about that.

Look how often we go day after day without thanking God for life and health and rest and sleep and bread and food and everything that God gives us. I want to show you. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, first of all, to Isaiah chapter 5. Turn in there. Isaiah chapter 5. And notice, if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 1. Isaiah chapter 5. Look at verse 1. God says, "Now will I sing to my well beloved the song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard and a very fruitful hill." Now this vineyard happens to be Israel.

And Judah and Jerusalem happen to be His pleasant plants. Skip down to verse 7. "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant." Now watch. "He looked for judgment, but behold, oppression, for righteousness, but behold, a cry." In other words, here's everything that they were not supposed to be, and that is what they were. They were violating God's law. Skip down, if you would please, to verse 24. "Therefore," says God, "as the fire devoured the stubble, and the flame consumed the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust, because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against His people, and He hath stretched forth His hand against them, and hath smitten them, and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this, his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still."

Why was God so angry? And why was God judging so heavily His people? Because they despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel and cast His law behind their backs. Look in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 5. Jeremiah, chapter 5. In this passage, Jeremiah chapter 5, verses 1 and 2, watch carefully. It is almost inconceivable to us to comprehend what Jeremiah writes in verses 1 and 2. God tells Jeremiah, "Run you to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem and see now, and know, and speak in the broad places thereof, if you can find a man, if there be any, that executes judgment and that speaketh truth, and I will pardon it." Now, God said, Jeremiah, if you can find one man in Jerusalem that actually executes judgment and seeks truth, I will pardon the entire city.

Then he tells him in verse 2, "And though they say the Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely." In other words, they're hypocrites. They know how to say things with their mouth, but their lives are totally, absolutely different. Now skip down to verse 7. God asks, "How shall I pardon thee for this? Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods. When I have fed them to the full, then they committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlot's houses. They were as fed horses in the morning, every one nayed after his neighbor's wife. Watch! Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord?

Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" Skip down to verse 23. God says, "But this people have a revolting and rebellious heart. They are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God that giveth rain, both the former and the latter in his season. He reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things for you. For among my people are found wicked men. They lay wait, as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men.

As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they become great and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine. Yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked. They judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper. And the right of the needy, do they not judge? Now watch! Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord?

Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and a horrible thing is committed in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests there rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end thereof?" Here are a people that disobeyed God. They loved ear-tickling preaching. They loved to profess, but they did not like to live and obey. And God said, "I'll fight against you. I'll wipe you out. I'll destroy you. What will you do in the end thereof?"

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 17. I want you to understand this point that I'm trying to make. The point that I'm trying to make is when we reject the law of God, when we disobey the law of God, we're fighting against God, and God in righteousness and holiness then turns and fights against us. And by the way, I might add that when God fights against us, He wins and we lose. So watch it. 2 Kings 17. Watch verses 7 and 8. This is so astounding. 2 Kings 17, verse 7.

"Forsooth was it that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods." Now let me just stop right there. Let me ask you a question. How do we know that they feared other gods? Well, you say, we know they feared other gods because God said so. Well, that's true. But what is the manifestation of the fact that they feared other gods? Here it is in verse 8. "And they walked in the statutes," or the laws, "of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel which they made." Now you have to remember that every king of Israel was a reprobate king. There were no godly kings in Israel. Jeroboam began with the two golden calves, and every king that followed him in Israel kept on worshipping the golden calves. There were no godly kings in Israel.

So here's what they've done. They've substituted God's law, and now they have taken the laws of the heathen, and now they've taken also the laws of the heathenistic kings of Israel, and even Judah and Jerusalem are obeying them. They're not obeying God. They're not obeying God's law. And by the way, it's important for you to note that in this chapter, God is giving us the reasons why He sent the children of Israel into captivity. And the reason He sent them into captivity is they rejected His law and took the law of man. They did not obey God. They obeyed man. Let me show you. Look in verse 9.

I wish I had time to read all of this, but just watch it. "And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God. And they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the Watchman to the fenced city. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill and under every green tree. And there they burned incense in the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them, and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger. For they served idols, whereof the Lord had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah.

by all his prophets, by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my service to the prophets. Notwithstanding, they would not hear, but hardened their necks like unto the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God. And they rejected His statutes, and His covenant that He made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He testified against them. And they followed vanity," that is, idolatry, "and became vain, and they went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should not do like them. And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the hosts of heaven, and served Baal.

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. Therefore the Lord was very angry with the Israels, and removed them out of His sight. There was none left but the tribe of Judah only." But when you look in verse 19, here it is. "Also Judah kept not the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked to the statutes of Israel, which they had made." You would think that people would put two and two together. You would think that Judah would say, "Look, look what God did to those ten northern tribes. They rejected his law. They disobeyed his law." And then Judah turned around and did the same exact thing until God removed them as well. I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Micah, the little book of Micah. Micah, chapter six. Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah. Look in Micah, chapter six. Minor prophets. Micah 6, and let's begin reading there with verse 13. Look what God says. I want you to put two and two together tonight. Micah 6, verse 13. God says, "Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied. And thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee, and thou shalt take hold, but thou shalt not deliver. And that which thou deliverest I will give up to the sword. Now look what he tells them. "Thou shalt sow but thou shalt not reap. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil, and sweet wine, but thou shalt not drink wine." Why? Why is God going to judge them? Here is why. "For the statutes," or for the laws, "of Omri are kept." Now, I don't know if you understand who Omri was, but he was the father of Ahab.

He was also a murderer. He says, "For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and you walk in their councils, that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing, therefore you shall bear the reproach of my people." God said, if you want to obey man's law, have at it. I'll just destroy you. You reject me, you reject my law, and yet you're going to honor these heathenistic laws and these heathenistic statutes? No. I'll reject you. You see, when God's people forsake and reject and forget God's law, they are fighting against God. And when they do that, God, in defense of his honor, in defense of his glory, he must fight against those who are fighting against him. And in fighting against His own people,

He destroys them for their sins. We become God's enemies when we forsake and when we disobey His law. His law is an expression of His will for our lives. In fact, when you get to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, "this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from fornication, that everyone know how to possess his vessel in honor." Secondly, we become God's enemies by offering unto Him hypocritical and ritualistic worship. We become God's enemies by offering unto Him ritualistic and hypocritical worship. May I remind you that John 4:24 says, "God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." God requires that we worship Him in spirit and truth. God's worship is bounded on one hand by truth and on the other hand by spirit. I have a whole series of messages on biblical worship. But here are the two boundaries: it must be in truth and it must be in spirit.

How We Become God's Enemies: Hypocritical Worship

Offering ritualistic and ceremonial worship without heart obedience makes us God's enemies. Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:7-9, Isaiah 1, and Amos 5 show God's hatred of empty worship. Obedience is the foundation of true worship.

He destroys them for their sins. We become God's enemies when we forsake and when we disobey His law. His law is an expression of His will for our lives. In fact, when you get to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, "this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you abstain from fornication, that everyone know how to possess his vessel in honor." Secondly, we become God's enemies by offering unto Him hypocritical and ritualistic worship. We become God's enemies by offering unto Him ritualistic and hypocritical worship. May I remind you that John 4:24 says, "God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth." God requires that we worship Him in spirit and truth. God's worship is bounded on one hand by truth and on the other hand by spirit. I have a whole series of messages on biblical worship. But here are the two boundaries: it must be in truth and it must be in spirit.

But what happened to Israel was this. Israel fell into the trap of ceremonialism and ritualism. Instead of worshipping God in spirit and truth, they turned everything into a ritual, everything into a ceremony. Do you realize that is exactly where most churches are today? You go to the average Baptist church, especially a Southern Baptist church, I usually say it like this. Most people run into the average Southern Baptist church with a quarter in one hand and a quarterly in the other hand 15 minutes late. They got their quarter to pitch into the offering, and they got their quarterly into their Bible. And most people, when they come and sit down in a church and put a few cents in an offering plate and sing a few songs and listen to a little sermon, somehow they think that they have worshipped God.

And they're now free to go out and live as they please. Because they've given God this little teeny bit of recognition for just a few minutes. I want you to look in your Bible to Isaiah 29. This is amazing. Look in Isaiah 29 and let's begin with verse 13. And as you look there, I also want you to find Matthew chapter 15, please, because we'll go there next. Isaiah 29. And then we're going to go to Matthew 15. So look in Isaiah 29.

If you wouldn't, verses 13 and 14. Isaiah 29, verses 13 and 14. Here we are in verse 13. Look what God says.

Now, the Hebrew word for "marvelous" here literally means something that is wonderful, something that is extraordinary, something that is surpassing, something that is distinguished by action. And when you look at the word "wonder," the word "wonder" also refers to an act of God's judgment. God said, "I'm going to do something that's going to be wonderful. I'm going to judge them, and it's going to be an absolutely surpassing, extraordinary, wonderful act of judgment.

You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Look, but in vain," that is, it's useless, it's worthless, "but in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Now, I want you to note, our Lord is quoting from Isaiah 29, and it should be noted that first of all, our Lord calls such worship hypocritical. Because only hypocrites offer such worship. Their heart, their love, their affection, their spirit were elsewhere. They were not interested in God's worship. They could care less. All they were interested in was a little ceremony, a little ritual, getting in and getting out.

You know, I've often said this. If people ever really got in with God, they wouldn't care what time they got out. I've only been in two or three meetings in my entire 50 years of preaching that really came down to like that. Believe it or not, I was preaching in a little church in Illinois. And I preached and God gave great liberty and freedom. And when the service is over, everyone's just standing around talking. And I just jokingly said, "Well, if I had known everybody was going to stand around, I'd preach again." They sat down. And I preached again. And when I got through preaching the second time, their pastor preached. When he got through preaching, they asked me to preach again. You know, it was about two o'clock in the morning before we got out. Nobody left. Nobody left, everybody just simply stayed. Our Lord said, look, only hypocrites, you know, think that just pure ritualism and ceremonialism.

And he calls such worship vain, that is useless and fruitless and worthless. And then he demonstrates how, in verse nine, "but in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines and commandments of men." In other words, you've substituted my law for man's law. I want you to look in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 1. I'm just trying to show you that we become God's enemies when we offer Him hypocritical and ritualistic worship. Look what God says in Isaiah chapter 1, beginning there with verse 10. And by the way, when God is talking to Sodom and Gomorrah here, He's talking to Judah and Jerusalem. Watch it. Isaiah 1 in verse 10. "Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom. Give ear unto the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord?

I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts. I delight not in the blood of bullocks, and of lambs, and of he goats. Now look, when you come to appear before me, who has required this at your hand to tread my courts? Bring no more vain," that is useless, worthless, "oblations. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths, the calling of assembly, I cannot away with it. It is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts, my soul, hate it! They are trouble unto me.

I am weary to bear them. And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you. Yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash you. Make you clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes. Cease to do evil. Learn to do well. Seek judgment. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow." What did God say? You've come here offering these sacrifices. You think I just want the blood of bulls and goats? You think I want you to go through a little ritual and then you turn around and live the way you please? No. Did not God appoint those new moons and Sabbaths? Yes. Did not God appoint those sacrifices? Yes. Did not God appoint the calling of the assemblies? Yes. But they turned everything into a mere ritual and ceremony.

Their heart was not in it. Their mind was not in it. It was empty and vain and useless and worthless. And God said, "I hate it. I will not have it. I can't stand it. I will not receive it." Look in your Bibles to the book of Amos, chapter 5. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look in Amos, chapter 5, beginning there in verse 21. Watch carefully, and I'm going to tie all of these passages together for you in just a moment. Look in Amos 5 and verse 21.

Oh, how can this be misunderstood? God says in Amos 5 verse 21,

He said it's just noise, you're singing. That's all it is, racket.

he said,

Then he asked,

God said,

I will not have it." God said, "Here's what I want. I want judgment to run down like waters. I want righteousness to the mighty stream." I don't care which passage you look at. What God is saying is this, the foundation of worship is obedience to His law, obedience to His Word. If you and I are living ungodly, unrighteous lives, we cannot render unto Him the worship that is due His great name. We cannot and we must not claim to be God's people if we are worshipping Him or offering Him or giving Him what you and I would call defective and worthless and useless and unacceptable worship. David said it like this in Psalm 103, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, in all that is within me, bless His holy name, and forget not His benefits.

who daily loaded thee with good things, who feedeth thee," and he goes on down and enlists everything. But what did he say? "Bless the Lord, O my soul, in all that is with me." You don't sit there like a nut on a log. You bless the Lord in your mind, in your heart. You praise Him. You thank Him. You ignore Him. And you do so according to His Word and according to His Spirit.

Obedience is the foundation of worship. And unless our lives are obedient lives, we're offering defective worship to God. Read the book of Malachi. God got a hold of those people because they were offering defective sacrifices. You know what God said? "Offer this sick, initiated lamb to your governor. See if he'll eat it. See if he'll take it." And then God said, "I'm a great king. Don't give me that kind of worship.

I will not have it." We become God's enemies when we forget and we reject his law. We become God's enemies when we offer him defective worship, when our worship becomes just pure ceremonial and ritualistic. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter four, because here's the third thing. We become God's enemies when we befriend the world. We become God's enemies when we befriend the world. Look at James 4 in verse 4. I'm going to come back and give it to you in the context, but just look at verse 4. God says, "You adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Now, let me tell you, the world in this context does not refer to God's creation. But it does refer to the world system that is in opposition to God and His Word. Now, he said in verse four, "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

How We Become God's Enemies: Befriending the World

James 4:4 states that friendship with the world is enmity with God. Worldliness involves covetousness, pride, and living for self. Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahab is a warning. Jesus said we are His friends if we obey His commands.

I will not have it." We become God's enemies when we forget and we reject his law. We become God's enemies when we offer him defective worship, when our worship becomes just pure ceremonial and ritualistic. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of James, chapter four, because here's the third thing. We become God's enemies when we befriend the world. We become God's enemies when we befriend the world. Look at James 4 in verse 4. I'm going to come back and give it to you in the context, but just look at verse 4. God says, "You adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." Now, let me tell you, the world in this context does not refer to God's creation. But it does refer to the world system that is in opposition to God and His Word. Now, he said in verse four, "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

He says, "know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God." The word "enmity" there is a very strong word. It's the word echthros in the Greek, and it means to be a foe, to be hostile, to be hateful, to be opposed to. God said, "If you're a friend of the world, if you're a friend of this world system, you are the enemy of God." Now, I want you to look at it in the context. Let's begin with verse one. God asks, "From which come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence even of your lusts that warn your members? You lust and have not. You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you have not because you ask not. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your own lust. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Do you think that the Scripture saith in vain, The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore, he said, God resisted the proud, but gave the grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw an eye to God, and he will draw an eye to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Be afflicted in morn and week. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." Now, God in this context is talking about being a worldly individual. You know what worldliness is? According to James chapter 4, a worldly individual is someone who is covetous, lustful, proud, arrogant, quick-tempered, aggressive, desirous of everything that is opposed to God. He's someone that lives for himself, for his own pleasures, for his own will, and for his desires. He's someone who wants to get ahead in life, and he's willing to do whatever is necessary to get ahead in life.

He doesn't care whether it's right or wrong, good or bad. Now, God says the remedy for this, according to James chapter 4, is to draw near to God, repent, close your hands and submit to the Lord. And what he's saying is, unless we do so, we're remaining in a state of enmity against him. Now, let me tell you, it is one thing to be in the world. And it's quite another thing to be of the world. God's people are in the world, obviously, but we should not be identified with the ungodly world system. You remember King Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, was basically a good man and a godly man. But he did some stupid and downright wicked things. He helped Ahab, the king of Israel. He joined affinity with wicked Ahab. And when he came back into Judah, God sent Jehu, the son of Anani, the prophet, to him. And here's what Jehu said: "And Jehu, the son of Anani, the seer, went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is there wrath upon you from the Lord." You are not to be helping the ungodly. You are not to be loving those that hate God. That's what he said. Ahab was a wicked reprobate. And Jehoshaphat stupidly said, "My people are your people.

My horses are your horses." No, no. Our Lord made it very clear in Matthew 12 and verse 30 when he said it like this: "He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not scattereth abroad." We cannot befriend the world system that hates God and His righteousness without becoming an enemy to God. How do we become God's enemies? By rejecting and disobeying His law. by giving him ritualistic and ceremonial worship instead of worshiping him in spirit and in truth. And when we become the friend of the world. You know what our Lord said in John chapter 15 and verse 14. Listen to this. He said, "You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you." Wow. So here's my question. Do you want to be a friend of our Lord Jesus, or a friend of the world? Do you want to befriend Christ or do you want to befriend Caesar? If we're going to say that we're friends of Christ, we must live like it. We must act like it. We must walk like it. We must talk like it. If we're going to be the friends of Christ, we're going to demonstrate we are His friends by obedience in our lives and giving Him the worship that He demands and the worship that He is worthy to receive. I love reading in the book of Revelation where those four and twenty elders fall down and cast their crowns at His feet and say, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honor and glory and power.

Conclusion: Choose Friendship with God

Weaver urges believers to submit to God, obey His law, and give Him worthy worship. He shares a personal story to illustrate the folly of fighting against an omnipotent God. The sermon ends with a prayer for deliverance from being God's enemies.

by giving him ritualistic and ceremonial worship instead of worshiping him in spirit and in truth. And when we become the friend of the world. You know what our Lord said in John chapter 15 and verse 14. Listen to this. He said, "You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you." Wow. So here's my question. Do you want to be a friend of our Lord Jesus, or a friend of the world? Do you want to befriend Christ or do you want to befriend Caesar? If we're going to say that we're friends of Christ, we must live like it. We must act like it. We must walk like it. We must talk like it. If we're going to be the friends of Christ, we're going to demonstrate we are His friends by obedience in our lives and giving Him the worship that He demands and the worship that He is worthy to receive. I love reading in the book of Revelation where those four and twenty elders fall down and cast their crowns at His feet and say, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honor and glory and power.

For Thou hast created all things, and they are created for Thy pleasure." What has happened? You look around. I don't care. Baptist church, Presbyterian church, Methodist church, congregation, most churches, and most professing people, Christian people, have become the enemies of God. We will never prosper if God is fighting against us. If we do not want God to be our enemy, we must submit to him and obey him and give him the honor and the glory that he needs and that he deserves and that he demands. Years ago, I had a good friend, he's now dead. He was a bodybuilder. Strong. He was about six foot five. I'm not exaggerating. He had shoulders that wide on each side. He would have made Charles Atlas look like a weakling. I saw him one day standing on the street corner talking to someone, and at that time I was having a problem with my back and I had a back brace on. And he was a friend. And so I stopped the car and I walked across the street to greet him. And he looked up and saw me and he smiled and said, "How are you today?" I said, "I'm glad you asked." I said, "Because when I woke up this morning, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I felt so mean that I just wanted to whip somebody. And when I saw you standing on this street corner, I made up my mind. You're the man I want to whip." And I said, "I was on my way over here to whip you until I just felt this back brace that I've got on. And now I'm going to have to cancel the fight. I'm going to have to put it off." He looked at me and laughed and he said, "Well, thank goodness you've got that back brace on." And I said, "Brother, you couldn't pour me on you if I was water. I don't want any part of you." You say, well, that's common sense. I'm not going to jump on a man like that. And yet people are willing to fight against the sovereign, omnipotent God of heaven and earth. And they just don't know who they're fighting against. And we can become his enemies by disobedience and disrespect.

and living dishonorable, ungodly lives. I don't want to fight against Him. And neither do you. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Deliver us from our sins. Deliver us from being enemies to Thee, O Lord. Deliver us from being forgetful and disobedient to Thy law. Deliver us, Lord, from giving unto Thee ritualistic and ceremonial worship instead of worship in spirit and in truth. And deliver us from being friends of this world system which is absolutely opposed to Thee and Thy law.

Give us grace to be obedient and submissive. Teach us, Lord, to serve Thee with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we ask and pray, Amen.