Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ

How God Destroys Nations - Part 5

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2005-06-12

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver concludes his series on how God destroys nations by examining military destruction. He argues that God, as a 'man of war,' uses the military strength of other nations to judge wicked nations. Drawing from Isaiah 19:16-17, he explains that God can instill terror through rumors and the shaking of His hand, making even mighty nations as fearful as women. Weaver emphasizes that no amount of military might can protect a nation if God withdraws His protection, and that America's sins are worse than those of ancient nations because they are committed against greater light. He calls for individual, familial, ecclesiastical, and national repentance to avert judgment.

[John Weaver] Isaiah chapter 19, beginning with verse one, the burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight everyone against his brother and everyone against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over in the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. And the water shall fail from the sea, and the rivers shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up.

[John Weaver] The reeds and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and everything sewn by the brooks shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament. And they that spread nets upon the water shall languish. Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave nets, shall be confounded.

[John Weaver] And they shall be broken in purposes thereof, and all that makes sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, and the counsel of the wise counsel of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say you unto Pharaoh, I am the son of a wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? Where are the wise men? And let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zolaan have become fools. The princes of Naph are deceived. They have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail or branch or rush may do. And that day shall Egypt be likened to women. And it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which he shaketh over it.

[John Weaver] And the land of Egypt shall be a terror unto Egypt, and the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts, which he hath determined against it.

[John Weaver] Now, we've dealt with Four previous messages on how God destroys nations, and I showed you from this chapter how God destroys nations, first of all, religiously, secondly, socially, thirdly, governmentally, and fourthly, economically. In fact, if I had the time today, I could review each one of those, but please remember that they were over an hour in and of themselves. So make sure that if you have not heard this, these messages that you do so because just as you look around today, you can see the applications that are very apparent in our land today. Now, today, we're going to come to the last way that God destroys nations. In fact, this is the way that most people usually think about.

[John Weaver] And that is what you and I would call military destruction. The truth of the matter is this, God has often used the military strength of other nations to defeat and destroy those nations whom he was judging. Let me begin by saying this, as a rule, nations trust in their armaments, their military supremacy, and their expertise for defense. God never, ever enters the equation. Just this morning, I was listening to the news briefly, and they had a little debate between two individuals. I never even listened to the debate because I was assured in my own spirit that I would get angry, and I just didn't want to get angry. But the debate was over whether or not God should be in politics, and I thought to myself, Well, probably the kind of politics they're talking about, he wouldn't want to be involved in anyhow. But the truth of the matter is this. Certainly God has ordained government. And since God has ordained government, God has the right to lay down the qualifications for rulers and also the limitations for government and so actually there should be no argument over that at all because God is the ordainer and the one who has instituted government but the same token God has divided the

[John Weaver] nations and God has made nations And God has used the military strength of other nations to defeat nations against whom he has purposed to judge. Now, most nations do not even consider God. They are so callous and so wicked, they do not believe that they need God's help, God's blessing, or God's protection. And yet the truth of the matter is so exceedingly plain in Scripture. Let me just quote a few verses. Most of you know these verses, but do you remember Psalm 127 in verse 1? Listen.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, except the Lord build the house. What? They labor in vain that build it, and except the Lord keep the city. What? The watchman waketh but in vain. In other words, if God does not sovereignly protect the city, it doesn't matter how many watchmen you have. It doesn't matter how many armaments you have. If God does not protect the city, the city will fall. No amount of military armament is sufficient if God does not protect and defend the people. The Bible tells us in Psalm 147, verses 10 and 11, He, that is God, delighteth not in the strength of a horse, nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man."

[John Weaver] Now, just stop and think. The strength of the horse, the legs of the man, that was the military strength of the land. So the Bible says God does not take pleasure in the strength of a horse, nor in the legs of a man. The verse goes on,"...the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in them that hope in His mercy." So scriptures tell us it is not man.

[John Weaver] It is not man's ability. It is not man's armament that makes the difference, but it is simply the grace and the mercy of God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 21 and verse 31. And here's the verse that everyone needs to memorize. Here's what God says. Proverbs 21, verse 31. The horse. Is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety You know, I've often wondered, having seen fields of fire in a military sense of the word, how anyone could ever crawl through all of those bullets. And yet, people do. And the answer is, safety is of the Lord.

[John Weaver] It is not of the armaments. It is not in the strength of the armaments. It's of the Lord. The Bible tells us in Psalm 33 and verse 17. Listen carefully. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

[John Weaver] Now, stop and think about that. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

[John Weaver] Now, we could paraphrase that. We could make that into a modern day application. We could say that a tank or a bomber or a ship or fighter jet is a vain thing for safety, neither will it deliver anyone by its great firepower. In other words, it's the same principle. God is telling us, first and foremost, that safety is of the Lord, and we have to understand that principle.

[John Weaver] Now, today we're coming to the fifth and final way in which God destroys nations, and that is militarily. So look in verses 16 and 17. God says in Isaiah 19 verse 16, In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid in fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself. because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he had determined against him." Now, in these two verses, God declares that a general consternation will seize the Egyptians. That is, they will be afraid and feared, and that fearfulness will be evidence not only of a universal decay, but it will also be a means of their utter ruins. of their utter ruin. Now, God says that there are two things that are going to cause this tremendous fear. Number one, in verse 16, it's going to be what they hear from the land of Judah.

[John Weaver] He said, In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which He shaketh over it, and the land of Judah. So it's in verse 17. And the land of Judah shall be terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid of himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which is determined against it." Now, the very first thing I'm going to mention is what they have heard in Judah. How is it that what they have heard happen in Judah is going to be a terror to the Egyptians? Well, you've got to understand that it was Sennacherib, the Assyrian leader, who led his army into Judah.

[John Weaver] and basically wiped it off the map. Now, the land of Egypt, of course, was right next to the land of Judah. And when they conclude that there had been a pact between Judah and the Assyrian monarch, and yet that did not hinder the Assyrian monarch from destroying Judah, they just simply assumed that they were next. In other words, it's like Here you are living in a close tenement housing section and plenty of these places, houses only three and four feet apart.

[John Weaver] When you see your neighbor's house on fire, burning out of control, what is your automatic assumption? That your house is next because the fire is going to lead from one house to the other house. And so the Egyptians then were fearful because the Assyrians had wiped out Judah and they just simply knew that they were going to be next. Now note what else is going to happen.

[John Weaver] He says in verse 16, In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear. Why? Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which He shaketh over it. Now they're going to fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts and because of the counsel which God has determined against Egypt. Now, look what God did to Judah. What was in the land of Judah?

[John Weaver] Well, the tabernacle and the temple. It seems to me like there's a verse in the New Testament in first Peter that goes something like this. If judgment first begin at the house of God. What is going to be the end of the heathen and the wicked? So they were understanding then that God was shaking his hand. You know, Scripture asks a question. If these things be done in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? In other words, if you can't put up with something in a time of blessing, what in the world are you going to do in the time of cursing? And he said, if you can't run with the horsemen, you know, you're in trouble. And what are you going to do when the Jordan swells up? In other words, if you cannot Comprehend and understand and do what is easily done in a good time. How in the world can you survive in a bad time? Now, I want you to note something. Verse 16 talks about the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts.

[John Weaver] It is important for you to note how easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others, even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Now stop and think about that. How easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Do you realize for God to send a general consternation and frustration and terror upon the people, he does not even have to send an army upon them. All he has to do is send a rumor.

[John Weaver] That's what this verse is talking about. Let me give you a quote, and then I'm going to ask that you turn to a passage. You'll find this in Obadiah 1 and verse 1. Listen to this. The scripture says the vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom. We have heard a rumor from the Lord and an ambassador sent among the heathen. Arise you and let us arise up against her in battle. Note what he said. A rumor from the Lord. The Lord did not necessarily have to send the army. He sent a rumor.

[John Weaver] And it got everybody worked up. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 37 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Isaiah 37, verse 7. Look how God uses rumors. I'm just simply saying, folks, God doesn't even have to get up off his throne to destroy a nation. In Isaiah 37, beginning there with verse 7, God is speaking and he says, Behold, I will send a blast upon him.

[John Weaver] And he shall hear a rumor, he's talking about the king of Assyria, and return to his own land. And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. So Rav Shechan returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libna, for he had heard that he was departed from Elish. Note, if you would, what God said. God said, I'm going to cause him to hear a rumor. And he's going to return to his own land and fall by his own sword. And guess what? God calls the king of Assyria to hear the rumor that the people had hired Terhaka, the king of the Ethiopians, against him. And he departed and left and returned to his own land. And guess what? He was then killed by two of his own sons. And how did God get him out of the land? God just simply caused him to hear a rumor.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah 51 and verse 46. Jeremiah 51 verse 46. Jeremiah 51 verse 46. I'm just demonstrating folks how easy it is for God to send fear and depredation upon a people. Jeremiah 51, look at verse 46,"...and lest your heart faint and you fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land, a rumor that shall both come one year, and after that another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler." God says all it takes is rumors. Do you realize the Egyptians were struck with fear based upon a rumor. Now the Egyptians always thought that they were able to maintain war. Many times the Egyptians would attack other nations without provocation. And the Egyptians also used their soldiers as mercenaries. We are a warlike people and yet They cannot do anything when God sends a rumor. Except tremble and fear like women, that's what he said. In Isaiah chapter 19, he said they're going to be like women. Now look at it in that day shall Egypt be likened to women and it shall be afraid and fear.

[John Weaver] Why? Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it.

[John Weaver] Now let me just give you A quote very quickly from John Calvin. I want you to listen to what he said upon this verse. And the reason I'm giving you the quote is because I cannot say it any plainer. I want you to listen to what he said concerning verse 16 and verse 17. And especially verse 16. Quote, The sudden change which is now effected is a striking display of the judgment of heaven.

[John Weaver] And therefore, he adds, that the shaking of the hand of God will be the cause of terror. By these words, he shows that this war will be entirely carried on by the Lord, and therefore that the Egyptians cannot stand against it because they have not to do with men. What Isaiah declares concerning Egypt ought to be likewise applied to other nations. Listen carefully. For if wars arise and insurrections spring up, we ought to acknowledge it to be a judgment of God which men lose courage and are overwhelmed with terror. We see how the most warlike nations give way and show themselves to be less courageous than women and are vanquished without any preparations of war whenever the Lord strikes their minds with dread." What did he say? He said you ought to understand that what he has said in Isaiah 19 and verse 16 applies to other nations as well. It's a principle of truth that when God shakes his hand, when God just merely threatens, when God sends a rumor, then men are struck with terror and fear and are unable to function, unable to fight, yea, he said, and become like women.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. If the shaking of God's hand causes such fear and consternation, What must it be like when God actually strikes and fights? I'll show you. Look in your Bibles very quickly to Revelation, Chapter six, you'll remember this passage. Revelation, Chapter six, beginning there with verse 15. Here's what happens when God actually fights. Revelation six and verse 15. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from

[John Weaver] the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is coming. Who shall be able to stand? I can assure you of one thing, folks. That is when God does fight. He'll be the only one left standing. It should be evident that it is comely and right to fear God whenever He does merely just shake His hand over us. It should be right to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God when He but threatens us. You know, I just thought of an illustration.

[John Weaver] My daughters, many times when I was preaching, when they were small, would be acting up. And if I ever caught their eye, I'd look at them like, Becca says, not her. If I ever caught their eye, I'd look at them like this. And usually that was sufficient. Because they knew that if they didn't straighten up, the rod was about to fall. It's right to humble ourselves when we see the threatening hand of God against us.

[John Weaver] Do you realize as wicked, as ungodly as King Ahab was? When God sent word to Ahab that God was going to kill Ahab, you know what Ahab did? He humbled himself. and put on dust and ashes. And you know what God said to Elijah? Seest thou how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I'll not execute him right now, but later, and I'll destroy the kingdom in his son's reign and not his reign. As wicked, as ungodly as Ahab was, he gained a little time. by humbling himself under the hand of God.

[John Weaver] Now I'm going to tell you what amazes me, folks. What amazes me is the number of Christian people that do not think and do not believe that God would ever use the military option upon America. Now that's what really amazes me. Somehow, some way, most people tend to think that we are better than the past generations and that our sins and our rebellions are not quite as bad and not quite as wicked as was theirs. Let me tell you something. The truth is our sins and our rebellions are worse.

[John Weaver] I want to prove it to you. Listen carefully. Do you remember how God destroyed the nations of the Old Testament? You say, how can you sit there and say that our sins as a nation are worse than theirs? Let me tell you how I can say that, because that's exactly what Scripture teaches. Because, folks, what we sin against is fullness of light and fullness of truth. It is true that in the Old Testament they had some light, they had some truth, but they did not have the fullness of light and truth the way we do. What does the Bible say in John 1 and 18? Verse 17, I think it is, said, The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. That is, the fullness of grace and the fullness of truth was revealed when Jesus Christ was revealed.

[John Weaver] And if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews 10, let me show you this argument. Look in Hebrews 10. And here the apostle is arguing that our sins deserve a worse judgment than the sins of the people in the Old Testament. Hebrews 10, beginning there with verse 28. Look at it. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Now, when you look in the Old Testament, when you committed a capital sin, a capital crime, You died. That was it. You died. When there were enough witnesses against you, you were cut off. There was no mercy. You were killed. Look in verse twenty nine. Here's his argument of how much sore or worse punishment.

[John Weaver] Suppose you shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified in a holy thing, and done despite in the Spirit of grace." In other words, now we have the fullness of light in Jesus Christ, and when we sin, we sin against the completed, final, and full revelation of the Word of God. We sin against the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ. What we're doing is sinning in light of full knowledge and full light.

[John Weaver] And the author of Hebrews says of how much worse punishment. Do you suppose he is worthy? Who trods under his feet, the son of God, let me tell you something, folks. Since Jesus Christ has been revealed, there is an added dimension. And an added insult. to our sin and our rebellion against God. And the scriptures teach us basically we today deserve worse punishment.

[John Weaver] Now, there's another objection that I hear. And that objection is that God is too loving to send judgment upon America. And that God would never engage in war and that God would never use war. Let me tell you something. Whenever you think that way, you are thinking humanistically. You are not thinking scripturally. When people say, well, the God that I serve is too loving to send judgment like that. Oh, when you say that, the God you're serving is a figment of your imagination. He is not the God of the scripture. Let me tell you, the only God that exists is the God of the Bible. And the Bible declares unto us who God is and what His attributes are. And if you have a problem with what the Bible reveals, the only thing I can tell you is that you are wrong and the Bible is right. Now, Scripture informs us.

[John Weaver] In fact, states it emphatically. In Exodus chapter 15 and verse 3, listen carefully. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. What did the Bible just say? The Lord is a man of war. If you read the context, It is in the context of the destruction of Pharaoh and his army and his chariots. God overthrew them. And here they are singing and praising God and saying, God is a man of war. The Lord is a man of war. That is his name.

[John Weaver] Moreover, let me ask you a question. Do you know how God delivered Israel out of Egypt? If you don't know the answer to that, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And notice verse 34. Here is a specific statement concerning the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 4. And verse 34. Look what the Bible says. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation?

[John Weaver] By temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by what? And by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes. How did God deliver the Israelites out of the land of Egypt? By war. By war.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question. Does it not stand to reason that if the Lord is a man of war, and if God delivered Israel out of Egypt by means of war, is it not rational to conclude that God could also destroy a nation by means of war? I mean, let's be honest. Let's ask the question, has God ever destroyed a nation by means of war? What's the answer? Innumerable times. Look very quickly in your Bibles, just to the book of Judges, and I'm not going to deal with this long, but Judges chapter 3, I just want you to see that it was God Himself, which I'm going to demonstrate a little bit later, who brought all these enemies upon Israel because of their sins. Look in Judges 3, verse 7, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Balaam in the groves. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he, that is God, sold them into the hand of Cushan Rishleim, Tegemesh of Atania, and the children of Israel served Cushan Rishleim eight years.

[John Weaver] Look in verses 12, Verse 12 there, and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Aglam the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. Look in chapter 4, verse 1. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Syria, who dwelt in Harasheth of the Gentiles. Then look in chapter 6 and verse 1. Once again, the Bible says, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Here's my question. Did God destroy Israel by means of war in 722 B.C.

[John Weaver] when the Assyrians came and captured the ten northern tribes? The answer is yes. Did God destroy the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin, in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians came and captured? And the answer is yes. Did God destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman army? Yes. Ask yourself whatever happened to Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Edom, Egypt, and a multitude of other nations. And the answer is God destroyed them by war.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn in your Bibles to First Chronicles, Chapter 5. First Chronicles, Chapter 5. I'm just trying to prove a point. And that point is that God is indeed a man of war, and that God does indeed use war to chastise and punish nations. In 1 Chronicles 5, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 25. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 5, verse 25. And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and were whoring after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them. Are you watching that?

[John Weaver] And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Paul, king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tiklath-Pileser, king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them into Havah, and to Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan of this day. What did God do? God stirred up the spirits of the kings of Assyria to come down and to fight against His people and to carry them into captivity.

[John Weaver] Look in chapter 6 and verse 15. Look at what the Bible says. And Jehozadak went into captivity when the Lord carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Now, who was it that carried them away into captivity? The Lord. How did he do it? By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. By the way, I want you to understand that when God destroys a nation by war, it is impossible for that nation to stand. I want you to look in your Bibles to Jeremiah 46.

[John Weaver] You see, the problem that we have in this country today is that we believe that we are the greatest military power upon the face of the earth. And you say, well, we are. Well, not necessarily. We may be in one way or another way, but I got news for you folks. We have so many computer oriented weapons today. If the power grid goes down, all of our computer-oriented weapons are worthless. And the Chinese outnumber us ten to one. And they've got more land weapons than we do.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm just trying to point out that when God destroys a nation, it doesn't matter what you have militarily, you can't stand. Look in Jeremiah 46, and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Jeremiah 46, verse 14. Declare you in Egypt, publish it in Migdal, publish it in Nof and in Tampines. Say ye, stand fast and prepare thee, for the sword shall devour round about thee.

[John Weaver] Now, what's this next question? Why are thy valiant men swept away? They stood not. Why? Because the Lord did drive them. He made them to fall, yea, they fell one upon another. Why could they not stand? Because the Lord thy God did drive them. No nation can stand, no matter what their armaments are, when God decrees against them. No nation can stand when God fights against them. Do you realize that when nations go into idolatry, God always raises up enemies against them?

[John Weaver] Look back in your Bibles to First Kings chapter 11. Let me just show you a couple of things. First Kings chapter 11. You remember how Solomon was a wise man, and yet Solomon went into idolatry. All of his strange wives that he had married caused him and led him and pushed him into idolatry. He built all those altars for his wives. Look at what the Bible says in 1 Kings 11, beginning there with verse 11. 1 Kings 11, verse 11. Wherefore, the Lord said in Solomon, For as much as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit, I will not render away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, which I have chosen.

[John Weaver] Are you looking? And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was on the king's seat in Edom. And the Lord stirred up an adversary. Skip down to verse 23. And God stirred him up another adversary, Razan, the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord, Hadadezer, king of Zobah. And he gathered men unto him, and became a captain of her band, when David slew them of Zobah.

[John Weaver] And they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon. Beside the mischief that Hadad did, he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. Note, if you would, it was God who raised By the way, if you would take the time to read Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, you'll find that one of the specific curses for disobedience is that a nation cannot stand before their enemies. God said you go out against them one way and flee before them seven ways. When God judges a nation, no matter what their armaments are, they cannot stand, militarily speaking. Now, please remember this, that one of the attributes of God is His immutability. When we talk about the immutability of God, we talk about His unchangeableness.

[John Weaver] Malachi 3 and verse 6, He says, I the Lord change not. I the Lord change not.

[John Weaver] Now, since God does not change, neither do his judgments or his retribution. And if God destroyed nations in the Old Testament by means of war, it should not surprise us to find that God also destroys nations in the New Testament by means of war. And it should not surprise us that God still uses that same military option today. God does not change. We've got to remember that the Lord is a man of war.

[John Weaver] By the way, look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 50. Let me show you a verse that may really surprise you. Jeremiah 50. And look if you would please at verse 25. Jeremiah 50 verse 25. Remember, I told you that God is a man of war. In Jeremiah 50 and verse 25, look at what the Bible says. The Lord hath opened his armory and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation, for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. Note, for the Lord hath opened his what? His armory. God has his own gun cabinet. Isn't that wonderful? He's got an armory. It's not just a gun cabinet, however. He's got plenty of weapons in there. He opened his own armory and brought forth weapons of destruction. Now, one of those weapons is the sword. Which speaks of war. Look back to Jeremiah 47.

[John Weaver] At verses 6 and 7. I like this. Look at this. You know about God's judgment. Look what people say when God brings his sort of judgment upon them. O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself unto thy scabbard, rest and be still. Now watch. How can it be quiet? Seeing the Lord had given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the seashore, there hath he appointed it. Does no good to cry, O thou sword of the Lord, be still. Go back into your scabbard. God said it will not go back into my scabbard until it has finished that which I have appointed it to. Look in Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. God said, when I send another nation to destroy another nation, I'll curse the man who holds back his sword from blood. God uses nations to destroy other nations.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to the book of Ezekiel chapter 14. I'm going to show you that God speaks here of his four sword judgments. Here are four weapons that he has in his armory. In Ezekiel chapter 14 and verse 21, God names four of them. Here they are. For thus saith the Lord God, how much more when I send my four sword judgments upon Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] And what is the first one? The sword. and the famine and the noisome beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man and beast. God said, I've got four sword judgments. I've got four particular weapons in my armory that I use. And the first one that is mentioned is the sword.

[John Weaver] Now, look in verse 17. Look what the Bible says. God is speaking. Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, sword go through that land so that I cut off man and beast from it. God uses a sword. There's no two ways about that. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 6. Ezekiel chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. Look what God says. Ezekiel 6 verse 1.

[John Weaver] And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them. And say, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the rivers, and to the valleys. Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Now who is it that's bringing the sword? It's God. And your altar shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols, and I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars, and all your dwelling places of the city shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and ceased, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you, watch, and

[John Weaver] you shall know that I am the Lord." Who was it that brought the sword? It was God. And God said, when I get through wiping you out, you'll understand. that it was I, the Lord, who did it.

[John Weaver] Now, if that's unclear, if that's not sufficient, just very quickly turn to Ezekiel 21. There are so many passages where God himself says that he brought the sword. Ezekiel 21, beginning of verse one. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath. And will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, seeing them that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. Therefore shall my sword go forth out of the sheath against all flesh from the south to the north, that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath, and it shall not return any more." What is God saying? I want to draw my sword. I want to do the cutting. But God does it normally by sending other nations.

[John Weaver] Look in, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Same chapter, Ezekiel 21. Again, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord, saying, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and is also furbished. It is sharpened to make the sword slaughtered. It is furbished that it may glitter. Should we then make mirth? It contendeth that the rod of my son is every tree. and He hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled. This sword is sharpened, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. Cry and howl, son of man, for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel. Terror by reason of the sword shall be upon my people. Smite therefore upon my thigh, because it is a trial, and what if the sword condemn even the rod? It shall be no more, saith the Lord." Notice what he's saying, it's my sword, I'm going to send it. Skip down to verse 28.

[John Weaver] And thou shalt, O man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach, even say thou the sword, the sword is drawn for the slaughter, it is furnished to consume because of the glittering. Once again, God said, I'm going to destroy them by my sword. Turn to Ezekiel 30. Look at Ezekiel 30. Over and over, as you read through these prophecies against the nations, It is God drawing forth his sword. In Ezekiel 30 verse 1, the word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son, a man prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, How ye woe worth the day, For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day it shall be, the time of the

[John Weaver] heathen, and the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in the Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundation shall be broken down, Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Shab, and the men of the land that is in the league shall fall with them by the sword." Verse 6 once again says, God shall destroy them. Skip down to verse 20. Ezekiel 30, verse 20. And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the first month of the seventh day of the Lord, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Now watch this. I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword, Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms,

[John Weaver] the strong and that which was broken, and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them among the countries, and I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand. But I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him, with the groins of a deadly wounded man, but I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of the Egyptians."

[John Weaver] Now, what is that passage telling us? God says, the nation that I send to chastise and judge another nation, I make their sword strong. I make their arms strong. But the nation that's going to be judged, I'll break their arms. That is, I'll break their power. They'll have no power to fight. They'll have no power to resist. They'll be destroyed.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you one last argument. Because when we talk about the military option, God destroying one nation militarily, And especially when we apply it to America, here is the main objection, not just that God would never do such, and not just that God would never judge us, not just that God would never use war, and I've shown you where he does use war, but here's the main argument that most people get. Well, we are certainly bad as a nation, and I know there are things that are wrong in our country, I mean, my goodness. I mean, there's sodomites, there's abortion, there's socialism. We got bad government. We got bad citizens. Yeah, I admit we're bad, but other nations are worse.

[John Weaver] And so what we think is. God won't judge us. He'll judge the other nations that are worse. I want you to look in your Bible to Luke 12, verse 48. I want to show you a principle. Luke 12. Luke 12, verse 48, look at what our Lord says. Are you watching? In fact, let's read verse 47. Our Lord says, and that servant who knew his Lord's will. That is, he had the light, he had the truth, he had the knowledge, and that servant who knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. Now, wait a minute. Why is it the one who knew the Lord's will and did it not will be beaten with many stripes? The one who knew not the Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with few stripes. Why? Here's the principle.

[John Weaver] For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. And to whom men shall have committed much, of him they will ask the more. You say other nations are worse. I concur. But other nations have not had our blessings. They have not had our opportunities. They have not had our responsibilities. They have not been given the truth and the life like we have been given. Our sins are worse because we are sinning against light. We're sinning against fullness of truth.

[John Weaver] And God said that servant who knew to do the Lord's will and did it not, he shall be beaten with what? Many stripes. His punishment will be worse. For he sinned against the light.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. To the book of Habakkuk chapter one. One of the minor prophets of Habakkuk chapter one. Because you see, The same problem existed in Habakkuk today. You've got Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. Habakkuk chapter one. You see, this was Habakkuk's problem. He understood that God was going to use the Chaldeans or the Babylonians to judge them. But the Babylonians were worse than they were. And so his question is, God, How can you do this? Look at it. Habakkuk 1, verse 6. God says, For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

[John Weaver] They are terrible and they are dreadful in their judgment and their dignity shall proceed to themselves. Now God says, I'm going to send them. I'm going to send this wicked, hasty, bloodthirsty nation to destroy the land. Watch verses 12 and 13. Habakkuk asks, Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy one? We shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment. And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Now look what he says, Thou art of pure eyes, and behold evil. That is, you cannot look at it condoningly. And canst thou look upon iniquity that is approvingly? Wherefore lookest thou upon them, that is, the Chaldeans, that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue on the wicked, devoureth a man that is more righteous than he?

[John Weaver] Now, what was his argument? God, we may be bad, but we're not as bad as the Chaldeans are. That's his argument. But you see, the Chaldeans did not have the light, nor the truth that the people of Israel had. They did not have the revelation that God's people had.

[John Weaver] Finally, he comes to the conclusion that God was just and holy, and that whatever God did was just and right. And if you look in Habakkuk chapter 3, verses 17 through 19, Here's what he came to. Here was his own conclusion. He had to come to this realization that I am going to trust God regardless of the circumstances. Watch Habakkuk 3 verse 17. He ends by saying this, although the fig tree shall not blossom.

[John Weaver] Neither shall fruit be in the vines and the labor of the olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no hurt in the stalls. Yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds feet and he will make me to walk upon my hind places. What's he saying? I'm going to have to trust God. If there's nothing to eat, if everyone is cut off If we have nothing as a nation, I still must trust God. Do you remember the question that Abraham asked God?

[John Weaver] If you don't, here it is. Shall not the God of all the earth do right? And what's the answer? Yeah. A judge of all the earth is going to do right. Whatever God does is right. However God punishes us is right. God did use heathen, wicked nations innumerable times to chastise a people who were not as wicked as they were. Read Isaiah 10. Read Ezekiel 7. Let me tell you something, folks. God is free to use any creature, any instrument, in any way, and in any time that he chooses. He alone is God. And the scriptures affirm that to him alone are the issues of life and death. David said, my times are in his hands. David said to the Lord our God belong the issues from death. How does God destroy nations? Religiously. Socially. Governmentally. Economically. And militarily.

[John Weaver] Now let me make some applications. The first one should be obvious. This past week, I had one man say to me, we were just talking about the situation that we're in, and just in passing, he made this statement. I am afraid of China. I got news for you folks. They outnumber us. If you started killing the Chinese today, and you kill 50,000 a day, 100 years from now you'd still be shooting.

[John Weaver] As fast as they multiply. Now he said I'm afraid of China. I've heard people say I'm afraid of Russia. Let me tell you something folks. Do not think that God has to use a great military power like Russia. or China to bring us to our knees. Cuba is sufficient. Castro is sufficient. When God withdraws his protective hand from a nation, anyone can destroy that nation. It does not have to be a mighty war power. Because when God breaks our arms, He strengthens the arms of those He's going to use to judge us. I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God. I fear Him. He's the one that we should fear. As long as his hand of protection is upon us, there's not a nation that can touch us. But if he ever withdraws that hand, there's not a nation that can protect us.

[John Weaver] Secondly, Micah 6 and verse 9 gives us very pointed instruction. Listen to this. Listen to this. Here's Micah 6 verse 9. The Lord's voice cried to the city. And the man of wisdom shall see thy name." Listen to what God says,"...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." I like that verse. "...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." What is God telling us? God does exactly what we do. God, first of all, speaks to us through His Word. If we hear His Word, that's sufficient. If we do not hear His Word, then the rod is going to fall. It's just that simple. And God said, when my rod falls, if you won't hear my word, at least I'll get your attention with the rod. There's no parent that whips a child that's obedient. You only whip a child that's disobedient. And you only have to whip the child when the child will not listen. That's what God says. If you'll listen, You won't need the rod. But if you don't listen, I'm going to send the rod.

[John Weaver] Let me just read to you. Jeremiah, chapter six, verses 17 through 19, listen to this. Jeremiah six, beginning with verse 17. Also, I set watchmen over you saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, we will not hearken. Therefore, hear ye, nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth, behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to My words, nor to My law, but rejected it. God said they wouldn't listen to My words, so I'm bringing the sound of the trumpet. What's the sound of the trumpet? Warning. There's danger. There's war. If we hear His words, we will not have to hear His rod. But when we do not heed His words, the rod will fall. Here's a third application. God doesn't even have to send a nation against us to destroy us. All He has to do is send a rumor. And the rumor will cause the stock market to crash.

[John Weaver] the people's hearts to turn like water. Let me tell you something, folks. When God sends his rumor, along with that rumor, he sends terror, agony, frustration, and desperation. If God sends a rumor, it will not be something that can be lightly sloughed off or thrown off. And when a rumor is believed, It can effectively destroy the morale and the fiber of a nation and of a people.

[John Weaver] Now, you're going to ask me, and I'm going to answer it for you. You've given me five ways that God destroys nations, religiously, socially, governmentally, economically, militarily. I see all of those things happening in this country. What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent. You say that's too simple, but now listen to me, folks. Repentance not only is personal, it is familial, it is ecclesiastical, it is national. That is, it's personal, it's in the family, it's in the church, and it's in the nation. But you know where God expects us to start? From the bottom up. That is, as individuals. You do not ever expect a nation to repent if the church won't repent. And you don't need to expect a church to repent if the families won't repent. And you don't need to expect the families to repent if the individuals won't repent. Every family, every church, every nation is made up of individuals. Here's one question. If you will not repent, who will? God demands that you repent of any and every sin, any and every violation of his law, and that you come back to him through the obedience of his word.

[John Weaver] And if you say, well, I'm not going to do it, then you're one of the ones who's bringing the judgment of God upon this nation. Do you remember, as wicked, as vile, as Sodom and Gomorrah were, God was willing to spare them if he found how many righteous? Ten righteous. There's far more than ten in this room. If you are willing to be biblical in every area, in every sphere of your life and repent of everything in your life that's contrary to the Word of God, you're one of those. who are helping to avert the judgment of God upon our nation. Repentance is the answer. But before we can have national repentance, we must have ecclesiastical repentance. Before we can have ecclesiastical repentance, we must have family repentance. And before a family can repent, there must be individual repentance, because it's individuals who make up every one of those institutions. Let's pray.

[John Weaver] Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us, that you would give us repentance, help us to see and know that the Lord is a man of war, that thou dost have thine own armory and you bring forth your weapons to use against those nations, those peoples, those individuals, those families and those churches. who refuse to repent. Give us the gift of repentance, as well as the gift of faith.

[John Weaver] Enable us to trust Thee, no matter if the fig tree does not blossom. And if the vines fail, and the flocks are cut off, and there is no herd in the stall, help us, Lord, to trust Thee at all times. in every circumstance, in every situation, for your honor and your glory. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.

How God Destroys Nations - Part 5

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	61705103021
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-06-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 051: How God Destroys Nations — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	86

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Isaiah chapter 19, beginning with verse one,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 19:1-17

the burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight everyone against his brother and everyone against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over in the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. And the water shall fail from the sea, and the rivers shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up. The reeds and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and everything sown by the brooks shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament. And they that spread nets upon the water shall languish. Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave nets, shall be confounded. And they shall be broken in purposes thereof, and all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, and the counsel of the wise counsel of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say you unto Pharaoh, I am the son of a wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? Where are the wise men? And let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail or branch or rush may do. In that day shall Egypt be likened to women. And it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Egypt shall be a terror unto Egypt, and the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts, which he hath determined against it.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the previous four messages on how God destroys nations religiously, socially, governmentally, and economically, and introduces the final method: military destruction.

Now, we've dealt with four previous messages on how God destroys nations, and I showed you from this chapter how God destroys nations, first of all, religiously, secondly, socially, thirdly, governmentally, and fourthly, economically. In fact, if I had the time today, I could review each one of those, but please remember that they were over an hour in and of themselves. So make sure that if you have not heard these messages that you do so because just as you look around today, you can see the applications that are very apparent in our land today. Now, today, we're going to come to the last way that God destroys nations. In fact, this is the way that most people usually think about. And that is what you and I would call military destruction. The truth of the matter is this, God has often used the military strength of other nations to defeat and destroy those nations whom he was judging. Let me begin by saying this, as a rule, nations trust in their armaments, their military supremacy, and their expertise for defense. God never, ever enters the equation. Just this morning, I was listening to the news briefly, and they had a little debate between two individuals. I never even listened to the debate because I was assured in my own spirit that I would get angry, and I just didn't want to get angry. But the debate was over whether or not God should be in politics, and I thought to myself, Well, probably the kind of politics they're talking about, he wouldn't want to be involved in anyhow. But the truth of the matter is this. Certainly God has ordained government. And since God has ordained government, God has the right to lay down the qualifications for rulers and also the limitations for government and so actually there should be no argument over that at all because God is the ordainer and the one who has instituted government but the same token God has divided the

Nations Trust in Military Might, Not God

Nations typically rely on their armaments and military supremacy, ignoring God. Scripture teaches that safety comes from the Lord, not from military strength.

nations and God has made nations And God has used the military strength of other nations to defeat nations against whom he has purposed to judge. Now, most nations do not even consider God. They are so callous and so wicked, they do not believe that they need God's help, God's blessing, or God's protection. And yet the truth of the matter is so exceedingly plain in Scripture. Let me just quote a few verses. Most of you know these verses, but do you remember Psalm 127 in verse 1? Listen.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 127:1

The Bible says, except the Lord build the house. What? They labor in vain that build it, and except the Lord keep the city. What? The watchman waketh but in vain. In other words, if God does not sovereignly protect the city, it doesn't matter how many watchmen you have. It doesn't matter how many armaments you have. If God does not protect the city, the city will fall. No amount of military armament is sufficient if God does not protect and defend the people. The Bible tells us in Psalm 147, verses 10 and 11, "He, that is God, delighteth not in the strength of a horse, nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man."

Now, just stop and think. The strength of the horse, the legs of the man, that was the military strength of the land. So the Bible says God does not take pleasure in the strength of a horse, nor in the legs of a man. The verse goes on, "...the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in them that hope in His mercy." So scriptures tell us it is not man. It is not man's ability. It is not man's armament that makes the difference, but it is simply the grace and the mercy of God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 21 and verse 31. And here's the verse that everyone needs to memorize. Here's what God says. Proverbs 21, verse 31. The horse is prepared for

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:31

the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety

You know, I've often wondered, having seen fields of fire in a military sense of the word, how anyone could ever crawl through all of those bullets. And yet, people do. And the answer is, safety is of the Lord.

It is not of the armaments. It is not in the strength of the armaments. It's of the Lord. The Bible tells us in Psalm 33 and verse 17. Listen carefully. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Now, stop and think about that. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Now, we could paraphrase that. We could make that into a modern day application. We could say that a tank or a bomber or a ship or fighter jet is a vain thing for safety, neither will it deliver anyone by its great firepower. In other words, it's the same principle. God is telling us, first and foremost, that safety is of the Lord, and we have to understand that principle.

Now, today we're coming to the fifth and final way in which God destroys nations, and that is militarily. So look in verses 16 and 17. God says in Isaiah 19 verse 16, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he had determined against him." Now, in these two verses, God declares that a general consternation will seize the Egyptians. That is, they will be afraid and feared, and that fearfulness will be evidence not only of a universal decay, but it will also be a means of their utter ruin. Now, God says that there are two things that are going to cause this tremendous fear. Number one, in verse 16, it's going to be what they hear from the land of Judah.

Fear from Rumors and the Shaking of God's Hand

Isaiah 19:16-17 describes how Egypt will be terrified by rumors of Judah's destruction and by God's threatening hand, becoming as fearful as women.

He said, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which He shaketh over it, and the land of Judah." So it's in verse 17. "And the land of Judah shall be terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid of himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which is determined against it." Now, the very first thing I'm going to mention is what they have heard in Judah. How is it that what they have heard happen in Judah is going to be a terror to the Egyptians? Well, you've got to understand that it was Sennacherib, the Assyrian leader, who led his army into Judah. and basically wiped it off the map. Now, the land of Egypt, of course, was right next to the land of Judah. And when they conclude that there had been a pact between Judah and the Assyrian monarch, and yet that did not hinder the Assyrian monarch from destroying Judah, they just simply assumed that they were next. In other words, it's like Here you are living in a close tenement housing section and plenty of these places, houses only three and four feet apart.

When you see your neighbor's house on fire, burning out of control, what is your automatic assumption? That your house is next because the fire is going to lead from one house to the other house. And so the Egyptians then were fearful because the Assyrians had wiped out Judah and they just simply knew that they were going to be next. Now note what else is going to happen. He says in verse 16, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear." Why? "Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which He shaketh over it." Now they're going to fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts and because of the counsel which God has determined against Egypt. Now, look what God did to Judah. What was in the land of Judah?

Well, the tabernacle and the temple. It seems to me like there's a verse in the New Testament in first Peter that goes something like this. If judgment first begin at the house of God. What is going to be the end of the heathen and the wicked? So they were understanding then that God was shaking his hand. You know, Scripture asks a question. If these things be done in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? In other words, if you can't put up with something in a time of blessing, what in the world are you going to do in the time of cursing? And he said, if you can't run with the horsemen, you know, you're in trouble. And what are you going to do when the Jordan swells up? In other words, if you cannot comprehend and understand and do what is easily done in a good time. How in the world can you survive in a bad time? Now, I want you to note something. Verse 16 talks about the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts.

It is important for you to note how easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others, even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Now stop and think about that. How easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Do you realize for God to send a general consternation and frustration and terror upon the people, he does not even have to send an army upon them. All he has to do is send a rumor. That's what this verse is talking about. Let me give you a quote, and then I'm going to ask that you turn to a passage. You'll find this in Obadiah 1 and verse 1. Listen to this. The scripture says the vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom. We have heard a rumor from the Lord and an ambassador sent among the heathen. Arise you and let us arise up against her in battle. Note what he said. A rumor from the Lord. The Lord did not necessarily have to send the army. He sent a rumor.

And it got everybody worked up. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 37 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Isaiah 37, verse 7. Look how God uses rumors. I'm just simply saying, folks, God doesn't even have to get up off his throne to destroy a nation. In Isaiah 37, beginning there with verse 7, God is speaking and he says, Behold, I will send a blast upon him. And he shall hear a rumor, he's talking about the king of Assyria, and return to his own land. And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. Note, if you would, what God said. God said, I'm going to cause him to hear a rumor. And he's going to return to his own land and fall by his own sword. And guess what? God calls the king of Assyria to hear the rumor that the people had hired Tirhakah, the king of the Ethiopians, against him. And he departed and left and returned to his own land. And guess what? He was then killed by two of his own sons. And how did God get him out of the land? God just simply caused him to hear a rumor.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah 51 and verse 46. Jeremiah 51 verse 46. I'm just demonstrating folks how easy it is for God to send fear and depredation upon a people. Jeremiah 51, look at verse 46,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 51:46

"...and lest your heart faint and you fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land, a rumor that shall both come one year, and after that another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler."

God says all it takes is rumors. Do you realize the Egyptians were struck with fear based upon a rumor. Now the Egyptians always thought that they were able to maintain war. Many times the Egyptians would attack other nations without provocation. And the Egyptians also used their soldiers as mercenaries. We are a warlike people and yet They cannot do anything when God sends a rumor. Except tremble and fear like women, that's what he said. In Isaiah chapter 19, he said they're going to be like women. Now look at it in that day shall Egypt be likened to women and it shall be afraid and fear.

Why? Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. Now let me just give you a quote very quickly from John Calvin. I want you to listen to what he said upon this verse. And the reason I'm giving you the quote is because I cannot say it any plainer. I want you to listen to what he said concerning verse 16 and verse 17. And especially verse 16. Quote, "The sudden change which is now effected is a striking display of the judgment of heaven.

The Terror of God's Actual Fighting

If the mere shaking of God's hand causes such fear, His actual fighting will be far more terrifying, as depicted in Revelation 6.

Now, let me ask you a question. If the shaking of God's hand causes such fear and consternation, What must it be like when God actually strikes and fights? I'll show you. Look in your Bibles very quickly to Revelation, Chapter six, you'll remember this passage. Revelation, Chapter six, beginning there with verse 15. Here's what happens when God actually fights. Revelation six and verse 15. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from

the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is coming. Who shall be able to stand? I can assure you of one thing, folks. That is when God does fight. He'll be the only one left standing. It should be evident that it is comely and right to fear God whenever He does merely just shake His hand over us. It should be right to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God when He but threatens us. You know, I just thought of an illustration.

America's Sins Are Worse Due to Greater Light

Weaver argues that America's sins are worse than those of Old Testament nations because we sin against the full revelation of Jesus Christ, deserving greater punishment.

I want to prove it to you. Listen carefully. Do you remember how God destroyed the nations of the Old Testament? You say, how can you sit there and say that our sins as a nation are worse than theirs? Let me tell you how I can say that, because that's exactly what Scripture teaches. Because, folks, what we sin against is fullness of light and fullness of truth. It is true that in the Old Testament they had some light, they had some truth, but they did not have the fullness of light and truth the way we do. What does the Bible say in John 1 and 18? Verse 17, I think it is, said, The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. That is, the fullness of grace and the fullness of truth was revealed when Jesus Christ was revealed.

And if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews 10, let me show you this argument. Look in Hebrews 10. And here the apostle is arguing that our sins deserve a worse judgment than the sins of the people in the Old Testament. Hebrews 10, beginning there with verse 28. Look at it. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Now, when you look in the Old Testament, when you committed a capital sin, a capital crime, You died. That was it. You died. When there were enough witnesses against you, you were cut off. There was no mercy. You were killed. Look in verse twenty nine. Here's his argument of how much sore or worse punishment.

Suppose you shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified in a holy thing, and done despite in the Spirit of grace." In other words, now we have the fullness of light in Jesus Christ, and when we sin, we sin against the completed, final, and full revelation of the Word of God. We sin against the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ. What we're doing is sinning in light of full knowledge and full light. And the author of Hebrews says of how much worse punishment. Do you suppose he is worthy? Who trods under his feet, the son of God, let me tell you something, folks. Since Jesus Christ has been revealed, there is an added dimension. And an added insult. to our sin and our rebellion against God. And the scriptures teach us basically we today deserve worse punishment.

God Is a Man of War

Scripture declares God as a man of war (Exodus 15:3) who delivered Israel by war and has destroyed nations militarily throughout history.

In fact, states it emphatically. In Exodus chapter 15 and verse 3, listen carefully. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. What did the Bible just say? The Lord is a man of war. If you read the context, It is in the context of the destruction of Pharaoh and his army and his chariots. God overthrew them. And here they are singing and praising God and saying, God is a man of war. The Lord is a man of war. That is his name.

Moreover, let me ask you a question. Do you know how God delivered Israel out of Egypt? If you don't know the answer to that, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And notice verse 34. Here is a specific statement concerning the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 4. And verse 34. Look what the Bible says. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation?

By temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by what? And by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes. How did God deliver the Israelites out of the land of Egypt? By war. By war.

Now let me ask you a question. Does it not stand to reason that if the Lord is a man of war, and if God delivered Israel out of Egypt by means of war, is it not rational to conclude that God could also destroy a nation by means of war? I mean, let's be honest. Let's ask the question, has God ever destroyed a nation by means of war? What's the answer? Innumerable times. Look very quickly in your Bibles, just to the book of Judges, and I'm not going to deal with this long, but Judges chapter 3, I just want you to see that it was God Himself, which I'm going to demonstrate a little bit later, who brought all these enemies upon Israel because of their sins. Look in Judges 3, verse 7, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he, that is God, sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.

Look in verses 12, Verse 12 there, and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. Look in chapter 4, verse 1. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. Then look in chapter 6 and verse 1. Once again, the Bible says, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Here's my question. Did God destroy Israel by means of war in 722 B.C.

when the Assyrians came and captured the ten northern tribes? The answer is yes. Did God destroy the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin, in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians came and captured? And the answer is yes. Did God destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman army? Yes. Ask yourself whatever happened to Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Edom, Egypt, and a multitude of other nations. And the answer is God destroyed them by war.

I want you to turn in your Bibles to First Chronicles, Chapter 5. First Chronicles, Chapter 5. I'm just trying to prove a point. And that point is that God is indeed a man of war, and that God does indeed use war to chastise and punish nations. In 1 Chronicles 5, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 25. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 5, verse 25. And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and were whoring after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them. Are you watching that?

God's Armory and Sword Judgments

God has an armory of weapons, including the sword, which He uses to judge nations. He strengthens the arms of the nation He sends and breaks the arms of the nation being judged.

By the way, look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 50. Let me show you a verse that may really surprise you. Jeremiah 50. And look if you would please at verse 25. Jeremiah 50 verse 25. Remember, I told you that God is a man of war. In Jeremiah 50 and verse 25, look at what the Bible says. The Lord hath opened his armory and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation, for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. Note, for the Lord hath opened his what? His armory. God has his own gun cabinet. Isn't that wonderful? He's got an armory. It's not just a gun cabinet, however. He's got plenty of weapons in there. He opened his own armory and brought forth weapons of destruction. Now, one of those weapons is the sword. Which speaks of war. Look back to Jeremiah 47.

At verses 6 and 7. I like this. Look at this. You know about God's judgment. Look what people say when God brings his sort of judgment upon them. O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself unto thy scabbard, rest and be still. Now watch. How can it be quiet? Seeing the Lord had given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the seashore, there hath he appointed it. Does no good to cry, O thou sword of the Lord, be still. Go back into your scabbard. God said it will not go back into my scabbard until it has finished that which I have appointed it to. Look in Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. God said, when I send another nation to destroy another nation, I'll curse the man who holds back his sword from blood. God uses nations to destroy other nations.

Now, I want you to go back to the book of Ezekiel chapter 14. I'm going to show you that God speaks here of his four sword judgments. Here are four weapons that he has in his armory. In Ezekiel chapter 14 and verse 21, God names four of them. Here they are. For thus saith the Lord God, how much more when I send my four sword judgments upon Jerusalem. And what is the first one? The sword. and the famine and the noisome beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man and beast. God said, I've got four sword judgments. I've got four particular weapons in my armory that I use. And the first one that is mentioned is the sword.

Now, look in verse 17. Look what the Bible says. God is speaking. Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, sword go through that land so that I cut off man and beast from it. God uses a sword. There's no two ways about that. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 6. Ezekiel chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. Look what God says. Ezekiel 6 verse 1.

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them. And say, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the rivers, and to the valleys. Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Now who is it that's bringing the sword? It's God. And your altar shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols, and I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars, and all your dwelling places of the city shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and ceased, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you, watch, and

you shall know that I am the Lord." Who was it that brought the sword? It was God. And God said, when I get through wiping you out, you'll understand. that it was I, the Lord, who did it. Now, if that's unclear, if that's not sufficient, just very quickly turn to Ezekiel 21. There are so many passages where God himself says that he brought the sword. Ezekiel 21, beginning of verse one. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath. And will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, seeing them that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. Therefore shall my sword go forth out of the sheath against all flesh from the south to the north, that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath, and it shall not return any more." What is God saying? I want to draw my sword. I want to do the cutting. But God does it normally by sending other nations.

Look in, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Same chapter, Ezekiel 21. Again, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord, saying, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and is also furbished. It is sharpened to make the sword slaughtered. It is furbished that it may glitter. Should we then make mirth? It contendeth that the rod of my son is every tree. and He hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled. This sword is sharpened, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. Cry and howl, son of man, for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel. Terror by reason of the sword shall be upon my people. Smite therefore upon my thigh, because it is a trial, and what if the sword condemn even the rod? It shall be no more, saith the Lord." Notice what he's saying, it's my sword, I'm going to send it. Skip down to verse 28.

And thou shalt, O man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach, even say thou the sword, the sword is drawn for the slaughter, it is furnished to consume because of the glittering. Once again, God said, I'm going to destroy them by my sword. Turn to Ezekiel 30. Look at Ezekiel 30. Over and over, as you read through these prophecies against the nations, It is God drawing forth his sword. In Ezekiel 30 verse 1, the word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son, a man prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, How ye woe worth the day, For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day it shall be, the time of the heathen, and the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in the Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundation shall be broken down, Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in the league shall fall with them by the sword." Verse 6 once again says, God shall destroy them. Skip down to verse 20. Ezekiel 30, verse 20. And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the first month of the seventh day of the Lord, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Now watch this. I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword, Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms,

the strong and that which was broken, and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them among the countries, and I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand. But I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him, with the groins of a deadly wounded man, but I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of the Egyptians." Now, what is that passage telling us? God says, the nation that I send to chastise and judge another nation, I make their sword strong. I make their arms strong. But the nation that's going to be judged, I'll break their arms. That is, I'll break their power. They'll have no power to fight. They'll have no power to resist. They'll be destroyed.

The Principle of Greater Accountability

Using Luke 12:48, Weaver explains that those with greater light receive greater punishment. America's blessings make its judgment more severe than that of seemingly worse nations.

And so what we think is. God won't judge us. He'll judge the other nations that are worse. I want you to look in your Bible to Luke 12, verse 48. I want to show you a principle. Luke 12. Luke 12, verse 48, look at what our Lord says. Are you watching? In fact, let's read verse 47. Our Lord says, and that servant who knew his Lord's will. That is, he had the light, he had the truth, he had the knowledge, and that servant who knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. Now, wait a minute. Why is it the one who knew the Lord's will and did it not will be beaten with many stripes? The one who knew not the Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with few stripes. Why? Here's the principle.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. And to whom men shall have committed much, of him they will ask the more. You say other nations are worse. I concur. But other nations have not had our blessings. They have not had our opportunities. They have not had our responsibilities. They have not been given the truth and the life like we have been given. Our sins are worse because we are sinning against light. We're sinning against fullness of truth.

And God said that servant who knew to do the Lord's will and did it not, he shall be beaten with what? Many stripes. His punishment will be worse. For he sinned against the light.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. To the book of Habakkuk chapter one. One of the minor prophets of Habakkuk chapter one. Because you see, The same problem existed in Habakkuk today. You've got Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. Habakkuk chapter one. You see, this was Habakkuk's problem. He understood that God was going to use the Chaldeans or the Babylonians to judge them. But the Babylonians were worse than they were. And so his question is, God, How can you do this? Look at it. Habakkuk 1, verse 6. God says, For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.

They are terrible and they are dreadful in their judgment and their dignity shall proceed to themselves. Now God says, I'm going to send them. I'm going to send this wicked, hasty, bloodthirsty nation to destroy the land. Watch verses 12 and 13. Habakkuk asks, Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy one? We shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment. And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Now look what he says, Thou art of pure eyes, and behold evil. That is, you cannot look at it condoningly. And canst thou look upon iniquity that is approvingly? Wherefore lookest thou upon them, that is, the Chaldeans, that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue on the wicked, devoureth a man that is more righteous than he?

Now, what was his argument? God, we may be bad, but we're not as bad as the Chaldeans are. That's his argument. But you see, the Chaldeans did not have the light, nor the truth that the people of Israel had. They did not have the revelation that God's people had.

Applications: Fear God, Hear the Rod, and Repent

Weaver applies the message by urging fear of God rather than nations, heeding God's word to avoid the rod, and calling for repentance at all levels to avert judgment.

Now let me make some applications. The first one should be obvious. This past week, I had one man say to me, we were just talking about the situation that we're in, and just in passing, he made this statement. I am afraid of China. I got news for you folks. They outnumber us. If you started killing the Chinese today, and you kill 50,000 a day, 100 years from now you'd still be shooting.

As fast as they multiply. Now he said I'm afraid of China. I've heard people say I'm afraid of Russia. Let me tell you something folks. Do not think that God has to use a great military power like Russia. or China to bring us to our knees. Cuba is sufficient. Castro is sufficient. When God withdraws his protective hand from a nation, anyone can destroy that nation. It does not have to be a mighty war power. Because when God breaks our arms, He strengthens the arms of those He's going to use to judge us. I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God. I fear Him. He's the one that we should fear. As long as his hand of protection is upon us, there's not a nation that can touch us. But if he ever withdraws that hand, there's not a nation that can protect us.

Secondly, Micah 6 and verse 9 gives us very pointed instruction. Listen to this. Listen to this. Here's Micah 6 verse 9. The Lord's voice cried to the city. And the man of wisdom shall see thy name." Listen to what God says, "...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." I like that verse. "...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." What is God telling us? God does exactly what we do. God, first of all, speaks to us through His Word. If we hear His Word, that's sufficient. If we do not hear His Word, then the rod is going to fall. It's just that simple. And God said, when my rod falls, if you won't hear my word, at least I'll get your attention with the rod. There's no parent that whips a child that's obedient. You only whip a child that's disobedient. And you only have to whip the child when the child will not listen. That's what God says. If you'll listen, You won't need the rod. But if you don't listen, I'm going to send the rod.

Let me just read to you. Jeremiah, chapter six, verses 17 through 19, listen to this. Jeremiah six, beginning with verse 17. Also, I set watchmen over you saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, we will not hearken. Therefore, hear ye, nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth, behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to My words, nor to My law, but rejected it. God said they wouldn't listen to My words, so I'm bringing the sound of the trumpet. What's the sound of the trumpet? Warning. There's danger. There's war. If we hear His words, we will not have to hear His rod. But when we do not heed His words, the rod will fall. Here's a third application. God doesn't even have to send a nation against us to destroy us. All He has to do is send a rumor. And the rumor will cause the stock market to crash.

the people's hearts to turn like water. Let me tell you something, folks. When God sends his rumor, along with that rumor, he sends terror, agony, frustration, and desperation. If God sends a rumor, it will not be something that can be lightly sloughed off or thrown off. And when a rumor is believed, It can effectively destroy the morale and the fiber of a nation and of a people.

Now, you're going to ask me, and I'm going to answer it for you. You've given me five ways that God destroys nations, religiously, socially, governmentally, economically, militarily. I see all of those things happening in this country. What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent. You say that's too simple, but now listen to me, folks. Repentance not only is personal, it is familial, it is ecclesiastical, it is national. That is, it's personal, it's in the family, it's in the church, and it's in the nation. But you know where God expects us to start? From the bottom up. That is, as individuals. You do not ever expect a nation to repent if the church won't repent. And you don't need to expect a church to repent if the families won't repent. And you don't need to expect the families to repent if the individuals won't repent. Every family, every church, every nation is made up of individuals. Here's one question. If you will not repent, who will? God demands that you repent of any and every sin, any and every violation of his law, and that you come back to him through the obedience of his word.

And if you say, well, I'm not going to do it, then you're one of the ones who's bringing the judgment of God upon this nation. Do you remember, as wicked, as vile, as Sodom and Gomorrah were, God was willing to spare them if he found how many righteous? Ten righteous. There's far more than ten in this room. If you are willing to be biblical in every area, in every sphere of your life and repent of everything in your life that's contrary to the Word of God, you're one of those. who are helping to avert the judgment of God upon our nation. Repentance is the answer. But before we can have national repentance, we must have ecclesiastical repentance. Before we can have ecclesiastical repentance, we must have family repentance. And before a family can repent, there must be individual repentance, because it's individuals who make up every one of those institutions. Let's pray.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Sovereignty in Military Destruction

Summary: God uses the military strength of other nations as instruments of His judgment against wicked nations.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'God has often used the military strength of other nations to defeat and destroy those nations whom he was judging.'

The Futility of Human Military Might

Summary: No amount of armaments can protect a nation if God does not defend it; safety is of the Lord.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Proverbs 21:31: 'The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.'

Fear Induced by God's Threatening Hand

Summary: God can terrify a nation merely by shaking His hand or sending a rumor, making them as fearful as women.

Evidence: Weaver explains Isaiah 19:16: 'In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts.'

Greater Light Brings Greater Judgment

Summary: America's sins are worse than those of ancient nations because we sin against the full revelation of Christ, deserving sorer punishment.

Evidence: Weaver cites Hebrews 10:28-29 to argue that those who sin against greater light deserve 'how much sore or worse punishment.'

God as a Man of War

Summary: Scripture explicitly calls God a man of war, and He has repeatedly used war to deliver and to destroy nations.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Exodus 15:3: 'The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.'

Repentance as the Only Aversion to Judgment

Summary: The only way to avert God's judgment is through repentance at the individual, familial, ecclesiastical, and national levels.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent.'

Key Arguments

God's protection is essential for national security

Summary: Without God's sovereign protection, no amount of military strength can keep a nation safe.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Psalm 127:1: 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'

God can destroy a nation through rumors alone

Summary: God does not need to send an army; a rumor from the Lord can cause terror and collapse.

Evidence: Weaver references Obadiah 1:1: 'We have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen.'

America's sins are more heinous due to greater revelation

Summary: Because America has the full light of the gospel, its rebellion is more culpable than that of Old Testament nations.

Evidence: Weaver argues from Hebrews 10:29 that those who trample the Son of God deserve worse punishment.

God is not too loving to judge

Summary: The idea that God is too loving to send war is humanistic; the God of the Bible is a man of war.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'When people say, well, the God that I serve is too loving to send judgment like that... the God you're serving is a figment of your imagination.'

God actively uses war as a judgment tool

Summary: Throughout Scripture, God raises up adversaries and strengthens the arms of enemy nations to punish His people.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Chronicles 5:25-26 where God stirred up the spirit of the king of Assyria to carry Israel captive.

No nation can stand when God fights against it

Summary: When God decrees judgment, even the mightiest military cannot resist; He breaks their power.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Jeremiah 46:15: 'Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the Lord did drive them.'

Greater accountability principle applies to nations

Summary: Nations with more light and blessings will receive greater judgment than those with less, even if the latter seem more wicked.

Evidence: Weaver explains Luke 12:48: 'For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.'

Repentance must start with individuals

Summary: National repentance is impossible without individual repentance, as nations are composed of individuals.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You do not ever expect a nation to repent if the church won't repent. And you don't need to expect a church to repent if the families won't repent.'

Scripture References

Isaiah 19:1-17

Context: The primary text of the sermon, describing the burden of Egypt and God's judgment through fear and military destruction.

Psalm 127:1

Context: Used to show that unless the Lord builds and keeps the city, human efforts are in vain.

Psalm 147:10-11

Context: God does not delight in military strength but in those who fear Him.

Proverbs 21:31

Context: The horse is prepared for battle, but safety is of the Lord.

Psalm 33:17

Context: A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

Obadiah 1:1

Context: A rumor from the Lord is sent among the heathen to stir up battle.

Isaiah 37:7

Context: God sends a rumor to the king of Assyria, causing him to return to his own land and fall by the sword.

Jeremiah 51:46

Context: Rumors will come year after year, causing fear and violence.

Revelation 6:15-17

Context: When God actually fights, kings and mighty men hide in terror, calling for mountains to fall on them.

John 1:17

Context: The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, indicating fuller revelation.

Hebrews 10:28-29

Context: Those who sin against greater light deserve sorer punishment than those under Moses' law.

Exodus 15:3

Context: The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.

Deuteronomy 4:34

Context: God delivered Israel out of Egypt by war, signs, and wonders.

Judges 3:7-8, 12; 4:1-2; 6:1

Context: God sold Israel into the hands of enemies because of their evil, using war as judgment.

1 Chronicles 5:25-26

Context: God stirred up the spirit of the king of Assyria to carry Israel captive.

Jeremiah 46:14-15

Context: Egypt's valiant men are swept away because the Lord drove them.

1 Kings 11:11-25

Context: God stirred up adversaries against Solomon because of his idolatry.

Jeremiah 50:25

Context: The Lord has opened his armory and brought forth weapons of indignation.

Ezekiel 14:21

Context: God's four sore judgments: sword, famine, noisome beast, and pestilence.

Luke 12:47-48

Context: The servant who knows his master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many stripes; to whom much is given, much is required.

Historical References

Sennacherib's invasion of Judah

Context: Weaver mentions that Sennacherib, the Assyrian leader, led his army into Judah and wiped it off the map, causing fear in Egypt.

Destruction of the northern kingdom (722 B.C.)

Context: Weaver asks if God destroyed Israel by war when the Assyrians captured the ten northern tribes.

Destruction of Jerusalem (586 B.C.)

Context: Weaver asks if God destroyed Judah and Benjamin when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem.

Destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.)

Context: Weaver asks if God destroyed Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 A.D.

King Ahab's humiliation

Context: Weaver recounts how wicked King Ahab humbled himself when God threatened judgment, gaining a delay.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Context: Weaver notes that God was willing to spare Sodom if ten righteous were found, illustrating the power of a righteous remnant.

Important Quotes

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.

Significance: This quote from Proverbs 21:31 encapsulates the sermon's theme that military might is useless without God's protection.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

Significance: This direct scriptural statement from Exodus 15:3 is used to counter the humanistic view that God would never use war.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.

Significance: This principle from Luke 12:48 underpins the argument that America's greater light makes its judgment more severe.

Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it.

Significance: From Micah 6:9, this quote emphasizes that when God's word is ignored, the rod of judgment will fall.

I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God.

Significance: This personal application redirects fear from human enemies to the sovereign God who controls all nations.

What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent.

Significance: This is the central application of the entire series, calling for repentance as the only remedy.

Discussion Questions

How does the principle 'safety is of the Lord' challenge our typical trust in military and national security?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that no amount of armaments can protect a nation if God withdraws His hand.

In what ways can a 'rumor from the Lord' be more destructive than an actual army?

Context: Weaver explains that God can send terror and collapse through rumors, as seen in Isaiah 19 and Obadiah.

Why does Weaver argue that America's sins are worse than those of Old Testament nations? Do you agree?

Context: He bases this on the greater light of the gospel and the principle in Hebrews 10:28-29.

How should the truth that 'the Lord is a man of war' affect our view of God's character and His dealings with nations?

Context: Weaver counters the idea that God is too loving to judge, citing Exodus 15:3.

What does it mean for God to 'break the arms' of a nation He is judging, and how might this apply today?

Context: Weaver explains from Ezekiel 30 that God weakens the judged nation and strengthens the instrument of judgment.

How does the principle of Luke 12:48 ('to whom much is given, much is required') apply to nations as well as individuals?

Context: Weaver uses this to explain why seemingly worse nations may receive less judgment than America.

What is the relationship between hearing God's word and experiencing the rod of judgment?

Context: Weaver quotes Micah 6:9 to show that heeding God's word can avert the rod.

Why must repentance begin with individuals before it can affect families, churches, and the nation?

Context: Weaver argues that institutions are made up of individuals, so personal repentance is foundational.

Applications

Fear God, not nations

Summary: Instead of fearing military powers like China or Russia, we should fear God, who controls all nations and their destinies.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God.'

Heed God's word to avoid the rod

Summary: If we listen to God's word, we may not need the rod of judgment; disobedience invites the rod.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Micah 6:9: 'Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it.'

Recognize the danger of rumors

Summary: God can use rumors to destabilize a nation; we should be aware that fear and panic can be instruments of judgment.

Evidence: Weaver explains that a rumor from the Lord can cause the stock market to crash and hearts to turn like water.

Repent personally and corporately

Summary: To avert national judgment, individuals must repent of all sin, leading to repentance in families, churches, and the nation.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Repentance not only is personal, it is familial, it is ecclesiastical, it is national.'

Trust God in all circumstances

Summary: Even if national judgment comes and all material blessings fail, we must trust God and rejoice in Him.

Evidence: Weaver references Habakkuk 3:17-19, where the prophet resolves to rejoice in the Lord despite total loss.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:35:54Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:21:59Z

Clean Transcript

How God Destroys Nations - Part 5

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Isaiah chapter 19, beginning with verse one, the burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight everyone against his brother and everyone against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over in the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. And the water shall fail from the sea, and the rivers shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up.
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The reeds and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and everything sown by the brooks shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament. And they that spread nets upon the water shall languish. Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave nets, shall be confounded.
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And they shall be broken in purposes thereof, and all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, and the counsel of the wise counsel of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say you unto Pharaoh, I am the son of a wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? Where are the wise men? And let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail or branch or rush may do. In that day shall Egypt be likened to women. And it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which he shaketh over it.
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And the land of Egypt shall be a terror unto Egypt, and the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts, which he hath determined against it.
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Now, we've dealt with four previous messages on how God destroys nations, and I showed you from this chapter how God destroys nations, first of all, religiously, secondly, socially, thirdly, governmentally, and fourthly, economically. In fact, if I had the time today, I could review each one of those, but please remember that they were over an hour in and of themselves. So make sure that if you have not heard these messages that you do so because just as you look around today, you can see the applications that are very apparent in our land today. Now, today, we're going to come to the last way that God destroys nations. In fact, this is the way that most people usually think about.
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And that is what you and I would call military destruction. The truth of the matter is this, God has often used the military strength of other nations to defeat and destroy those nations whom he was judging. Let me begin by saying this, as a rule, nations trust in their armaments, their military supremacy, and their expertise for defense. God never, ever enters the equation. Just this morning, I was listening to the news briefly, and they had a little debate between two individuals. I never even listened to the debate because I was assured in my own spirit that I would get angry, and I just didn't want to get angry. But the debate was over whether or not God should be in politics, and I thought to myself, Well, probably the kind of politics they're talking about, he wouldn't want to be involved in anyhow. But the truth of the matter is this. Certainly God has ordained government. And since God has ordained government, God has the right to lay down the qualifications for rulers and also the limitations for government and so actually there should be no argument over that at all because God is the ordainer and the one who has instituted government but the same token God has divided the
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nations and God has made nations And God has used the military strength of other nations to defeat nations against whom he has purposed to judge. Now, most nations do not even consider God. They are so callous and so wicked, they do not believe that they need God's help, God's blessing, or God's protection. And yet the truth of the matter is so exceedingly plain in Scripture. Let me just quote a few verses. Most of you know these verses, but do you remember Psalm 127 in verse 1? Listen.
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The Bible says, except the Lord build the house. What? They labor in vain that build it, and except the Lord keep the city. What? The watchman waketh but in vain. In other words, if God does not sovereignly protect the city, it doesn't matter how many watchmen you have. It doesn't matter how many armaments you have. If God does not protect the city, the city will fall. No amount of military armament is sufficient if God does not protect and defend the people. The Bible tells us in Psalm 147, verses 10 and 11, "He, that is God, delighteth not in the strength of a horse, nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man."
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Now, just stop and think. The strength of the horse, the legs of the man, that was the military strength of the land. So the Bible says God does not take pleasure in the strength of a horse, nor in the legs of a man. The verse goes on, "...the Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in them that hope in His mercy." So scriptures tell us it is not man.
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It is not man's ability. It is not man's armament that makes the difference, but it is simply the grace and the mercy of God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 21 and verse 31. And here's the verse that everyone needs to memorize. Here's what God says. Proverbs 21, verse 31. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety You know, I've often wondered, having seen fields of fire in a military sense of the word, how anyone could ever crawl through all of those bullets. And yet, people do. And the answer is, safety is of the Lord.
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It is not of the armaments. It is not in the strength of the armaments. It's of the Lord. The Bible tells us in Psalm 33 and verse 17. Listen carefully. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
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Now, stop and think about that. A horse is a vain thing for safety. Neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
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Now, we could paraphrase that. We could make that into a modern day application. We could say that a tank or a bomber or a ship or fighter jet is a vain thing for safety, neither will it deliver anyone by its great firepower. In other words, it's the same principle. God is telling us, first and foremost, that safety is of the Lord, and we have to understand that principle.
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Now, today we're coming to the fifth and final way in which God destroys nations, and that is militarily. So look in verses 16 and 17. God says in Isaiah 19 verse 16, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts which he had determined against him." Now, in these two verses, God declares that a general consternation will seize the Egyptians. That is, they will be afraid and feared, and that fearfulness will be evidence not only of a universal decay, but it will also be a means of their utter ruin. Now, God says that there are two things that are going to cause this tremendous fear. Number one, in verse 16, it's going to be what they hear from the land of Judah.
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He said, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts which He shaketh over it, and the land of Judah." So it's in verse 17. "And the land of Judah shall be terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid of himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of hosts, which is determined against it." Now, the very first thing I'm going to mention is what they have heard in Judah. How is it that what they have heard happen in Judah is going to be a terror to the Egyptians? Well, you've got to understand that it was Sennacherib, the Assyrian leader, who led his army into Judah.
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and basically wiped it off the map. Now, the land of Egypt, of course, was right next to the land of Judah. And when they conclude that there had been a pact between Judah and the Assyrian monarch, and yet that did not hinder the Assyrian monarch from destroying Judah, they just simply assumed that they were next. In other words, it's like Here you are living in a close tenement housing section and plenty of these places, houses only three and four feet apart.
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When you see your neighbor's house on fire, burning out of control, what is your automatic assumption? That your house is next because the fire is going to lead from one house to the other house. And so the Egyptians then were fearful because the Assyrians had wiped out Judah and they just simply knew that they were going to be next. Now note what else is going to happen.
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He says in verse 16, "In that day shall Egypt be likened to women, and it shall be afraid and fear." Why? "Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which He shaketh over it." Now they're going to fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts and because of the counsel which God has determined against Egypt. Now, look what God did to Judah. What was in the land of Judah?
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Well, the tabernacle and the temple. It seems to me like there's a verse in the New Testament in first Peter that goes something like this. If judgment first begin at the house of God. What is going to be the end of the heathen and the wicked? So they were understanding then that God was shaking his hand. You know, Scripture asks a question. If these things be done in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? In other words, if you can't put up with something in a time of blessing, what in the world are you going to do in the time of cursing? And he said, if you can't run with the horsemen, you know, you're in trouble. And what are you going to do when the Jordan swells up? In other words, if you cannot comprehend and understand and do what is easily done in a good time. How in the world can you survive in a bad time? Now, I want you to note something. Verse 16 talks about the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts.
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It is important for you to note how easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others, even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Now stop and think about that. How easily God can make a people a terror to themselves and to others even when they have been seemingly confident and secure. Do you realize for God to send a general consternation and frustration and terror upon the people, he does not even have to send an army upon them. All he has to do is send a rumor.
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That's what this verse is talking about. Let me give you a quote, and then I'm going to ask that you turn to a passage. You'll find this in Obadiah 1 and verse 1. Listen to this. The scripture says the vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom. We have heard a rumor from the Lord and an ambassador sent among the heathen. Arise you and let us arise up against her in battle. Note what he said. A rumor from the Lord. The Lord did not necessarily have to send the army. He sent a rumor.
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And it got everybody worked up. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Isaiah 37 and let's begin reading there with verse 7. Isaiah 37, verse 7. Look how God uses rumors. I'm just simply saying, folks, God doesn't even have to get up off his throne to destroy a nation. In Isaiah 37, beginning there with verse 7, God is speaking and he says, Behold, I will send a blast upon him.
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And he shall hear a rumor, he's talking about the king of Assyria, and return to his own land. And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. So Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish. Note, if you would, what God said. God said, I'm going to cause him to hear a rumor. And he's going to return to his own land and fall by his own sword. And guess what? God calls the king of Assyria to hear the rumor that the people had hired Tirhakah, the king of the Ethiopians, against him. And he departed and left and returned to his own land. And guess what? He was then killed by two of his own sons. And how did God get him out of the land? God just simply caused him to hear a rumor.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Jeremiah 51 and verse 46. Jeremiah 51 verse 46. I'm just demonstrating folks how easy it is for God to send fear and depredation upon a people. Jeremiah 51, look at verse 46, "...and lest your heart faint and you fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land, a rumor that shall both come one year, and after that another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler." God says all it takes is rumors. Do you realize the Egyptians were struck with fear based upon a rumor. Now the Egyptians always thought that they were able to maintain war. Many times the Egyptians would attack other nations without provocation. And the Egyptians also used their soldiers as mercenaries. We are a warlike people and yet They cannot do anything when God sends a rumor. Except tremble and fear like women, that's what he said. In Isaiah chapter 19, he said they're going to be like women. Now look at it in that day shall Egypt be likened to women and it shall be afraid and fear.
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Why? Because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it.
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Now let me just give you a quote very quickly from John Calvin. I want you to listen to what he said upon this verse. And the reason I'm giving you the quote is because I cannot say it any plainer. I want you to listen to what he said concerning verse 16 and verse 17. And especially verse 16. Quote, "The sudden change which is now effected is a striking display of the judgment of heaven.
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And therefore, he adds, that the shaking of the hand of God will be the cause of terror. By these words, he shows that this war will be entirely carried on by the Lord, and therefore that the Egyptians cannot stand against it because they have not to do with men. What Isaiah declares concerning Egypt ought to be likewise applied to other nations. Listen carefully. For if wars arise and insurrections spring up, we ought to acknowledge it to be a judgment of God which men lose courage and are overwhelmed with terror. We see how the most warlike nations give way and show themselves to be less courageous than women and are vanquished without any preparations of war whenever the Lord strikes their minds with dread." What did he say? He said you ought to understand that what he has said in Isaiah 19 and verse 16 applies to other nations as well. It's a principle of truth that when God shakes his hand, when God just merely threatens, when God sends a rumor, then men are struck with terror and fear and are unable to function, unable to fight, yea, he said, and become like women.
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Now, let me ask you a question. If the shaking of God's hand causes such fear and consternation, What must it be like when God actually strikes and fights? I'll show you. Look in your Bibles very quickly to Revelation, Chapter six, you'll remember this passage. Revelation, Chapter six, beginning there with verse 15. Here's what happens when God actually fights. Revelation six and verse 15. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every free man hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from
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the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is coming. Who shall be able to stand? I can assure you of one thing, folks. That is when God does fight. He'll be the only one left standing. It should be evident that it is comely and right to fear God whenever He does merely just shake His hand over us. It should be right to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God when He but threatens us. You know, I just thought of an illustration.
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My daughters, many times when I was preaching, when they were small, would be acting up. And if I ever caught their eye, I'd look at them like, Becca says, not her. If I ever caught their eye, I'd look at them like this. And usually that was sufficient. Because they knew that if they didn't straighten up, the rod was about to fall. It's right to humble ourselves when we see the threatening hand of God against us.
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Do you realize as wicked, as ungodly as King Ahab was? When God sent word to Ahab that God was going to kill Ahab, you know what Ahab did? He humbled himself. and put on dust and ashes. And you know what God said to Elijah? Seest thou how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I'll not execute him right now, but later, and I'll destroy the kingdom in his son's reign and not his reign. As wicked, as ungodly as Ahab was, he gained a little time. by humbling himself under the hand of God.
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Now I'm going to tell you what amazes me, folks. What amazes me is the number of Christian people that do not think and do not believe that God would ever use the military option upon America. Now that's what really amazes me. Somehow, some way, most people tend to think that we are better than the past generations and that our sins and our rebellions are not quite as bad and not quite as wicked as was theirs. Let me tell you something. The truth is our sins and our rebellions are worse.
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I want to prove it to you. Listen carefully. Do you remember how God destroyed the nations of the Old Testament? You say, how can you sit there and say that our sins as a nation are worse than theirs? Let me tell you how I can say that, because that's exactly what Scripture teaches. Because, folks, what we sin against is fullness of light and fullness of truth. It is true that in the Old Testament they had some light, they had some truth, but they did not have the fullness of light and truth the way we do. What does the Bible say in John 1 and 18? Verse 17, I think it is, said, The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. That is, the fullness of grace and the fullness of truth was revealed when Jesus Christ was revealed.
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And if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews 10, let me show you this argument. Look in Hebrews 10. And here the apostle is arguing that our sins deserve a worse judgment than the sins of the people in the Old Testament. Hebrews 10, beginning there with verse 28. Look at it. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Now, when you look in the Old Testament, when you committed a capital sin, a capital crime, You died. That was it. You died. When there were enough witnesses against you, you were cut off. There was no mercy. You were killed. Look in verse twenty nine. Here's his argument of how much sore or worse punishment.
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Suppose you shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified in a holy thing, and done despite in the Spirit of grace." In other words, now we have the fullness of light in Jesus Christ, and when we sin, we sin against the completed, final, and full revelation of the Word of God. We sin against the full and final revelation of God in Jesus Christ. What we're doing is sinning in light of full knowledge and full light.
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And the author of Hebrews says of how much worse punishment. Do you suppose he is worthy? Who trods under his feet, the son of God, let me tell you something, folks. Since Jesus Christ has been revealed, there is an added dimension. And an added insult. to our sin and our rebellion against God. And the scriptures teach us basically we today deserve worse punishment.
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Now, there's another objection that I hear. And that objection is that God is too loving to send judgment upon America. And that God would never engage in war and that God would never use war. Let me tell you something. Whenever you think that way, you are thinking humanistically. You are not thinking scripturally. When people say, well, the God that I serve is too loving to send judgment like that. Oh, when you say that, the God you're serving is a figment of your imagination. He is not the God of the scripture. Let me tell you, the only God that exists is the God of the Bible. And the Bible declares unto us who God is and what His attributes are. And if you have a problem with what the Bible reveals, the only thing I can tell you is that you are wrong and the Bible is right. Now, Scripture informs us.
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In fact, states it emphatically. In Exodus chapter 15 and verse 3, listen carefully. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His name. What did the Bible just say? The Lord is a man of war. If you read the context, It is in the context of the destruction of Pharaoh and his army and his chariots. God overthrew them. And here they are singing and praising God and saying, God is a man of war. The Lord is a man of war. That is his name.
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Moreover, let me ask you a question. Do you know how God delivered Israel out of Egypt? If you don't know the answer to that, let me show you. Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. And notice verse 34. Here is a specific statement concerning the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. Deuteronomy 4. And verse 34. Look what the Bible says. Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation?
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By temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by what? And by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors according to all the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes. How did God deliver the Israelites out of the land of Egypt? By war. By war.
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Now let me ask you a question. Does it not stand to reason that if the Lord is a man of war, and if God delivered Israel out of Egypt by means of war, is it not rational to conclude that God could also destroy a nation by means of war? I mean, let's be honest. Let's ask the question, has God ever destroyed a nation by means of war? What's the answer? Innumerable times. Look very quickly in your Bibles, just to the book of Judges, and I'm not going to deal with this long, but Judges chapter 3, I just want you to see that it was God Himself, which I'm going to demonstrate a little bit later, who brought all these enemies upon Israel because of their sins. Look in Judges 3, verse 7, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he, that is God, sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
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Look in verses 12, Verse 12 there, and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. Look in chapter 4, verse 1. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord when Ehud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor, the captain of whose host was Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. Then look in chapter 6 and verse 1. Once again, the Bible says, And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Here's my question. Did God destroy Israel by means of war in 722 B.C.
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when the Assyrians came and captured the ten northern tribes? The answer is yes. Did God destroy the southern kingdom, Judah and Benjamin, in 586 B.C. when the Babylonians came and captured? And the answer is yes. Did God destroy Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman army? Yes. Ask yourself whatever happened to Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Edom, Egypt, and a multitude of other nations. And the answer is God destroyed them by war.
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I want you to turn in your Bibles to First Chronicles, Chapter 5. First Chronicles, Chapter 5. I'm just trying to prove a point. And that point is that God is indeed a man of war, and that God does indeed use war to chastise and punish nations. In 1 Chronicles 5, notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 25. Watch carefully. 1 Chronicles 5, verse 25. And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and were whoring after the gods of the people of the land whom God destroyed before them. Are you watching that?
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And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them into Halah, and to Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan of this day. What did God do? God stirred up the spirits of the kings of Assyria to come down and to fight against His people and to carry them into captivity.
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Look in chapter 6 and verse 15. Look at what the Bible says. And Jehozadak went into captivity when the Lord carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Now, who was it that carried them away into captivity? The Lord. How did he do it? By the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. By the way, I want you to understand that when God destroys a nation by war, it is impossible for that nation to stand. I want you to look in your Bibles to Jeremiah 46.
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You see, the problem that we have in this country today is that we believe that we are the greatest military power upon the face of the earth. And you say, well, we are. Well, not necessarily. We may be in one way or another way, but I got news for you folks. We have so many computer oriented weapons today. If the power grid goes down, all of our computer-oriented weapons are worthless. And the Chinese outnumber us ten to one. And they've got more land weapons than we do.
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Now, I'm just trying to point out that when God destroys a nation, it doesn't matter what you have militarily, you can't stand. Look in Jeremiah 46, and let's begin reading there with verse 14. Jeremiah 46, verse 14. Declare you in Egypt, publish it in Migdol, publish it in Noph and in Tahpanhes. Say ye, stand fast and prepare thee, for the sword shall devour round about thee.
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Now, what's this next question? Why are thy valiant men swept away? They stood not. Why? Because the Lord did drive them. He made them to fall, yea, they fell one upon another. Why could they not stand? Because the Lord thy God did drive them. No nation can stand, no matter what their armaments are, when God decrees against them. No nation can stand when God fights against them. Do you realize that when nations go into idolatry, God always raises up enemies against them?
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Look back in your Bibles to First Kings chapter 11. Let me just show you a couple of things. First Kings chapter 11. You remember how Solomon was a wise man, and yet Solomon went into idolatry. All of his strange wives that he had married caused him and led him and pushed him into idolatry. He built all those altars for his wives. Look at what the Bible says in 1 Kings 11, beginning there with verse 11. 1 Kings 11, verse 11. Wherefore, the Lord said in Solomon, For as much as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake, but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit, I will not render away all the kingdom, but will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, which I have chosen.
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Are you looking? And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite. He was on the king's seat in Edom. And the Lord stirred up an adversary. Skip down to verse 23. And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon, the son of Eliadah, who fled from his lord, Hadadezer, king of Zobah. And he gathered men unto him, and became a captain of her band, when David slew them of Zobah.
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And they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon. Beside the mischief that Hadad did, he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. Note, if you would, it was God who raised By the way, if you would take the time to read Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, you'll find that one of the specific curses for disobedience is that a nation cannot stand before their enemies. God said you go out against them one way and flee before them seven ways. When God judges a nation, no matter what their armaments are, they cannot stand, militarily speaking. Now, please remember this, that one of the attributes of God is His immutability. When we talk about the immutability of God, we talk about His unchangeableness.
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Malachi 3 and verse 6, He says, I the Lord change not. I the Lord change not.
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Now, since God does not change, neither do his judgments or his retribution. And if God destroyed nations in the Old Testament by means of war, it should not surprise us to find that God also destroys nations in the New Testament by means of war. And it should not surprise us that God still uses that same military option today. God does not change. We've got to remember that the Lord is a man of war.
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By the way, look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 50. Let me show you a verse that may really surprise you. Jeremiah 50. And look if you would please at verse 25. Jeremiah 50 verse 25. Remember, I told you that God is a man of war. In Jeremiah 50 and verse 25, look at what the Bible says. The Lord hath opened his armory and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation, for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans. Note, for the Lord hath opened his what? His armory. God has his own gun cabinet. Isn't that wonderful? He's got an armory. It's not just a gun cabinet, however. He's got plenty of weapons in there. He opened his own armory and brought forth weapons of destruction. Now, one of those weapons is the sword. Which speaks of war. Look back to Jeremiah 47.
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At verses 6 and 7. I like this. Look at this. You know about God's judgment. Look what people say when God brings his sort of judgment upon them. O thou sword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? Put up thyself unto thy scabbard, rest and be still. Now watch. How can it be quiet? Seeing the Lord had given it a charge against Ashkelon and against the seashore, there hath he appointed it. Does no good to cry, O thou sword of the Lord, be still. Go back into your scabbard. God said it will not go back into my scabbard until it has finished that which I have appointed it to. Look in Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Jeremiah 48 and verse 10. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. God said, when I send another nation to destroy another nation, I'll curse the man who holds back his sword from blood. God uses nations to destroy other nations.
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Now, I want you to go back to the book of Ezekiel chapter 14. I'm going to show you that God speaks here of his four sword judgments. Here are four weapons that he has in his armory. In Ezekiel chapter 14 and verse 21, God names four of them. Here they are. For thus saith the Lord God, how much more when I send my four sword judgments upon Jerusalem.
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And what is the first one? The sword. and the famine and the noisome beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man and beast. God said, I've got four sword judgments. I've got four particular weapons in my armory that I use. And the first one that is mentioned is the sword.
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Now, look in verse 17. Look what the Bible says. God is speaking. Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, sword go through that land so that I cut off man and beast from it. God uses a sword. There's no two ways about that. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel chapter 6. Ezekiel chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 1. Look what God says. Ezekiel 6 verse 1.
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And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them. And say, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, and to the rivers, and to the valleys. Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Now who is it that's bringing the sword? It's God. And your altar shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain men before your idols, and I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars, and all your dwelling places of the city shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate, that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and ceased, and your images may be cut down, and your works may be abolished, and the slain shall fall in the midst of you, watch, and
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you shall know that I am the Lord." Who was it that brought the sword? It was God. And God said, when I get through wiping you out, you'll understand. that it was I, the Lord, who did it.
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Now, if that's unclear, if that's not sufficient, just very quickly turn to Ezekiel 21. There are so many passages where God himself says that he brought the sword. Ezekiel 21, beginning of verse one. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath. And will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, seeing them that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. Therefore shall my sword go forth out of the sheath against all flesh from the south to the north, that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath, and it shall not return any more." What is God saying? I want to draw my sword. I want to do the cutting. But God does it normally by sending other nations.
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Look in, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Same chapter, Ezekiel 21. Again, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord, saying, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and is also furbished. It is sharpened to make the sword slaughtered. It is furbished that it may glitter. Should we then make mirth? It contendeth that the rod of my son is every tree. and He hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled. This sword is sharpened, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer. Cry and howl, son of man, for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel. Terror by reason of the sword shall be upon my people. Smite therefore upon my thigh, because it is a trial, and what if the sword condemn even the rod? It shall be no more, saith the Lord." Notice what he's saying, it's my sword, I'm going to send it. Skip down to verse 28.
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And thou shalt, O man, prophesy and say, Thus said the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach, even say thou the sword, the sword is drawn for the slaughter, it is furnished to consume because of the glittering. Once again, God said, I'm going to destroy them by my sword. Turn to Ezekiel 30. Look at Ezekiel 30. Over and over, as you read through these prophecies against the nations, It is God drawing forth his sword. In Ezekiel 30 verse 1, the word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, Son, a man prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord God, How ye woe worth the day, For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day it shall be, the time of the
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heathen, and the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in the Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundation shall be broken down, Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in the league shall fall with them by the sword." Verse 6 once again says, God shall destroy them. Skip down to verse 20. Ezekiel 30, verse 20. And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the first month of the seventh day of the Lord, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Now watch this. I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword, Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms,
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the strong and that which was broken, and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them among the countries, and I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand. But I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him, with the groins of a deadly wounded man, but I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of the Egyptians."
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Now, what is that passage telling us? God says, the nation that I send to chastise and judge another nation, I make their sword strong. I make their arms strong. But the nation that's going to be judged, I'll break their arms. That is, I'll break their power. They'll have no power to fight. They'll have no power to resist. They'll be destroyed.
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Now, let me show you one last argument. Because when we talk about the military option, God destroying one nation militarily, And especially when we apply it to America, here is the main objection, not just that God would never do such, and not just that God would never judge us, not just that God would never use war, and I've shown you where he does use war, but here's the main argument that most people get. Well, we are certainly bad as a nation, and I know there are things that are wrong in our country, I mean, my goodness. I mean, there's sodomites, there's abortion, there's socialism. We got bad government. We got bad citizens. Yeah, I admit we're bad, but other nations are worse.
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And so what we think is. God won't judge us. He'll judge the other nations that are worse. I want you to look in your Bible to Luke 12, verse 48. I want to show you a principle. Luke 12. Luke 12, verse 48, look at what our Lord says. Are you watching? In fact, let's read verse 47. Our Lord says, and that servant who knew his Lord's will. That is, he had the light, he had the truth, he had the knowledge, and that servant who knew his Lord's will and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not and did commit things worthy of stripes shall be beaten with few stripes. Now, wait a minute. Why is it the one who knew the Lord's will and did it not will be beaten with many stripes? The one who knew not the Lord's will and did it not shall be beaten with few stripes. Why? Here's the principle.
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For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required. And to whom men shall have committed much, of him they will ask the more. You say other nations are worse. I concur. But other nations have not had our blessings. They have not had our opportunities. They have not had our responsibilities. They have not been given the truth and the life like we have been given. Our sins are worse because we are sinning against light. We're sinning against fullness of truth.
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And God said that servant who knew to do the Lord's will and did it not, he shall be beaten with what? Many stripes. His punishment will be worse. For he sinned against the light.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles. To the book of Habakkuk chapter one. One of the minor prophets of Habakkuk chapter one. Because you see, The same problem existed in Habakkuk today. You've got Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. Habakkuk chapter one. You see, this was Habakkuk's problem. He understood that God was going to use the Chaldeans or the Babylonians to judge them. But the Babylonians were worse than they were. And so his question is, God, How can you do this? Look at it. Habakkuk 1, verse 6. God says, For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs.
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They are terrible and they are dreadful in their judgment and their dignity shall proceed to themselves. Now God says, I'm going to send them. I'm going to send this wicked, hasty, bloodthirsty nation to destroy the land. Watch verses 12 and 13. Habakkuk asks, Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my holy one? We shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment. And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Now look what he says, Thou art of pure eyes, and behold evil. That is, you cannot look at it condoningly. And canst thou look upon iniquity that is approvingly? Wherefore lookest thou upon them, that is, the Chaldeans, that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue on the wicked, devoureth a man that is more righteous than he?
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Now, what was his argument? God, we may be bad, but we're not as bad as the Chaldeans are. That's his argument. But you see, the Chaldeans did not have the light, nor the truth that the people of Israel had. They did not have the revelation that God's people had.
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Finally, he comes to the conclusion that God was just and holy, and that whatever God did was just and right. And if you look in Habakkuk chapter 3, verses 17 through 19, Here's what he came to. Here was his own conclusion. He had to come to this realization that I am going to trust God regardless of the circumstances. Watch Habakkuk 3 verse 17. He ends by saying this, although the fig tree shall not blossom.
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Neither shall fruit be in the vines and the labor of the olive shall fail and the field shall yield no meat. The flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no hurt in the stalls. Yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength and he will make my feet like hinds feet and he will make me to walk upon my hind places. What's he saying? I'm going to have to trust God. If there's nothing to eat, if everyone is cut off If we have nothing as a nation, I still must trust God. Do you remember the question that Abraham asked God?
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If you don't, here it is. Shall not the God of all the earth do right? And what's the answer? Yeah. A judge of all the earth is going to do right. Whatever God does is right. However God punishes us is right. God did use heathen, wicked nations innumerable times to chastise a people who were not as wicked as they were. Read Isaiah 10. Read Ezekiel 7. Let me tell you something, folks. God is free to use any creature, any instrument, in any way, and in any time that he chooses. He alone is God. And the scriptures affirm that to him alone are the issues of life and death. David said, my times are in his hands. David said to the Lord our God belong the issues from death. How does God destroy nations? Religiously. Socially. Governmentally. Economically. And militarily.
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Now let me make some applications. The first one should be obvious. This past week, I had one man say to me, we were just talking about the situation that we're in, and just in passing, he made this statement. I am afraid of China. I got news for you folks. They outnumber us. If you started killing the Chinese today, and you kill 50,000 a day, 100 years from now you'd still be shooting.
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As fast as they multiply. Now he said I'm afraid of China. I've heard people say I'm afraid of Russia. Let me tell you something folks. Do not think that God has to use a great military power like Russia. or China to bring us to our knees. Cuba is sufficient. Castro is sufficient. When God withdraws his protective hand from a nation, anyone can destroy that nation. It does not have to be a mighty war power. Because when God breaks our arms, He strengthens the arms of those He's going to use to judge us. I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God. I fear Him. He's the one that we should fear. As long as his hand of protection is upon us, there's not a nation that can touch us. But if he ever withdraws that hand, there's not a nation that can protect us.
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Secondly, Micah 6 and verse 9 gives us very pointed instruction. Listen to this. Listen to this. Here's Micah 6 verse 9. The Lord's voice cried to the city. And the man of wisdom shall see thy name." Listen to what God says, "...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." I like that verse. "...hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it." What is God telling us? God does exactly what we do. God, first of all, speaks to us through His Word. If we hear His Word, that's sufficient. If we do not hear His Word, then the rod is going to fall. It's just that simple. And God said, when my rod falls, if you won't hear my word, at least I'll get your attention with the rod. There's no parent that whips a child that's obedient. You only whip a child that's disobedient. And you only have to whip the child when the child will not listen. That's what God says. If you'll listen, You won't need the rod. But if you don't listen, I'm going to send the rod.
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Let me just read to you. Jeremiah, chapter six, verses 17 through 19, listen to this. Jeremiah six, beginning with verse 17. Also, I set watchmen over you saying, hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, we will not hearken. Therefore, hear ye, nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth, behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to My words, nor to My law, but rejected it. God said they wouldn't listen to My words, so I'm bringing the sound of the trumpet. What's the sound of the trumpet? Warning. There's danger. There's war. If we hear His words, we will not have to hear His rod. But when we do not heed His words, the rod will fall. Here's a third application. God doesn't even have to send a nation against us to destroy us. All He has to do is send a rumor. And the rumor will cause the stock market to crash.
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the people's hearts to turn like water. Let me tell you something, folks. When God sends his rumor, along with that rumor, he sends terror, agony, frustration, and desperation. If God sends a rumor, it will not be something that can be lightly sloughed off or thrown off. And when a rumor is believed, It can effectively destroy the morale and the fiber of a nation and of a people.
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Now, you're going to ask me, and I'm going to answer it for you. You've given me five ways that God destroys nations, religiously, socially, governmentally, economically, militarily. I see all of those things happening in this country. What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent. You say that's too simple, but now listen to me, folks. Repentance not only is personal, it is familial, it is ecclesiastical, it is national. That is, it's personal, it's in the family, it's in the church, and it's in the nation. But you know where God expects us to start? From the bottom up. That is, as individuals. You do not ever expect a nation to repent if the church won't repent. And you don't need to expect a church to repent if the families won't repent. And you don't need to expect the families to repent if the individuals won't repent. Every family, every church, every nation is made up of individuals. Here's one question. If you will not repent, who will? God demands that you repent of any and every sin, any and every violation of his law, and that you come back to him through the obedience of his word.
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And if you say, well, I'm not going to do it, then you're one of the ones who's bringing the judgment of God upon this nation. Do you remember, as wicked, as vile, as Sodom and Gomorrah were, God was willing to spare them if he found how many righteous? Ten righteous. There's far more than ten in this room. If you are willing to be biblical in every area, in every sphere of your life and repent of everything in your life that's contrary to the Word of God, you're one of those. who are helping to avert the judgment of God upon our nation. Repentance is the answer. But before we can have national repentance, we must have ecclesiastical repentance. Before we can have ecclesiastical repentance, we must have family repentance. And before a family can repent, there must be individual repentance, because it's individuals who make up every one of those institutions. Let's pray.
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Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us, that you would give us repentance, help us to see and know that the Lord is a man of war, that thou dost have thine own armory and you bring forth your weapons to use against those nations, those peoples, those individuals, those families and those churches. who refuse to repent. Give us the gift of repentance, as well as the gift of faith.
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Enable us to trust Thee, no matter if the fig tree does not blossom. And if the vines fail, and the flocks are cut off, and there is no herd in the stall, help us, Lord, to trust Thee at all times. in every circumstance, in every situation, for your honor and your glory. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:35:54Z

How God Destroys Nations - Part 5

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver concludes his series on how God destroys nations by examining military destruction. He argues that God, as a 'man of war,' uses the military strength of other nations to judge wicked nations. Drawing from Isaiah 19:16-17, he explains that God can instill terror through rumors and the shaking of His hand, making even mighty nations as fearful as women. Weaver emphasizes that no amount of military might can protect a nation if God withdraws His protection, and that America's sins are worse than those of ancient nations because they are committed against greater light. He calls for individual, familial, ecclesiastical, and national repentance to avert judgment.

Opening

Isaiah chapter 19, beginning with verse one,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 19:1-17

the burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud and shall come into Egypt and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians and they shall fight everyone against his brother and everyone against his neighbor, city against city and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof, and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over in the hand of a cruel lord, and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. And the water shall fail from the sea, and the rivers shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away, and the brooks of defense shall be emptied and dried up. The reeds and the flags shall wither. The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and everything sown by the brooks shall wither, be driven away, and be no more. The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament. And they that spread nets upon the water shall languish. Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave nets, shall be confounded. And they shall be broken in purposes thereof, and all that make sluices and ponds for fish. Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, and the counsel of the wise counsel of Pharaoh is become brutish. How say you unto Pharaoh, I am the son of a wise, the son of ancient kings? Where are they? Where are the wise men? And let them tell thee now, and let them know what the Lord of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt. The princes of Zoan have become fools. The princes of Noph are deceived. They have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof, and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit. Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or tail or branch or rush may do. In that day shall Egypt be likened to women. And it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts, which he shaketh over it. And the land of Egypt shall be a terror unto Egypt, and the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt. Everyone that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the Lord of Hosts, which he hath determined against it.

Introduction and Review

Weaver reviews the previous four messages on how God destroys nations religiously, socially, governmentally, and economically, and introduces the final method: military destruction.

Nations Trust in Military Might, Not God

Nations typically rely on their armaments and military supremacy, ignoring God. Scripture teaches that safety comes from the Lord, not from military strength.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 127:1

The Bible says, except the Lord build the house. What? They labor in vain that build it, and except the Lord keep the city. What? The watchman waketh but in vain. In other words, if God does not sovereignly protect the city, it doesn't matter how many watchmen you have. It doesn't matter how many armaments you have. If God does not protect the city, the city will fall. No amount of military armament is sufficient if God does not protect and defend the people. The Bible tells us in Psalm 147, verses 10 and 11, "He, that is God, delighteth not in the strength of a horse, nor taketh pleasure in the legs of a man."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 21:31

the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety

Fear from Rumors and the Shaking of God's Hand

Isaiah 19:16-17 describes how Egypt will be terrified by rumors of Judah's destruction and by God's threatening hand, becoming as fearful as women.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 51:46

"...and lest your heart faint and you fear for the rumor that shall be heard in the land, a rumor that shall both come one year, and after that another year shall come a rumor, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler."

The Terror of God's Actual Fighting

If the mere shaking of God's hand causes such fear, His actual fighting will be far more terrifying, as depicted in Revelation 6.

America's Sins Are Worse Due to Greater Light

Weaver argues that America's sins are worse than those of Old Testament nations because we sin against the full revelation of Jesus Christ, deserving greater punishment.

God Is a Man of War

Scripture declares God as a man of war (Exodus 15:3) who delivered Israel by war and has destroyed nations militarily throughout history.

God's Armory and Sword Judgments

God has an armory of weapons, including the sword, which He uses to judge nations. He strengthens the arms of the nation He sends and breaks the arms of the nation being judged.

The Principle of Greater Accountability

Using Luke 12:48, Weaver explains that those with greater light receive greater punishment. America's blessings make its judgment more severe than that of seemingly worse nations.

And God said that servant who knew to do the Lord's will and did it not, he shall be beaten with what? Many stripes. His punishment will be worse. For he sinned against the light.

Applications: Fear God, Hear the Rod, and Repent

Weaver applies the message by urging fear of God rather than nations, heeding God's word to avoid the rod, and calling for repentance at all levels to avert judgment.

How God Destroys Nations - Part 5

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	61705103021
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: The Superiority of Christ
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-06-12
Dictation Name
Book	Book 051: How God Destroys Nations — Chapter 5
Source Timed Segments	86

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver reviews the previous four messages on how God destroys nations religiously, socially, governmentally, and economically, and introduces the final method: military destruction.
Nations Trust in Military Might, Not God: Nations typically rely on their armaments and military supremacy, ignoring God. Scripture teaches that safety comes from the Lord, not from military strength.
Fear from Rumors and the Shaking of God's Hand: Isaiah 19:16-17 describes how Egypt will be terrified by rumors of Judah's destruction and by God's threatening hand, becoming as fearful as women.
The Terror of God's Actual Fighting: If the mere shaking of God's hand causes such fear, His actual fighting will be far more terrifying, as depicted in Revelation 6.
America's Sins Are Worse Due to Greater Light: Weaver argues that America's sins are worse than those of Old Testament nations because we sin against the full revelation of Jesus Christ, deserving greater punishment.
God Is a Man of War: Scripture declares God as a man of war (Exodus 15:3) who delivered Israel by war and has destroyed nations militarily throughout history.
God's Armory and Sword Judgments: God has an armory of weapons, including the sword, which He uses to judge nations. He strengthens the arms of the nation He sends and breaks the arms of the nation being judged.
The Principle of Greater Accountability: Using Luke 12:48, Weaver explains that those with greater light receive greater punishment. America's blessings make its judgment more severe than that of seemingly worse nations.
Applications: Fear God, Hear the Rod, and Repent: Weaver applies the message by urging fear of God rather than nations, heeding God's word to avoid the rod, and calling for repentance at all levels to avert judgment.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God's protection is essential for national security

Without God's sovereign protection, no amount of military strength can keep a nation safe.

Weaver quotes Psalm 127:1: 'Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.'

God can destroy a nation through rumors alone

God does not need to send an army; a rumor from the Lord can cause terror and collapse.

Weaver references Obadiah 1:1: 'We have heard a rumor from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen.'

America's sins are more heinous due to greater revelation

Because America has the full light of the gospel, its rebellion is more culpable than that of Old Testament nations.

Weaver argues from Hebrews 10:29 that those who trample the Son of God deserve worse punishment.

God is not too loving to judge

The idea that God is too loving to send war is humanistic; the God of the Bible is a man of war.

Weaver states, 'When people say, well, the God that I serve is too loving to send judgment like that... the God you're serving is a figment of your imagination.'

God actively uses war as a judgment tool

Throughout Scripture, God raises up adversaries and strengthens the arms of enemy nations to punish His people.

Weaver cites 1 Chronicles 5:25-26 where God stirred up the spirit of the king of Assyria to carry Israel captive.

No nation can stand when God fights against it

When God decrees judgment, even the mightiest military cannot resist; He breaks their power.

Weaver quotes Jeremiah 46:15: 'Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the Lord did drive them.'

Greater accountability principle applies to nations

Nations with more light and blessings will receive greater judgment than those with less, even if the latter seem more wicked.

Weaver explains Luke 12:48: 'For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.'

Repentance must start with individuals

National repentance is impossible without individual repentance, as nations are composed of individuals.

Weaver says, 'You do not ever expect a nation to repent if the church won't repent. And you don't need to expect a church to repent if the families won't repent.'

Scripture References

Isaiah 19:1-17: The primary text of the sermon, describing the burden of Egypt and God's judgment through fear and military destruction.
Psalm 127:1: Used to show that unless the Lord builds and keeps the city, human efforts are in vain.
Psalm 147:10-11: God does not delight in military strength but in those who fear Him.
Proverbs 21:31: The horse is prepared for battle, but safety is of the Lord.
Psalm 33:17: A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
Obadiah 1:1: A rumor from the Lord is sent among the heathen to stir up battle.
Isaiah 37:7: God sends a rumor to the king of Assyria, causing him to return to his own land and fall by the sword.
Jeremiah 51:46: Rumors will come year after year, causing fear and violence.
Revelation 6:15-17: When God actually fights, kings and mighty men hide in terror, calling for mountains to fall on them.
John 1:17: The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, indicating fuller revelation.
Hebrews 10:28-29: Those who sin against greater light deserve sorer punishment than those under Moses' law.
Exodus 15:3: The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name.
Deuteronomy 4:34: God delivered Israel out of Egypt by war, signs, and wonders.
Judges 3:7-8, 12; 4:1-2; 6:1: God sold Israel into the hands of enemies because of their evil, using war as judgment.
1 Chronicles 5:25-26: God stirred up the spirit of the king of Assyria to carry Israel captive.
Jeremiah 46:14-15: Egypt's valiant men are swept away because the Lord drove them.
1 Kings 11:11-25: God stirred up adversaries against Solomon because of his idolatry.
Jeremiah 50:25: The Lord has opened his armory and brought forth weapons of indignation.
Ezekiel 14:21: God's four sore judgments: sword, famine, noisome beast, and pestilence.
Luke 12:47-48: The servant who knows his master's will and does not do it will be beaten with many stripes; to whom much is given, much is required.

Historical References

Sennacherib's invasion of Judah: Weaver mentions that Sennacherib, the Assyrian leader, led his army into Judah and wiped it off the map, causing fear in Egypt.
Destruction of the northern kingdom (722 B.C.): Weaver asks if God destroyed Israel by war when the Assyrians captured the ten northern tribes.
Destruction of Jerusalem (586 B.C.): Weaver asks if God destroyed Judah and Benjamin when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem.
Destruction of Jerusalem (70 A.D.): Weaver asks if God destroyed Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 A.D.
King Ahab's humiliation: Weaver recounts how wicked King Ahab humbled himself when God threatened judgment, gaining a delay.
Sodom and Gomorrah: Weaver notes that God was willing to spare Sodom if ten righteous were found, illustrating the power of a righteous remnant.

Important Quotes

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.

This quote from Proverbs 21:31 encapsulates the sermon's theme that military might is useless without God's protection.

The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name.

This direct scriptural statement from Exodus 15:3 is used to counter the humanistic view that God would never use war.

For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.

This principle from Luke 12:48 underpins the argument that America's greater light makes its judgment more severe.

Hear ye the rod and him who hath appointed it.

From Micah 6:9, this quote emphasizes that when God's word is ignored, the rod of judgment will fall.

I'm not afraid of China. I'm not afraid of Russia. I'm not afraid of Cuba. I'm afraid of God.

This personal application redirects fear from human enemies to the sovereign God who controls all nations.

What can we do to avert the judgment of God? And here's the simple answer. Repent.

This is the central application of the entire series, calling for repentance as the only remedy.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the principle 'safety is of the Lord' challenge our typical trust in military and national security?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that no amount of armaments can protect a nation if God withdraws His hand.

[Question]

In what ways can a 'rumor from the Lord' be more destructive than an actual army?

[Context]

Weaver explains that God can send terror and collapse through rumors, as seen in Isaiah 19 and Obadiah.

[Question]

Why does Weaver argue that America's sins are worse than those of Old Testament nations? Do you agree?

[Context]

He bases this on the greater light of the gospel and the principle in Hebrews 10:28-29.

[Question]

How should the truth that 'the Lord is a man of war' affect our view of God's character and His dealings with nations?

[Context]

Weaver counters the idea that God is too loving to judge, citing Exodus 15:3.

[Question]

What does it mean for God to 'break the arms' of a nation He is judging, and how might this apply today?

[Context]

Weaver explains from Ezekiel 30 that God weakens the judged nation and strengthens the instrument of judgment.

[Question]

How does the principle of Luke 12:48 ('to whom much is given, much is required') apply to nations as well as individuals?

[Context]

Weaver uses this to explain why seemingly worse nations may receive less judgment than America.

[Question]

What is the relationship between hearing God's word and experiencing the rod of judgment?

[Context]

Weaver quotes Micah 6:9 to show that heeding God's word can avert the rod.

[Question]

Why must repentance begin with individuals before it can affect families, churches, and the nation?

[Context]

Weaver argues that institutions are made up of individuals, so personal repentance is foundational.

Applications

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