Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law

Where is thy God

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Covenant Theology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-03-14

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Joel 2:15-18, focusing on the heathen's taunt, 'Where is thy God?' He explains that such reproach comes when God's people are under judgment for disobedience. The sermon calls for preparation (solemn assembly, fasting), prayer (pleading for mercy and God's honor), and promises pardon upon repentance. Weaver applies these principles to modern America, asserting that Christians are the Israel of God and that national calamities result from covenant unfaithfulness. He urges repentance, prayer for deliverance, and trust in God's promises of restoration and victory over enemies.

[John Weaver] Joel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 15. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people. The title of the message today is Where is thy God? Where is thy God? I hope you'll remember that the last message I dealt with was from the book of Joel as well. beginning there with verse 11 and reading through verse 14 was the text of the message.

[John Weaver] And we pointed out that there was a serious warning, that there was a solemn witness and a startling wonder in those verses. Today we look at verse 17 particularly and the latter part of that verse, wherefore should they say among the people, where is thy God? So let me begin by asking a question, where is your God? There are probably many answers to that question, yet the answer that we must look for is the one that is anticipated by Joel. We could answer that question, where is your God, the way David did in Psalm 115 in verse 3, when David said, but our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. We know that God is sovereign, that he rules over everything. We know that God is in absolute and total control and that absolutely nothing comes to pass apart from God and His providence, because His providence rules over everything. We can also answer this question, where is your God, in a theological sense, in light of the New Testament revelation that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us.

[John Weaver] The Bible teaches us in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. We could also quote John 1, 14, where the Bible said, And the word was made flesh, and he dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So we know that Jesus Christ is our God. We know that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We know that Jesus Christ came, that He died, that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead. And we know that now He has ascended into heaven, and He's seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us, because according to Matthew 28 and verse 18, that all power and all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Him. So we may answer that question, where is your God?

[John Weaver] the way David did, we may answer it theologically. But it is important to note in Joel chapter 2 and verse 17 exactly who asked that question and why that question was asked. And the answer to those questions should be obvious. The question, where is thy God, was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them, and here they're claiming to be the people of God, and they're in such bad straits, that the heathen says, uh-huh, yeah, you're God's people? Where is your God?

[John Weaver] Let me see what He's doing for you now. Now, I want you to hold your oil tube, but I want you to turn back to the book of Judges. You've seen this passage before, Judges chapter 6, But I want you to see this was the same exact thing that Gideon was asking. Notice in Judges chapter 6 beginning there with verse 11. Because the angel comes to call Gideon to the work of deliverance. And notice if you would what is said in Judges 6 beginning there with verse 11. Judges 6 and verse 11. And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak, which was an ophra, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezarite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. Now watch. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. Now watch. The angel says, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor. And Gideon said, verse 13, unto him, O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?

[John Weaver] And where be all these miracles which our Father told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites." Now, look what Gideon is saying. If the Lord is really genuinely with us, why is all this happening to us? Why are we defeated? Why are we forsaken? Why are our enemies in our land eating our substance and ruining us? Where is God if God is really with us?

[John Weaver] Now as you turn back to Joel, you've got to remember this, that Israel's boast was that God was their creator, and benefactor, protector, and defender, and that God had given them a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a land that abounded with blessings. So the question is then, what has become of all of those blessings? is the land flowing with milk and honey. Now, you remember the last time I was showing you how, in Joel chapter 1, how the locusts, the caterpillars, and the palmer worms had eaten everything up. I mean, the land was stripped, the land was bare, famine was stalking the land. And now God is threatening a more imminent judgment.

[John Weaver] He's going to send the Babylonians. He's going to destroy them. So, the heathen now are asking, Where is your God? You're claiming to be God's people. Where is He? Such a taunt was not only reproachful and hurtful to the people of God, it was extremely cutting to anyone who genuinely believed in the Lord and wanted to honor Him. I want you to understand, it is the nature, it is the habit and the custom of the wicked to always mock and ridicule and deride God and His people.

[John Weaver] And stop and think about this. Since the wicked cannot get at God, the only ones they can get at happens to be the people of God. And so they're going to mock and ridicule the people of God. Let me just quote this one. There's a lot of Scriptures I want you to see a little bit later. But Jeremiah tells us something that happened during the fall of Jerusalem. In Lamentations 1 in verse 7, he said this, Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries, all of her pleasant things that she had in the days of old."

[John Weaver] Now listen, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, none did help her. The adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbaths. Now watch, the adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbath. So Israel now, in all of this judgment, is remembering all the pleasant things she had, and all the blessings she had, but now she's under judgment. She has absolutely nothing. And what are the heathen doing? They're mocking at her Sabbath. You have to remember that the prime emphasis on the Sabbath was rest. And the people had no rest because they were in a state of famine. They were under judgment. The enemy was in control. And so now they're mocking the people.

[John Weaver] Do you remember how in the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ was mocked? They mocked Him, the Bible says, they derided Him. Even David, a man after God's own heart, was mocked. We have to stop and think about this. If the heathen would mock the Lord Jesus Christ, they would not hesitate to mock His people. When David fled from the tyrant Saul, I want you to see what David said.

[John Weaver] Hold Joel chapter 2, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 42 and let's begin looking there at verse 3. Psalm 42 and verse 3. Look what David says. And in this Psalm, David is running from Saul. He's been cut off from the tabernacle. He's been cut off from Jerusalem. So in Psalm 42 and verse 3, David said this, My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually saying to me, Where is thy God? David, you're righteous? Well, why isn't God doing something for you? You're supposed to be a man after God's own heart. Why are you fleeing? Why is Saul after you? You must have done something wrong. David, where is your God? If God is your God and you're right, why is He not working against Saul?

[John Weaver] Why is He not restoring you? Skip down, if you would, to verse 10. Look what David said. Psalm 42 and verse 10. as with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me, where is thy God? All right, David, if you're right with God, where is He? Why is He doing something to you? Why is He not protecting you? You see, we may ask the same questions in a historical setting or even in a present day setting. I suppose one of the most frequently asked questions that I have as I travel around is this. Well, if the South was right during the war of Northern Aggression, why did the South lose the war? Well, some of you will remember that series I did on where we are and how we got here.

[John Weaver] The last two messages are two hours answering that question. So let me just try to apply this to our present day setting. If we are God's people, if we are the chosen of the Lord, and if we are obedient or want to be obedient and trying to be obedient, why are we persecuted? Why are we cast down? Why are we downtrodden? And why are we counted as the scum of the earth and basically considered by all around forsaken by our God? I want you to look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. And I'm going to come back to this verse, Lord willing, before I close. But I want you to look at this. I'll consider it a little more in detail before I close. But look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. Look what Asap says. Psalm 79 verse 10, Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?

[John Weaver] And then he responds, Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed." Notice, where is their God? You know, David says the same thing in Psalm 115 in verse 2, when he just simply says, wherefore do the heathens say, where is now their God? Let me ask you to ask yourself a few questions. Stop and think with me. Where is your God? Why do the heathen rage?

[John Weaver] Why are we so defeated and conquered as a nation and as a people? Why is it that the heathen have dominion over us? And I'm not just talking about our Muslim president. You look at the heathens in Congress. and the heathens in the judicial seats of power, who are not even concerned the least little bit with God and God's law. Why are there so many unchristian, unbiblical, and ungodly laws, rules, statutes, and regulations that are laid upon and enforced upon us when we neither desire them or want them?

[John Weaver] Now I could answer all of those questions with two scriptures. I'm going to go further, but I want you to turn first in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26, and then we're going to Deuteronomy 28. So you might want to find both passages. Leviticus 26, and then Deuteronomy 28. So let's ask, why are the heathen in charge? Why are we defeated? Why are we cast down? Look in Leviticus chapter 26, beginning there with verse 14, and we'll just read through verse 21. Leviticus 26, notice verse 14. Look what God says, and He's talking to the people as a whole. He says, but if you will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all of these commandments, And if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, but you break My covenant, I also will do this to you.

[John Weaver] I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursueth. And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

[John Weaver] And I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass, and your strength shall be spent in vain, and your land shall not yield or increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if you walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I'll bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. And he goes on and tells you a lot of other things that will come upon a disobedient people.

[John Weaver] Now turn to Deuteronomy 28, if you would, and let's begin there with verse 15, and then we're going to skip down to verse 43. Look in Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15. Look what God says. In fact, I'll preach more on this text a little bit later. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15 look what God says But it shall come to pass if I will not hearken to the voice of the Lord by God to observe to do all his Commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee Hmm skip down to verse 43. Let's see what some of these curses are In fact, they're all listed all the way down to verse 43, but here's the one that I want He says in verse 43, The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high, and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, thou shalt be the tail.

[John Weaver] Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed. Why? Because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seat forever because now service not the Lord by God with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and one of all things and he shall put a yoke of iron upon my neck until he destroyed thee So you want to know why, basically? We're under the rule of our enemies, and the answer is because we've been disobedient. Now, listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Do not hand me the old cop-out. Well, those verses apply to ancient Israel. They did apply to ancient Israel, but they also apply to modern Israel. Well, who is the modern Israel? The truth is that Christians, true believers, are indeed God's Israel. Let me just show you. Just turn to the book of Galatians. I could show you a multitude of passages, but let's start in Galatians chapter 3. We'll only need to go to one other chapter in Galatians, but look how plainly God says this. Remember now, the New Testament, the Old Testament. It is the old covenant and the new covenant. Now watch. Galatians chapter 3 and verse 7. Here it is. Look what God says. Know ye. Now here's something you need to know. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. Galatians 3 verse 7. Galatians 3 verse 7. Know you therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham. Who are the children of Abraham? They which be of faith.

[John Weaver] Not those which be of the flesh. Those which be of faith. You say, but I am a true descendant of Abraham physically. Whether you are or whether you aren't doesn't really matter. What really matters is do you have faith in Jesus Christ? Abraham's true seed are those who have faith in Jesus Christ. That's what he says. Know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Look in verse 9. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

[John Weaver] Who do the blessings come upon? Those which be of faith. Look down to verse 16.

[John Weaver] Now, everybody can say, well, we know Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Oh, those were Abraham's seeds, so to speak. But to whom were all the promises given? Look in Galatians 3 verse 16. Now to Abraham and his seed, singular. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and thy seed, which is Christ." Now, when God gave Abraham all of those promises that his seed should inherit the land and everything else, the seed was Christ. How do I know that? Not only because the Scripture tells us, but even Christ said He's been given all power and jurisdiction and authority in heaven and earth. He inherited all things. Wow! What? Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not as to seeds of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ. So every promise that God gave to Abraham, He was giving to the true seed of Abraham, which is Jesus Christ. Now look in verse 29, Galatians 3 verse 29.

[John Weaver] I don't see how this can be any plainer or made any more simple. Galatians 3 verse 29, And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed. What does that mean? You are heirs according to the promise. All those promises are ours in Christ. Now, one other. Look in Galatians 6. And verse 16.

[John Weaver] Here again is another plain passage. Galatians 6 verse 16. Look what he says. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God. Now wait a minute. We have the Israel of God identified specifically right here. And as many as walk according to this rule, Peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God." Well, who are the Israel of God? And the answer is, they that walk according to this rule. Now, let me explain the word rule. The word rule is the Greek word kynan. It is where we get our English word canon.

[John Weaver] Not C-A-N-N-O-N, that's the kind that shoots. But C-A-N-O-N, we talk about the canon of scripture. or the Old Testament canon, or the New Testament canon. And the word kanon, or the word rule here, literally means a measuring stick, or a measuring rod. Here is what the Apostle Paul was saying. Listen. They that walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy upon the Israel of God. Who's the Israel of God? They that walk according to this rule. In other words, God's true Israel obeys Him. They walk according to the Word of God. So we are God's Israel and we are just as covenantally bound to obey God now as the old covenant people were covenantally demanded to obey in the Old Testament. You see, when you get to 2 Corinthians 3, Paul says the difference is this. The old covenant was written upon tables of stone. In the new covenant, His law is written in our hearts and in our minds. So we are indeed the Israel of God.

[John Weaver] You see, circumstances may change, but principles never change. And I've taken you through the Scriptures enough that you should know that we are obligated to obey God's law. We are. So tired of people telling me, well, I don't have to obey God's law. I'm under grace. Well, listen, that's what grace does. Grace gives you the ability to obey. What did Paul say? What? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid! Don't even think that thought. Do you understand, and I'm sure that you do, that there is no such thing as a holy, sanctified adulterer, or a holy, sanctified fornicator, or a holy, sanctified thief, or a holy, sanctified fornicator or profane person. It's impossible to be holy when you're violating God's law. You cannot obey God's law and be holy and righteous. Righteousness is not only defined by God's law, righteousness is in conformity to God's law. So if you and I want to be holy and obedient, we must obey. What does that mean? It means this.

[John Weaver] Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws, statutes and judgments, and refuse to execute rapists, murderers, kidnappers, and others that merit and deserve the death penalty will only produce a society of death. A nation that refuses to honor the Lord and enforce His law will always fall prey to idolatry, socialism, demonism, witchcraft, communism, and Marxism. You want to know where we are?

[John Weaver] This country has sired a generation of thieves, pagans, idolaters, fornicators, and lazy, indolent, ungrateful, and unthankful children that believe that everything is owed to them and if it's not given to them, they're ready to take it. All the violence and all the anarchism that we've seen in recent days and recent months It's just simply a reaping what we have sown over all these years. And I'm afraid to use the good old South Georgia lingo, you ain't seen nothing yet. I believe it's going to get so much worse.

[John Weaver] So we have to ask the inevitable question. What can we do? What shall we do? Well, I want you to go back to Joel chapter two, because Joel, informs us concerning the correct course. I want you to first of all look at verses 15 and 16 in Joel chapter 2. And Joel tells you that first of all there must be preparation. There must be preparation. Look in verse 15.

[John Weaver] Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breasts, let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet." First of all, I want you to note what he said. There was to be a blowing of the trumpets.

[John Weaver] Now, without me taking you through all the scriptures, showing you how the trumpets were used, let me just summarize it for you. And I'll show you some scriptures here just momentarily. but the trumpets were blown to call a solemn assembly. They were also blown to assemble the people together. They were blown to sound an alarm. They were blown in preparation of battle and during actual battle as well. They were also blown over sacrifices and special feast days and for a number of other special activities. But in this context, These trumpets are being blown to announce a solemn assembly.

[John Weaver] Look in Joel 1 and verse 14. Joel 1 and verse 14. Sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land of the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord. So he said sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly. How do you call a solemn assembly? By blowing the trumpets. So look in Joel chapter 2 and verse 1. Here's how he says, Blow ye the trumpets in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, and it is nigh at hand. Now, in Joel 2 and verse 1, he's not just simply blowing the trumpet for a solemn assembly, now it is a sound of an alarm. Because the judgment of God is about to fall on the land. So, here's the preparation. First of all, blow the trumpets. That is, sound the alarm. Voice the cry. God's judgment is imminent.

[John Weaver] There must be some preparations made if we're going to avoid His judgment. Secondly, notice if you would please, He says in verse 15, Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify fast. Call a solemn assembly. So there must be a sanctified fast. A sanctified fast must be announced and accomplished by a solemn assembly. What he means by that is this, God's judgment is real and it is serious and therefore it must be taken seriously.

[John Weaver] Now the impetus behind this is simply this, that God was willing to show mercy if the people would repent. So that's why they're saying call this solemn assembly and sanctify a fast. Now, have you ever wondered how do you sanctify a fast? And although this message is not on fasting, and I have preached on it in times past, and there is an absolute fast, there's a normal fast, there's a partial fast. But when he says that we are to Sanctify a fast.

[John Weaver] How do we do that? Well, let me show you. I believe what God means is this. The way you sanctify a fast is not just simply by performing an absolute fast or normal fast or partial fast, but by doing that which God commands. Turn in your Bibles back to Isaiah chapter 58. Isaiah 58. And let's take the time to read the first 12 verses. If you want to understand about sanctifying a fast, look at Isaiah 58 beginning there with verse 1. Isaiah 58 verse 1. God says, cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Israel their sins. Now look what God says about the people.

[John Weaver] Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me the ordinance of justice. They take delight in approaching God. Of course, all this is hypocritical. And watch verse three. Here's why it's so hypocritical. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not. Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?

[John Weaver] In other words, Lord, we've done all these little ceremonies, we've gone through all these rituals, and Lord, you're not paying attention to us. Look what we're doing for you. We're fasting for you. We're afflicting our souls for you. Look what God answers in the latter part of verse 3. Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Now look. Behold, you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness. You shall not fast as you do this day to make your voice to be heard on high. In other words, if you want me to hear you, says God, you have to fast my way, not your way. Watch verse 5. Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul?

[John Weaver] Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush? and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, an acceptable day of the Lord? You think just going through a ceremony and doing all this, that's what I want? No, says God. Watch verse 6. Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, then thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go forth before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity, if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, Then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday.

[John Weaver] And the Lord shall guide thee constantly, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones. And thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. Watch, and they that shall be of thee shall build thee all waste places. You want restoration? Here it is. Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the paths that dwell ahead. What's he saying?

[John Weaver] If you're going to fast, you better do it the way I'm telling you to do. And my fast is not just to knock yourself down and get yourself sick and to spare and to put sackcloth under you and put ashes on your head. No, no, no, no. My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to Joel. I want you to watch this. Because he not only said, sanctify fast and call a solemn assembly, which we've dealt with by blowing the trumpets. I want you to note thirdly in verse 16, everyone wants to participate. He says, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breast, little babies, let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. So God is saying that everyone is to participate. None are exempt. Why? Because everyone has an obligation and a duty to repent and to seek God's mercy and to seek to avert the judgment of God. In order, therefore, for none to think themselves exempt, the people are precisely defined as old men, children, and sucklings. Even the bride and the bridegroom are to give up the delight of their hearts and take part in the penitential and mournful worship. No age or rank is to stay away because no one, not even the suckling, is free from sin and all, without exception, are indeed exposed to the judgment of God.

[John Weaver] There could not be a deeper proof of the corruption and the sinfulness of the entire nation When God says, you even bring the sucklings, you bring the babies in. Because they're just as much exposed to the judgment of God as you are. In other words, God is saying everyone is to share in the humiliation for almost since the judgment and no one will be exempt when it does come. Therefore, he says, every age, every rank is to come.

[John Weaver] So there must be preparation. Look in Joel 2 and verse 17, because here's the second thing, there must be prayer. He says, Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God? Although the priests, the ministers of the Lord are singled out in verse 17, all of God's people were to pray. But the priests and the Levites were to pray between the porch and the altar, which was a place reserved for the ministers of God alone. So here the priests were to pray where their faces toward the Holy of Holies, which God had filled with his own glory and is there. that they were to weep and mourn and pray. So all of the people, but here in verse 17, he singles out the priests and he gives them a specific place. But I want you to note, he also gives them particular petitions or specific petitions to pray.

[John Weaver] A form of prayer is provided for the priests and for the people. What were they to pray? Here's what he says in verse 17, they were to pray Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, where is thy God? So first of all, they were to pray, spare thy people. The word spare literally means to have pity and compassion upon, to look upon, and thus to spare. So when he says spare thy people, it is a petition then, beseeching God for mercy and grace and compassion. Now I want you to note, the second petition is intimately connected with the first. For he says, spare thy people, watch carefully, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. The sparing requested is that God's heritage not be given over to the heathen, that the heathen should rule over them.

[John Weaver] Now remember, so far in the book of Joel, there's been all these judgments, famine and all this. But right now, the people have not been instantly defeated and conquered. It's imminent. And so Joel is saying, look, to avert this judgment, you need to begin praying, spare thy people and give not thine heritage, so that the heathen should rule over them. You know what we tend to forget?

[John Weaver] That we are God's portion. That we are God's heritage. You know, I've often thought, according to Romans chapter 8, our inheritance is the Lord Jesus Christ and everything that belongs to Him. God's heritage is His people. I think we got the better part of the bargain. You know what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 9? Let me just quote it. For the Lord's portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. The Lord's portion is His people. Now why should the people pray, spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to the heathen." Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Hold Joel 2, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94. I want you to look in Psalm 94. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. We'll just read the first seven verses. I want to show you what happens when the heathen have dominion over God's people. Psalm 94 verse 1, O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. Watch. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? Now watch what they do. They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage.

[John Weaver] They slay the widower, and the stranger, and the murderer, and the fatherless. Yet they say the LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob record it. What do they do when they're in charge? Well, what does the Bible say? They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage. And then He tells you how the weaker ones are always murdered and assaulted. by those in charge. So here's what Joel is doing, in Joel 2 and verse 17, when he says to the people and to the priests that they're to pray, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage or reproach of the wicked that they should rule over them.

[John Weaver] What he's saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God. You must flee to God. You must seek Him for His grace and for His mercy. There's nothing else left for us. We cannot We cannot trust in our righteousness, for we have none. We cannot trust in our obedience before we've been disobedient. We cannot trust in our goodness, because it evaporates like the dew. We cannot trust in our good deeds, for we don't have any to trust in, and if we did, all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What Joel is saying is this, if God doesn't have mercy on us, we're sunk. If God does not have mercy on us, we're sunk.

[John Weaver] So he's telling the people to pray, spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them. What Joel is saying is this, if you don't repent, the final axe is going to fall. The AXE is going to fall. In other words, You've been under God's judgment thus far. And it's been bad. But again, you ain't seen nothing yet. Because once God resolves to totally consume you, there's no health and there's no hope.

[John Weaver] Have you ever prayed a prayer like this? Has it ever really entered your mind that you should pray, spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them? Does it bother you, does it upset you that we have such an unbiblical, ungodly, and unchristian economic system? Does it bother you and upset you that we have such an unbiblical and ungodly foreign policy? How about all of the unbiblical and ungodly and reprobate laws that have been passed and that are being passed?

[John Weaver] How about the murder of all the babies in the womb? How about the rise of the sodomites? And not just the rise of the sodomites, but the protection and the promotion that our own government gives to them. And should I mention the absolute total corruption of our own governmental system? And how about the fact that our own government is spending millions and millions and millions in building and repairing mosques? Does it bother you?

[John Weaver] Does it make you want to pray, Lord, spare thy people and give not thine heritage reproach that the heathen should rule over us? I will tell you this, I believe that that particular judgment has already befallen us. And the truth is, professing Christians are not the least bit concerned. We have been conquered. We have been dominated. And we are on the verge of being exterminated. And we're still asleep. There's no urgency. There's no begging. There's no beseeching. There's no prayer. There's no pleading.

[John Weaver] And for all practical purposes, humanly speaking, In America, we're just waiting for the axe to fall and chop our heads off. We fail to heed the warnings of Scripture. We fail to obey. So here's my question. Where is your God? Where is your faith? Where is your repentance and obedience? Let me just quote these for you. I want you to listen to what Solomon outside of Christ, the wisest man on earth said. Okay? Proverbs 28 verse 12.

[John Weaver] When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory. But when the wicked rise, that is rise in power, a man is hidden. Why? Why do you have to hide when the wicked get in power? Because they'll steal everything you have. and they'll murder you and your family. In Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it again, when the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase. When do the righteous increase? When the wicked perish. And in Proverbs 29 and verse 2, he says this, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to say is, based upon the truth of Joel, it's time to sound the trumpets. It's time to call for a solemn fast and a solemn assembly. It's time to mourn and weep and call upon the Lord. It's time to repent. It's time to seek the Lord. And it's time to say, spare thy people, O God, and give not thine heritage a reproach, that the heathen should rule over them, lest the heathen say, where is thy God? Why does Joel say that? Because Joel is giving us another reason why we should pray. And that is because of the glory of God. You cannot reproach the people of God without reproaching God Himself. And when the wicked begin to mock and ridicule and ask, where is thy God? They're not only mocking and deriding God's people, they're slandering and blaspheming God like He is not the true God. He can't do anything.

[John Weaver] I want you to look very quickly, hold your will to, but look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 9, because this is exactly what Moses knew and had in mind. when God was going to kill all of those people and make of Him a greater nation. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 9, beginning there in verse 25. Moses said, Deuteronomy 9 verse 25, Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first, because the Lord had said He would destroy you. I prayed therefore to the Lord and said, O Lord God, Destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin, lest the land which thou broughtest us out of, say, because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them

[John Weaver] in the wilderness. Moses said, Lord, you can't do this. Lord, if you kill all these people, the enemy will reproach Thee and Thy power and Thy glory. And so this is exactly what Joel is saying. He is saying we have to be concerned with God's glory. It's not just our rear ends that we're to be concerned about. It's not just our economy. It's not just our possessions. It's not just our lives. It's the glory of God. We do not want our God blasphemed and reproached and mocked and ridiculed. And we must understand there is no salvation apart from God. There's no salvation apart from His will. Very quickly, I want you to look at verse 18. Here's the third thing. Not only must there be preparation and prayer, thirdly, there must be pardon. Verse 18. Note, if you would, after the people begin to repent and pray, verse 18, then will the Lord be jealous for His land and pity His people. Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto His people, Behold, I will send you corn and wine and oil, and you shall be satisfied therewith, and I will no more make you reproach among the heathen.

[John Weaver] Watch, but I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the East Sea, and the hinder part toward the utmost sea. And his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things." In other words, God will destroy him. Then God says, fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things. In other words, God's pardon is based upon his grace and his mercy.

[John Weaver] He is the one that must give us repentance and thanks. We have to understand there is no deliverance apart from Him. If He does not turn us, we will not be turned. Let me tell you something else that I believe that we should be praying. We should be praying not only that God would spare us and give not His heritage to reproach, that the heathen should say, where is your God? Not only should we be praying for God's honor and God's glory, but we should be praying that God would indeed turn us.

[John Weaver] Let me just quote these verses. Psalm 80 and verse 19. Psalm 80 verse 19. David prays, Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Turn us again, and we shall be saved." In other words, there's not going to be any salvation until God turns us. In Psalm 85 in verse 4, he said this, Turn us, O God, of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. And then finally, in Lamentations 5 in verse 21, Jeremiah prayed, Turn thou unto us, O Lord, and we shall be turned.

[John Weaver] Renew our days as of old. So when God turns to us in mercy and grace, we are turned to Him in repentance and faith.

[John Weaver] Now, I've got just about five or six other scriptures for you. I want you to go back to Psalm 79. I told you I'd come back to that one. Psalm 79. And I want you to see what happens. Psalm 79 and verse 10. Psalm 79, verse 10. Again, Asaph prays this, and he asks this question, Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? You want to know where our God is, says Asaph? Okay. Let him, that is, let God be known among the heathen and our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which He shed." In other words, you know where our God is. We need to pray that God will arise in judgment. That God would arise in vengeance. That God would indeed destroy His enemies. That's what He's saying. Look in Psalm 9. Psalm 9. Psalm 9.

[John Weaver] And notice if you would, verses 19 and 20. Psalm 9, verse 19 and 20. Look again what David prays. Remember, David's a man after God's own heart. Psalm 9, verse 19. Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. In other words, here's what David's praying. Show them who's boss. Show them who is God. They want to know where our God is? You show them. You teach them. And if you look in Psalm 68, again, David prays it like this. Psalm 68, beginning there with verse 1, and reading through verse 3.

[John Weaver] So many scriptures, but watch this. Psalm 68, verse 1. What does David pray? Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

[John Weaver] And let me point this out, please. You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, He destroyed Egypt. When God delivered Lot, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. When God delivered Noah, He destroyed the others. Judgment and salvation go together. You cannot have one without the other. So when you're praying, spare thy people, O God.

[John Weaver] Give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them. What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people. and destruction for God's enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you just three verses. One of them you don't have to turn to, you can quote it. I want you to turn, if you would, to Isaiah 54 and the little book of Micah toward the end of the Minor Prophets. Go ahead and find the book of Micah, if you would. right before the book of Nahum, right after the book of Jonah, you find the little book of Micah. Go ahead and turn to Isaiah 54 first. Okay? We'll read that and then we'll go to Micah. Isaiah 54 first. I want to show you the promises of God to the individuals, to the families, to the churches, and to the people that obey Him.

[John Weaver] Although Joel is dealing with judgment, here's what he's telling these people, now's the time to repent. Watch Isaiah 54 and verse 17. I love this passage. God says, No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. Are you looking? This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. What's God saying?

[John Weaver] I have appointed you to victory. if you will obey Me. There is no weapon that is formed against thee that shall prosper. I do not care how many secret weapons the enemies have. I don't care how much mind control, electronic control. No weapon that is formed will prosper against you if you obey God. Look in the book of Micah, Chapter 7, beginning there with verse 7. Micah 7, verse 7. We'll read through verse 10. Micah 7, verse 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Thank God for that. And look what Micah says, Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy!

[John Weaver] When I fall, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause and execute my judgment for me. He will bring me forth the light, and I will behold His righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which saith unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eye shall behold her, now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets." What did Micah say? My God will give me victory. My God will allow me to conquer.

[John Weaver] And the last passage, you don't need to turn there, 2 Chronicles 7.14. If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Joel said there must be preparation. There must be prayer, which includes repentance and faith. And then there will be pardon.

[John Weaver] And God will restore all the years that the Palmer worm has eaten. That's what He promised in the book of Joel. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your truth, for Your grace, for Your mercy. Help us, O Lord, to live for Thee. Help us to pray, Lord. Spare Thy people, O God. And give not thine heritage a reproach that the wicked, the heathen, should rule over us, lest they say, Where is thy God? Make them know who is God. Arise, O Lord, and make

Where is thy God

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uaOtGNUDLyw
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 042: Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: God's Answer to America's Problems — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	76

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Question 'Where is thy God?'

Weaver introduces the sermon's title from Joel 2:17 and notes that the heathen ask this question to reproach God's people when they are under judgment.

Joel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 15.

Scripture Reading — Joel 2:15-18

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people.

The title of the message today is "Where is thy God?" Where is thy God? I hope you'll remember that the last message I dealt with was from the book of Joel as well, beginning there with verse 11 and reading through verse 14 was the text of the message.

And we pointed out that there was a serious warning, that there was a solemn witness and a startling wonder in those verses. Today we look at verse 17 particularly and the latter part of that verse, "Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" So let me begin by asking a question: Where is your God? There are probably many answers to that question, yet the answer that we must look for is the one that is anticipated by Joel. We could answer that question, "Where is your God," the way David did in Psalm 115 in verse 3, when David said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 115:3

"But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."

We know that God is sovereign, that he rules over everything. We know that God is in absolute and total control and that absolutely nothing comes to pass apart from God and His providence, because His providence rules over everything. We can also answer this question, "Where is your God," in a theological sense, in light of the New Testament revelation that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us.

The Bible teaches us in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 3:16

"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory."

We could also quote John 1:14, where the Bible said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." So we know that Jesus Christ is our God. We know that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We know that Jesus Christ came, that He died, that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead. And we know that now He has ascended into heaven, and He's seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us, because according to Matthew 28 and verse 18, all power and all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Him. So we may answer that question, "Where is your God?"

the way David did, we may answer it theologically. But it is important to note in Joel chapter 2 and verse 17 exactly who asked that question and why that question was asked. And the answer to those questions should be obvious. The question, "Where is thy God," was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them, and here they're claiming to be the people of God, and they're in such bad straits, that the heathen says, "Uh-huh, yeah, you're God's people? Where is your God?"

Historical and Biblical Examples of the Taunt

Examples from Gideon (Judges 6) and David (Psalm 42) show that the question 'Where is thy God?' is a common reproach when God's people suffer defeat or hardship.

Let me see what He's doing for you now. Now, I want you to hold your oil tube, but I want you to turn back to the book of Judges. You've seen this passage before, Judges chapter 6, but I want you to see this was the same exact thing that Gideon was asking. Notice in Judges chapter 6 beginning there with verse 11, because the angel comes to call Gideon to the work of deliverance. And notice if you would what is said in Judges 6 beginning there with verse 11. Judges 6 and verse 11:

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak, which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites."

Now watch.

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."

Now watch. The angel says,

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."

And Gideon said, verse 13, unto him,

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?"

"And where be all these miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites." Now, look what Gideon is saying. If the Lord is really genuinely with us, why is all this happening to us? Why are we defeated? Why are we forsaken? Why are our enemies in our land eating our substance and ruining us? Where is God if God is really with us?

Now as you turn back to Joel, you've got to remember this, that Israel's boast was that God was their creator, and benefactor, protector, and defender, and that God had given them a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a land that abounded with blessings. So the question is then, what has become of all of those blessings? Where is the land flowing with milk and honey? Now, you remember the last time I was showing you how, in Joel chapter 1, how the locusts, the caterpillars, and the palmer worms had eaten everything up. I mean, the land was stripped, the land was bare, famine was stalking the land. And now God is threatening a more imminent judgment.

He's going to send the Babylonians. He's going to destroy them. So, the heathen now are asking, "Where is your God? You're claiming to be God's people. Where is He?" Such a taunt was not only reproachful and hurtful to the people of God, it was extremely cutting to anyone who genuinely believed in the Lord and wanted to honor Him. I want you to understand, it is the nature, it is the habit and the custom of the wicked to always mock and ridicule and deride God and His people. And stop and think about this. Since the wicked cannot get at God, the only ones they can get at happens to be the people of God. And so they're going to mock and ridicule the people of God. Let me just quote this one. There's a lot of Scriptures I want you to see a little bit later. But Jeremiah tells us something that happened during the fall of Jerusalem. In Lamentations 1 in verse 7, he said this, "Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries, all of her pleasant things that she had in the days of old."

Now listen, "When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, none did help her. The adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbaths." Now watch, the adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbath. So Israel now, in all of this judgment, is remembering all the pleasant things she had, and all the blessings she had, but now she's under judgment. She has absolutely nothing. And what are the heathen doing? They're mocking at her Sabbath. You have to remember that the prime emphasis on the Sabbath was rest. And the people had no rest because they were in a state of famine. They were under judgment. The enemy was in control. And so now they're mocking the people.

Do you remember how in the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ was mocked? They mocked Him, the Bible says, they derided Him. Even David, a man after God's own heart, was mocked. We have to stop and think about this. If the heathen would mock the Lord Jesus Christ, they would not hesitate to mock His people. When David fled from the tyrant Saul, I want you to see what David said. Hold Joel chapter 2, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 42 and let's begin looking there at verse 3. Psalm 42 and verse 3. Look what David says. And in this Psalm, David is running from Saul. He's been cut off from the tabernacle. He's been cut off from Jerusalem. So in Psalm 42 and verse 3, David said this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 42:3, 10

"My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually saying to me, Where is thy God?"

David, you're righteous? Well, why isn't God doing something for you? You're supposed to be a man after God's own heart. Why are you fleeing? Why is Saul after you? You must have done something wrong. David, where is your God? If God is your God and you're right, why is He not working against Saul? Why is He not restoring you? Skip down, if you would, to verse 10. Look what David said. Psalm 42 and verse 10:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 42:3, 10

"As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"

All right, David, if you're right with God, where is He? Why is He doing something to you? Why is He not protecting you? You see, we may ask the same questions in a historical setting or even in a present day setting. I suppose one of the most frequently asked questions that I have as I travel around is this: Well, if the South was right during the war of Northern Aggression, why did the South lose the war? Well, some of you will remember that series I did on where we are and how we got here.

Application to Modern America

Weaver applies the question to present-day America, asking why Christians are persecuted and why the heathen rule, suggesting it is due to national disobedience.

The last two messages are two hours answering that question. So let me just try to apply this to our present day setting. If we are God's people, if we are the chosen of the Lord, and if we are obedient or want to be obedient and trying to be obedient, why are we persecuted? Why are we cast down? Why are we downtrodden? And why are we counted as the scum of the earth and basically considered by all around forsaken by our God? I want you to look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. And I'm going to come back to this verse, Lord willing, before I close. But I want you to look at this. I'll consider it a little more in detail before I close. But look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. Look what Asaph says. Psalm 79 verse 10, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?"

And then he responds,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:10

"Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed."

Notice, "Where is their God?" You know, David says the same thing in Psalm 115 in verse 2, when he just simply says, "Wherefore do the heathens say, Where is now their God?" Let me ask you to ask yourself a few questions. Stop and think with me. Where is your God? Why do the heathen rage? Why are we so defeated and conquered as a nation and as a people? Why is it that the heathen have dominion over us? And I'm not just talking about our Muslim president. You look at the heathens in Congress, and the heathens in the judicial seats of power, who are not even concerned the least little bit with God and God's law. Why are there so many unchristian, unbiblical, and ungodly laws, rules, statutes, and regulations that are laid upon and enforced upon us when we neither desire them or want them?

Now I could answer all of those questions with two scriptures. I'm going to go further, but I want you to turn first in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26, and then we're going to Deuteronomy 28. So you might want to find both passages. Leviticus 26, and then Deuteronomy 28. So let's ask, why are the heathen in charge? Why are we defeated? Why are we cast down? Look in Leviticus chapter 26, beginning there with verse 14, and we'll just read through verse 21. Leviticus 26, notice verse 14. Look what God says, and He's talking to the people as a whole. He says, "But if you will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all of these commandments, and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, but you break My covenant, I also will do this to you."

Covenantal Disobedience as the Cause

Using Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, Weaver argues that defeat and domination by enemies are curses for disobedience to God's law, applicable to modern Christians as spiritual Israel.

"I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursueth. And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins." "And I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass, and your strength shall be spent in vain, and your land shall not yield or increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if you walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I'll bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins." And he goes on and tells you a lot of other things that will come upon a disobedient people.

Now turn to Deuteronomy 28, if you would, and let's begin there with verse 15, and then we're going to skip down to verse 43. Look in Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15. Look what God says. In fact, I'll preach more on this text a little bit later. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15, look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48

"But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee."

Hmm. Skip down to verse 43. Let's see what some of these curses are. In fact, they're all listed all the way down to verse 43, but here's the one that I want. He says in verse 43, "The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high, and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, thou shalt be the tail."

"Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed. Why? Because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever, because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things. Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." So you want to know why, basically, we're under the rule of our enemies? The answer is because we've been disobedient. Now, listen carefully.

Do not hand me the old cop-out. "Well, those verses apply to ancient Israel." They did apply to ancient Israel, but they also apply to modern Israel. Well, who is the modern Israel? The truth is that Christians, true believers, are indeed God's Israel. Let me just show you. Just turn to the book of Galatians. I could show you a multitude of passages, but let's start in Galatians chapter 3. We'll only need to go to one other chapter in Galatians, but look how plainly God says this. Remember now, the New Testament, the Old Testament. It is the old covenant and the new covenant. Now watch. Galatians chapter 3 and verse 7. Here it is. Look what God says. "Know ye." Now here's something you need to know. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham." Galatians 3 verse 7. Galatians 3 verse 7. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham." Who are the children of Abraham? They which be of faith.

Not those which be of the flesh. Those which be of faith. You say, "But I am a true descendant of Abraham physically." Whether you are or whether you aren't doesn't really matter. What really matters is do you have faith in Jesus Christ? Abraham's true seed are those who have faith in Jesus Christ. That's what he says. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Look in verse 9. "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7, 9, 16, 29

Who do the blessings come upon? Those which be of faith. Look down to verse 16. Now, everybody can say, "Well, we know Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Oh, those were Abraham's seeds, so to speak." But to whom were all the promises given? Look in Galatians 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed, singular. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and thy seed, which is Christ." Now, when God gave Abraham all of those promises that his seed should inherit the land and everything else, the seed was Christ. How do I know that? Not only because the Scripture tells us, but even Christ said He's been given all power and jurisdiction and authority in heaven and earth. He inherited all things. Wow! What? Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not as to seeds of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ. So every promise that God gave to Abraham, He was giving to the true seed of Abraham, which is Jesus Christ. Now look in verse 29, Galatians 3 verse 29. I don't see how this can be any plainer or made any more simple. Galatians 3 verse 29, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed. What does that mean? You are heirs according to the promise. All those promises are ours in Christ. Now, one other. Look in Galatians 6, and verse 16.

Here again is another plain passage. Galatians 6 verse 16. Look what he says.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Now wait a minute. We have the Israel of God identified specifically right here.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Well, who are the Israel of God? And the answer is, they that walk according to this rule. Now, let me explain the word rule. The word rule is the Greek word kanon. It is where we get our English word canon.

Not C-A-N-N-O-N, that's the kind that shoots. But C-A-N-O-N, we talk about the canon of scripture, or the Old Testament canon, or the New Testament canon. And the word kanon, or the word rule here, literally means a measuring stick, or a measuring rod. Here is what the Apostle Paul was saying. Listen. "They that walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy upon the Israel of God." Who's the Israel of God? They that walk according to this rule. In other words, God's true Israel obeys Him. They walk according to the Word of God. So we are God's Israel and we are just as covenantally bound to obey God now as the old covenant people were covenantally demanded to obey in the Old Testament. You see, when you get to 2 Corinthians 3, Paul says the difference is this. The old covenant was written upon tables of stone. In the new covenant, His law is written in our hearts and in our minds. So we are indeed the Israel of God.

You see, circumstances may change, but principles never change. And I've taken you through the Scriptures enough that you should know that we are obligated to obey God's law. We are. So tired of people telling me, "Well, I don't have to obey God's law. I'm under grace." Well, listen, that's what grace does. Grace gives you the ability to obey. What did Paul say? "What? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!" Don't even think that thought. Do you understand, and I'm sure that you do, that there is no such thing as a holy, sanctified adulterer, or a holy, sanctified fornicator, or a holy, sanctified thief, or a holy, sanctified profane person. It's impossible to be holy when you're violating God's law. You cannot obey God's law and be holy and righteous. Righteousness is not only defined by God's law, righteousness is in conformity to God's law. So if you and I want to be holy and obedient, we must obey. What does that mean? It means this.

The Need for Preparation: Solemn Assembly and Fasting

Joel 2:15-16 calls for blowing the trumpet, sanctifying a fast, and gathering all people—including infants—for a solemn assembly, signifying urgent, corporate repentance.

Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws, statutes and judgments, and refuse to execute rapists, murderers, kidnappers, and others that merit and deserve the death penalty will only produce a society of death. A nation that refuses to honor the Lord and enforce His law will always fall prey to idolatry, socialism, demonism, witchcraft, communism, and Marxism. You want to know where we are? This country has sired a generation of thieves, pagans, idolaters, fornicators, and lazy, indolent, ungrateful, and unthankful children that believe that everything is owed to them and if it's not given to them, they're ready to take it. All the violence and all the anarchism that we've seen in recent days and recent months, it's just simply a reaping what we have sown over all these years. And I'm afraid to use the good old South Georgia lingo, you ain't seen nothing yet. I believe it's going to get so much worse.

So we have to ask the inevitable question. What can we do? What shall we do? Well, I want you to go back to Joel chapter two, because Joel informs us concerning the correct course. I want you to first of all look at verses 15 and 16 in Joel chapter 2. And Joel tells you that first of all there must be preparation. There must be preparation. Look in verse 15.

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breasts, let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet." First of all, I want you to note what he said. There was to be a blowing of the trumpets. Now, without me taking you through all the scriptures, showing you how the trumpets were used, let me just summarize it for you. And I'll show you some scriptures here just momentarily. But the trumpets were blown to call a solemn assembly. They were also blown to assemble the people together. They were blown to sound an alarm. They were blown in preparation of battle and during actual battle as well. They were also blown over sacrifices and special feast days and for a number of other special activities. But in this context, these trumpets are being blown to announce a solemn assembly.

Look in Joel 1 and verse 14. Joel 1 and verse 14: "Sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land of the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord." So he said sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly. How do you call a solemn assembly? By blowing the trumpets. So look in Joel chapter 2 and verse 1. Here's how he says, "Blow ye the trumpets in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, and it is nigh at hand." Now, in Joel 2 and verse 1, he's not just simply blowing the trumpet for a solemn assembly, now it is a sound of an alarm. Because the judgment of God is about to fall on the land. So, here's the preparation. First of all, blow the trumpets. That is, sound the alarm. Voice the cry. God's judgment is imminent.

There must be some preparations made if we're going to avoid His judgment. Secondly, notice if you would please, He says in verse 15, "Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify fast. Call a solemn assembly." So there must be a sanctified fast. A sanctified fast must be announced and accomplished by a solemn assembly. What he means by that is this, God's judgment is real and it is serious and therefore it must be taken seriously.

Now the impetus behind this is simply this, that God was willing to show mercy if the people would repent. So that's why they're saying call this solemn assembly and sanctify a fast. Now, have you ever wondered how do you sanctify a fast? And although this message is not on fasting, and I have preached on it in times past, and there is an absolute fast, there's a normal fast, there's a partial fast. But when he says that we are to sanctify a fast. How do we do that? Well, let me show you. I believe what God means is this. The way you sanctify a fast is not just simply by performing an absolute fast or normal fast or partial fast, but by doing that which God commands. Turn in your Bibles back to Isaiah chapter 58. Isaiah 58. And let's take the time to read the first 12 verses. If you want to understand about sanctifying a fast, look at Isaiah 58 beginning there with verse 1. Isaiah 58 verse 1. God says, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Israel their sins." Now look what God says about the people.

"Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me the ordinance of justice. They take delight in approaching God." Of course, all this is hypocritical. And watch verse three. Here's why it's so hypocritical. "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not. Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?"

In other words, Lord, we've done all these little ceremonies, we've gone through all these rituals, and Lord, you're not paying attention to us. Look what we're doing for you. We're fasting for you. We're afflicting our souls for you. Look what God answers in the latter part of verse 3. "Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors." Now look. "Behold, you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness. You shall not fast as you do this day to make your voice to be heard on high." In other words, if you want me to hear you, says God, you have to fast my way, not your way. Watch verse 5. "Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul?"

"Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush? and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, an acceptable day of the Lord?" You think just going through a ceremony and doing all this, that's what I want? No, says God. Watch verse 6. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, then thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go forth before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity, if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday."

"And the Lord shall guide thee constantly, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones. And thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Watch, "And they that shall be of thee shall build thee all waste places." You want restoration? Here it is. "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the paths that dwell ahead." What's he saying? If you're going to fast, you better do it the way I'm telling you to do. And my fast is not just to knock yourself down and get yourself sick and to spare and to put sackcloth under you and put ashes on your head. No, no, no, no. My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.

Now, I want you to go back to Joel. I want you to watch this. Because he not only said, sanctify fast and call a solemn assembly, which we've dealt with by blowing the trumpets. I want you to note thirdly in verse 16, everyone wants to participate. He says, "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breast, little babies, let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet." So God is saying that everyone is to participate. None are exempt. Why? Because everyone has an obligation and a duty to repent and to seek God's mercy and to seek to avert the judgment of God. In order, therefore, for none to think themselves exempt, the people are precisely defined as old men, children, and sucklings. Even the bride and the bridegroom are to give up the delight of their hearts and take part in the penitential and mournful worship. No age or rank is to stay away because no one, not even the suckling, is free from sin and all, without exception, are indeed exposed to the judgment of God.

There could not be a deeper proof of the corruption and the sinfulness of the entire nation when God says, you even bring the sucklings, you bring the babies in. Because they're just as much exposed to the judgment of God as you are. In other words, God is saying everyone is to share in the humiliation for almost since the judgment and no one will be exempt when it does come. Therefore, he says, every age, every rank is to come.

The Nature of a Sanctified Fast

From Isaiah 58, Weaver explains that a true fast is not mere ritual but involves loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying God's law.

How do we do that? Well, let me show you. I believe what God means is this. The way you sanctify a fast is not just simply by performing an absolute fast or normal fast or partial fast, but by doing that which God commands. Turn in your Bibles back to Isaiah chapter 58. Isaiah 58. And let's take the time to read the first 12 verses. If you want to understand about sanctifying a fast, look at Isaiah 58 beginning there with verse 1. Isaiah 58 verse 1. God says, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Israel their sins." Now look what God says about the people.

The Need for Prayer: Specific Petitions

Joel 2:17 instructs the priests to pray, 'Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them.' This prayer seeks mercy and protection of God's honor.

So there must be preparation. Look in Joel 2 and verse 17, because here's the second thing, there must be prayer. He says, "Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" Although the priests, the ministers of the Lord are singled out in verse 17, all of God's people were to pray. But the priests and the Levites were to pray between the porch and the altar, which was a place reserved for the ministers of God alone. So here the priests were to pray where their faces toward the Holy of Holies, which God had filled with his own glory and is there, that they were to weep and mourn and pray. So all of the people, but here in verse 17, he singles out the priests and he gives them a specific place. But I want you to note, he also gives them particular petitions or specific petitions to pray.

A form of prayer is provided for the priests and for the people. What were they to pray? Here's what he says in verse 17, they were to pray "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" So first of all, they were to pray, "spare thy people." The word spare literally means to have pity and compassion upon, to look upon, and thus to spare. So when he says spare thy people, it is a petition then, beseeching God for mercy and grace and compassion. Now I want you to note, the second petition is intimately connected with the first. For he says, "spare thy people," watch carefully, "O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them." The sparing requested is that God's heritage not be given over to the heathen, that the heathen should rule over them.

Now remember, so far in the book of Joel, there's been all these judgments, famine and all this. But right now, the people have not been instantly defeated and conquered. It's imminent. And so Joel is saying, look, to avert this judgment, you need to begin praying, "spare thy people and give not thine heritage, so that the heathen should rule over them." You know what we tend to forget? That we are God's portion. That we are God's heritage. You know, I've often thought, according to Romans chapter 8, our inheritance is the Lord Jesus Christ and everything that belongs to Him. God's heritage is His people. I think we got the better part of the bargain. You know what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 9? Let me just quote it. "For the Lord's portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." The Lord's portion is His people. Now why should the people pray, "spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to the heathen"? Let me show you.

Hold Joel 2, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94. I want you to look in Psalm 94. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. We'll just read the first seven verses. I want to show you what happens when the heathen have dominion over God's people. Psalm 94 verse 1, "O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself." Watch. "Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" Now watch what they do. "They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage."

"They slay the widow, and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say the LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob record it." What do they do when they're in charge? Well, what does the Bible say? "They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage." And then He tells you how the weaker ones are always murdered and assaulted by those in charge. So here's what Joel is doing, in Joel 2 and verse 17, when he says to the people and to the priests that they're to pray, "spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach of the wicked that they should rule over them." What he's saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God. You must flee to God. You must seek Him for His grace and for His mercy. There's nothing else left for us. We cannot trust in our righteousness, for we have none. We cannot trust in our obedience before we've been disobedient. We cannot trust in our goodness, because it evaporates like the dew. We cannot trust in our good deeds, for we don't have any to trust in, and if we did, all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What Joel is saying is this, if God doesn't have mercy on us, we're sunk. If God does not have mercy on us, we're sunk.

So he's telling the people to pray, "spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them." What Joel is saying is this, if you don't repent, the final axe is going to fall. The axe is going to fall. In other words, you've been under God's judgment thus far. And it's been bad. But again, you ain't seen nothing yet. Because once God resolves to totally consume you, there's no health and there's no hope.

The Need for Pardon: God's Promised Response

Verse 18 promises that if the people repent and pray, God will be jealous for His land, pity His people, and restore blessings, removing the reproach and destroying the enemy.

Watch, "But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the East Sea, and the hinder part toward the utmost sea. And his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things." In other words, God will destroy him. Then God says, "Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things." In other words, God's pardon is based upon his grace and his mercy. He is the one that must give us repentance and thanks. We have to understand there is no deliverance apart from Him. If He does not turn us, we will not be turned. Let me tell you something else that I believe that we should be praying. We should be praying not only that God would spare us and give not His heritage to reproach, that the heathen should say, "where is your God?" Not only should we be praying for God's honor and God's glory, but we should be praying that God would indeed turn us.

Praying for Judgment on Enemies

Weaver cites Psalms 79, 9, and 68 to show that deliverance for God's people involves judgment on His enemies; we should pray for God to arise and vindicate His name.

Now, I've got just about five or six other scriptures for you. I want you to go back to Psalm 79. I told you I'd come back to that one. Psalm 79. And I want you to see what happens. Psalm 79 and verse 10. Psalm 79, verse 10. Again, Asaph prays this, and he asks this question, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?" You want to know where our God is, says Asaph? Okay. "Let him," that is, let God, "be known among the heathen and our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which He shed." In other words, you know where our God is. We need to pray that God will arise in judgment. That God would arise in vengeance. That God would indeed destroy His enemies. That's what He's saying. Look in Psalm 9. Psalm 9. Psalm 9.

And notice if you would, verses 19 and 20. Psalm 9, verse 19 and 20. Look again what David prays. Remember, David's a man after God's own heart. Psalm 9, verse 19. "Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men." In other words, here's what David's praying. Show them who's boss. Show them who is God. They want to know where our God is? You show them. You teach them. And if you look in Psalm 68, again, David prays it like this. Psalm 68, beginning there with verse 1, and reading through verse 3.

So many scriptures, but watch this. Psalm 68, verse 1. What does David pray? "Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice."

And let me point this out, please. You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, He destroyed Egypt. When God delivered Lot, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. When God delivered Noah, He destroyed the others. Judgment and salvation go together. You cannot have one without the other. So when you're praying, "spare thy people, O God."

"Give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them." What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people, and destruction for God's enemies.

Promises of Victory for the Obedient

Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7-10, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 assure that no weapon formed against God's obedient people will prosper, and He will heal their land if they humble themselves and pray.

Although Joel is dealing with judgment, here's what he's telling these people, now's the time to repent. Watch Isaiah 54 and verse 17. I love this passage. God says, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." Are you looking? "This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." What's God saying? I have appointed you to victory, if you will obey Me. There is no weapon that is formed against thee that shall prosper. I do not care how many secret weapons the enemies have. I don't care how much mind control, electronic control. No weapon that is formed will prosper against you if you obey God. Look in the book of Micah, Chapter 7, beginning there with verse 7. Micah 7, verse 7. We'll read through verse 10. Micah 7, verse 7. "Therefore I will look unto the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." Thank God for that. And look what Micah says, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy!"

"When I fall, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause and execute my judgment for me. He will bring me forth the light, and I will behold His righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which saith unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eye shall behold her, now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets." What did Micah say? My God will give me victory. My God will allow me to conquer.

And the last passage, you don't need to turn there, 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Joel said there must be preparation. There must be prayer, which includes repentance and faith. And then there will be pardon.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Reproach of the Heathen

Summary: The question 'Where is thy God?' is a taunt from unbelievers when God's people suffer, implying God is absent or powerless. This reproach is both hurtful to believers and blasphemous against God.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'The question, Where is thy God, was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them.'

Covenantal Disobedience and National Judgment

Summary: Defeat, domination by enemies, and societal decay are curses for breaking God's covenant. These principles apply to modern nations that reject God's law.

Evidence: Weaver cites Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, then says: 'Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws... will only produce a society of death.'

Christians as the Israel of God

Summary: New Testament believers are the true seed of Abraham and heirs of the promises, making them covenantally obligated to obey God's law just as Old Testament Israel was.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Galatians 3:7, 16, 29 and 6:16: 'If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise... God's true Israel obeys Him.'

The Necessity of Corporate Repentance

Summary: Joel calls for a solemn assembly with fasting, involving everyone from elders to infants, because all are sinful and exposed to judgment. True fasting involves ethical obedience, not mere ritual.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'God is saying that everyone is to participate. None are exempt. Why? Because everyone has an obligation and a duty to repent and to seek God's mercy.'

Prayer for God's Honor and Deliverance

Summary: The prescribed prayer in Joel 2:17 seeks mercy for God's people and protection of His reputation. Believers should pray for God to spare His heritage and to vindicate His name by judging enemies.

Evidence: Weaver explains: 'What Joel is saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God... We do not want our God blasphemed and reproached and mocked and ridiculed.'

Divine Pardon and Restoration

Summary: Upon repentance and prayer, God promises to be jealous for His land, pity His people, restore material blessings, remove the enemy, and end reproach. Deliverance is entirely by God's grace.

Evidence: Weaver reads Joel 2:18-21: 'Then will the Lord be jealous for His land and pity His people... I will no more make you reproach among the heathen.'

Judgment and Salvation Are Inseparable

Summary: Every act of deliverance for God's people involves judgment on His enemies. Praying for sparing God's heritage implies praying for the destruction of the wicked.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies.'

The Urgency of Repentance in Modern America

Summary: Weaver applies Joel's message to contemporary America, citing abortion, sodomy, corrupt government, and apathy among professing Christians as evidence of judgment and the need for immediate repentance.

Evidence: Weaver asks: 'Does it bother you... How about the murder of all the babies in the womb? How about the rise of the sodomites?... Does it make you want to pray, Lord, spare thy people?'

Key Arguments

The heathen's taunt reveals God's judgment on His people.

Summary: When the heathen ask 'Where is thy God?', it is because God's people are suffering under His judgment for their sins, giving occasion for mockery.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'The reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them.'

National calamities are covenantal curses for disobedience.

Summary: Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 list curses including enemy domination for breaking God's law. These principles apply to any nation that rejects God's commandments.

Evidence: Weaver reads Leviticus 26:14-21 and Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48, then states: 'So you want to know why, basically, we're under the rule of our enemies? The answer is because we've been disobedient.'

New Testament believers are the true Israel and bound to God's law.

Summary: Galatians 3 and 6 identify those of faith in Christ as Abraham's seed and the Israel of God, making them heirs of the promises and obligated to obey God's law.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Galatians 3:7, 29 and 6:16: 'If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise... God's true Israel obeys Him.'

True fasting is ethical obedience, not mere ritual.

Summary: Isaiah 58 defines a sanctified fast as loosing bands of wickedness, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and covering the naked—not just outward affliction.

Evidence: Weaver reads Isaiah 58:6-7 and says: 'My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.'

Prayer must plead for God's mercy and His honor.

Summary: Joel 2:17 provides a model prayer: 'Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach.' This seeks both compassion for the people and protection of God's reputation.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'What Joel is saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God... We do not want our God blasphemed and reproached.'

God promises pardon and restoration upon repentance.

Summary: Joel 2:18-21 promises that if the people repent, God will be jealous for His land, pity His people, restore agricultural blessings, and remove the northern army, ending reproach.

Evidence: Weaver reads Joel 2:18-21 and says: 'God's pardon is based upon his grace and his mercy... He is the one that must give us repentance.'

Deliverance requires judgment on God's enemies.

Summary: Biblical examples (Exodus, Lot, Noah) show that salvation for God's people coincides with destruction of the wicked. Praying for deliverance implies praying for God to arise in judgment.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'You can never have deliverance without judgment... When you're praying, spare thy people, O God... What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people, and destruction for God's enemies.'

Obedient believers are promised victory over enemies.

Summary: Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7-10, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 assure that no weapon formed against God's obedient people will prosper, and He will heal their land if they humble themselves and pray.

Evidence: Weaver reads Isaiah 54:17: 'No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper,' and Micah 7:8-10: 'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy! When I fall, I shall arise.'

Scripture References

Joel 2:15-18

Context: Primary text of the sermon; calls for a solemn assembly, fasting, and prayer for God to spare His people and not give them to reproach.

Psalm 115:3

Context: David's answer that God is in the heavens and does whatever He pleases, affirming divine sovereignty.

1 Timothy 3:16

Context: The mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, referring to Christ's incarnation.

John 1:14

Context: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, revealing Christ's glory.

Matthew 28:18

Context: All power in heaven and earth is given to Christ, affirming His authority.

Judges 6:11-13

Context: Gideon questions why Israel suffers if the Lord is with them, paralleling the heathen's taunt.

Lamentations 1:7

Context: Jerusalem's adversaries mocked her Sabbaths during affliction, illustrating heathen reproach.

Psalm 42:3, 10

Context: David's enemies taunt him daily, 'Where is thy God?' while he is in distress.

Psalm 79:10

Context: Asaph asks why the heathen should say 'Where is their God?' and prays for vengeance to be known among them.

Psalm 115:2

Context: The heathen ask, 'Where is now their God?' as a reproach.

Leviticus 26:14-21

Context: Curses for disobedience, including terror, consumption, and enemy domination; cited as the reason for national defeat.

Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48

Context: Curses for disobedience, including the stranger rising above and becoming the head; applied to modern America.

Galatians 3:7, 9, 16, 29

Context: Those of faith are Abraham's children and heirs according to the promise; Christ is the seed to whom promises were made.

Galatians 6:16

Context: The Israel of God are those who walk according to the rule (canon) of Scripture.

Isaiah 58:1-12

Context: God defines a true fast as loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying His law, not mere ritual.

Deuteronomy 32:9

Context: The Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.

Psalm 94:1-7

Context: The wicked break God's people in pieces and afflict His heritage, showing the danger of heathen rule.

Deuteronomy 9:25-29

Context: Moses intercedes for Israel, arguing that destroying them would cause the Egyptians to reproach God's power.

Psalm 80:19

Context: David prays, 'Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts... and we shall be saved.'

Psalm 85:4

Context: A prayer: 'Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.'

Historical References

The War of Northern Aggression (American Civil War)

Context: Weaver mentions a frequently asked question: 'If the South was right during the war of Northern Aggression, why did the South lose the war?' He references a previous sermon series answering this.

Muslim president (Barack Obama)

Context: Weaver refers to 'our Muslim president' as an example of heathen dominion in modern America.

Rise of sodomites and government protection

Context: Weaver cites the rise and governmental promotion of homosexuality as evidence of national judgment.

Government spending on mosques

Context: Weaver mentions that the government spends millions building and repairing mosques as a sign of corruption.

Important Quotes

The question, Where is thy God, was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them, and here they're claiming to be the people of God, and they're in such bad straits, that the heathen says, Uh-huh, yeah, you're God's people? Where is your God?

Significance: Defines the central problem: the heathen's taunt arises when God's people are under judgment, making their claim to be God's people seem hollow.

Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws, statutes and judgments, and refuse to execute rapists, murderers, kidnappers, and others that merit and deserve the death penalty will only produce a society of death.

Significance: Argues that societal decay is a direct result of rejecting God's law, including capital punishment for serious crimes.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Significance: Key verse (Galatians 3:29) used to establish that Christians are the true Israel and heirs of covenant promises.

You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies.

Significance: Establishes the inseparable link between salvation and judgment, justifying prayers for God to arise against His enemies.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Significance: 2 Chronicles 7:14 is the classic promise of national healing conditioned on repentance, used as a concluding call to action.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do we see the heathen's taunt 'Where is thy God?' in our culture today?

Context: Weaver applies the question to modern America, citing persecution and mockery of Christians.

How should we understand the relationship between national calamities and covenantal disobedience according to Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28?

Context: Weaver argues that curses for disobedience apply to nations that reject God's law.

What does it mean that Christians are the 'Israel of God' and how does that affect our view of Old Testament law?

Context: Weaver expounds Galatians 3 and 6 to show believers are Abraham's seed and obligated to obey God's law.

What is a 'sanctified fast' according to Isaiah 58, and how does it differ from mere ritual fasting?

Context: Weaver explains that true fasting involves ethical obedience and care for the oppressed.

Why does Joel 2:17 instruct the priests to pray between the porch and the altar, and what does this teach about intercessory prayer?

Context: Weaver notes the specific location and petitions given to the priests as a model for prayer.

How can we reconcile prayers for God's mercy with prayers for His judgment on enemies, as seen in Psalms 79, 9, and 68?

Context: Weaver argues that deliverance and judgment are inseparable; we should pray for God to vindicate His name.

What promises does God give to those who repent and obey, according to Joel 2:18-21 and Isaiah 54:17?

Context: Weaver highlights promises of restoration, protection, and victory for the obedient.

How should the church respond to the moral and political decay described in the sermon?

Context: Weaver calls for sounding the alarm, solemn assembly, repentance, and prayer for national healing.

Applications

Sound the alarm and call for solemn assembly.

Summary: Believers must recognize the urgency of God's judgment and publicly call for corporate repentance, fasting, and prayer.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'It's time to sound the trumpets. It's time to call for a solemn fast and a solemn assembly.'

Engage in true fasting that includes ethical obedience.

Summary: Fasting should be accompanied by loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying God's law, not just outward rituals.

Evidence: Weaver expounds Isaiah 58: 'My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.'

Pray the specific petitions of Joel 2:17.

Summary: Pray for God to spare His people, not give His heritage to reproach, and prevent heathen rule, motivated by concern for God's honor.

Evidence: Weaver urges: 'Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them.'

Repent of national and personal sins.

Summary: Acknowledge that societal evils like abortion, sodomy, and corrupt government are symptoms of covenant unfaithfulness requiring repentance.

Evidence: Weaver lists sins and asks: 'Does it make you want to pray, Lord, spare thy people?'

Pray for God to arise in judgment against His enemies.

Summary: Since deliverance requires judgment, pray for God to vindicate His name by destroying those who mock Him and oppress His people.

Evidence: Weaver cites Psalm 68:1: 'Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered.'

Trust in God's promises of victory for the obedient.

Summary: Believe that no weapon formed against God's servants will prosper and that He will heal the land if His people humble themselves and pray.

Evidence: Weaver reads Isaiah 54:17 and 2 Chronicles 7:14 as assurances for those who obey.

Include all ages in repentance and worship.

Summary: Joel's call includes infants and newlyweds, teaching that no one is exempt from sin or judgment; families should lead in corporate repentance.

Evidence: Weaver notes: 'Even the bride and the bridegroom are to give up the delight of their hearts and take part in the penitential and mournful worship.'

Recognize that salvation is entirely by God's mercy.

Summary: We cannot trust in our own righteousness; we must flee to God for grace, praying for Him to turn us so we can be saved.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'If God doesn't have mercy on us, we're sunk... He is the one that must give us repentance.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:37:56Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T15:03:25Z

Clean Transcript

Where is thy God

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

Joel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 15. Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people. The title of the message today is "Where is thy God?" Where is thy God? I hope you'll remember that the last message I dealt with was from the book of Joel as well, beginning there with verse 11 and reading through verse 14 was the text of the message.
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And we pointed out that there was a serious warning, that there was a solemn witness and a startling wonder in those verses. Today we look at verse 17 particularly and the latter part of that verse, "Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" So let me begin by asking a question: Where is your God? There are probably many answers to that question, yet the answer that we must look for is the one that is anticipated by Joel. We could answer that question, "Where is your God," the way David did in Psalm 115 in verse 3, when David said, "But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." We know that God is sovereign, that he rules over everything. We know that God is in absolute and total control and that absolutely nothing comes to pass apart from God and His providence, because His providence rules over everything. We can also answer this question, "Where is your God," in a theological sense, in light of the New Testament revelation that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us.
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The Bible teaches us in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16, "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory." We could also quote John 1:14, where the Bible said, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." So we know that Jesus Christ is our God. We know that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. We know that Jesus Christ came, that He died, that He was buried, and that He was raised from the dead. And we know that now He has ascended into heaven, and He's seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us, because according to Matthew 28 and verse 18, all power and all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto Him. So we may answer that question, "Where is your God?"
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the way David did, we may answer it theologically. But it is important to note in Joel chapter 2 and verse 17 exactly who asked that question and why that question was asked. And the answer to those questions should be obvious. The question, "Where is thy God," was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them, and here they're claiming to be the people of God, and they're in such bad straits, that the heathen says, "Uh-huh, yeah, you're God's people? Where is your God?"
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Let me see what He's doing for you now. Now, I want you to hold your oil tube, but I want you to turn back to the book of Judges. You've seen this passage before, Judges chapter 6, but I want you to see this was the same exact thing that Gideon was asking. Notice in Judges chapter 6 beginning there with verse 11, because the angel comes to call Gideon to the work of deliverance. And notice if you would what is said in Judges 6 beginning there with verse 11. Judges 6 and verse 11: "And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak, which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites." Now watch. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor." Now watch. The angel says, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor." And Gideon said, verse 13, unto him, "O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?"
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"And where be all these miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hand of the Midianites." Now, look what Gideon is saying. If the Lord is really genuinely with us, why is all this happening to us? Why are we defeated? Why are we forsaken? Why are our enemies in our land eating our substance and ruining us? Where is God if God is really with us?
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Now as you turn back to Joel, you've got to remember this, that Israel's boast was that God was their creator, and benefactor, protector, and defender, and that God had given them a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a land that abounded with blessings. So the question is then, what has become of all of those blessings? Where is the land flowing with milk and honey? Now, you remember the last time I was showing you how, in Joel chapter 1, how the locusts, the caterpillars, and the palmer worms had eaten everything up. I mean, the land was stripped, the land was bare, famine was stalking the land. And now God is threatening a more imminent judgment.
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He's going to send the Babylonians. He's going to destroy them. So, the heathen now are asking, "Where is your God? You're claiming to be God's people. Where is He?" Such a taunt was not only reproachful and hurtful to the people of God, it was extremely cutting to anyone who genuinely believed in the Lord and wanted to honor Him. I want you to understand, it is the nature, it is the habit and the custom of the wicked to always mock and ridicule and deride God and His people.
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And stop and think about this. Since the wicked cannot get at God, the only ones they can get at happens to be the people of God. And so they're going to mock and ridicule the people of God. Let me just quote this one. There's a lot of Scriptures I want you to see a little bit later. But Jeremiah tells us something that happened during the fall of Jerusalem. In Lamentations 1 in verse 7, he said this, "Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries, all of her pleasant things that she had in the days of old."
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Now listen, "When her people fell into the hand of the enemy, none did help her. The adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbaths." Now watch, the adversary saw her and did mock at her sabbath. So Israel now, in all of this judgment, is remembering all the pleasant things she had, and all the blessings she had, but now she's under judgment. She has absolutely nothing. And what are the heathen doing? They're mocking at her Sabbath. You have to remember that the prime emphasis on the Sabbath was rest. And the people had no rest because they were in a state of famine. They were under judgment. The enemy was in control. And so now they're mocking the people.
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Do you remember how in the New Testament our Lord Jesus Christ was mocked? They mocked Him, the Bible says, they derided Him. Even David, a man after God's own heart, was mocked. We have to stop and think about this. If the heathen would mock the Lord Jesus Christ, they would not hesitate to mock His people. When David fled from the tyrant Saul, I want you to see what David said.
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Hold Joel chapter 2, but look back in your Bibles to Psalm 42 and let's begin looking there at verse 3. Psalm 42 and verse 3. Look what David says. And in this Psalm, David is running from Saul. He's been cut off from the tabernacle. He's been cut off from Jerusalem. So in Psalm 42 and verse 3, David said this, "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually saying to me, Where is thy God?" David, you're righteous? Well, why isn't God doing something for you? You're supposed to be a man after God's own heart. Why are you fleeing? Why is Saul after you? You must have done something wrong. David, where is your God? If God is your God and you're right, why is He not working against Saul?
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Why is He not restoring you? Skip down, if you would, to verse 10. Look what David said. Psalm 42 and verse 10: "As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?" All right, David, if you're right with God, where is He? Why is He doing something to you? Why is He not protecting you? You see, we may ask the same questions in a historical setting or even in a present day setting. I suppose one of the most frequently asked questions that I have as I travel around is this: Well, if the South was right during the war of Northern Aggression, why did the South lose the war? Well, some of you will remember that series I did on where we are and how we got here.
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The last two messages are two hours answering that question. So let me just try to apply this to our present day setting. If we are God's people, if we are the chosen of the Lord, and if we are obedient or want to be obedient and trying to be obedient, why are we persecuted? Why are we cast down? Why are we downtrodden? And why are we counted as the scum of the earth and basically considered by all around forsaken by our God? I want you to look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. And I'm going to come back to this verse, Lord willing, before I close. But I want you to look at this. I'll consider it a little more in detail before I close. But look in Psalm 79 in verse 10. Look what Asaph says. Psalm 79 verse 10, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?"
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And then he responds, "Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed." Notice, "Where is their God?" You know, David says the same thing in Psalm 115 in verse 2, when he just simply says, "Wherefore do the heathens say, Where is now their God?" Let me ask you to ask yourself a few questions. Stop and think with me. Where is your God? Why do the heathen rage?
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Why are we so defeated and conquered as a nation and as a people? Why is it that the heathen have dominion over us? And I'm not just talking about our Muslim president. You look at the heathens in Congress, and the heathens in the judicial seats of power, who are not even concerned the least little bit with God and God's law. Why are there so many unchristian, unbiblical, and ungodly laws, rules, statutes, and regulations that are laid upon and enforced upon us when we neither desire them or want them?
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Now I could answer all of those questions with two scriptures. I'm going to go further, but I want you to turn first in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26, and then we're going to Deuteronomy 28. So you might want to find both passages. Leviticus 26, and then Deuteronomy 28. So let's ask, why are the heathen in charge? Why are we defeated? Why are we cast down? Look in Leviticus chapter 26, beginning there with verse 14, and we'll just read through verse 21. Leviticus 26, notice verse 14. Look what God says, and He's talking to the people as a whole. He says, "But if you will not hearken unto Me, and will not do all of these commandments, and if you shall despise My statutes, or if your soul abhor My judgments, so that you will not do all My commandments, but you break My covenant, I also will do this to you."
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"I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague that shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set My face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies. They that hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when none pursueth. And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins."
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"And I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass, and your strength shall be spent in vain, and your land shall not yield or increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits. And if you walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me, I'll bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins." And he goes on and tells you a lot of other things that will come upon a disobedient people.
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Now turn to Deuteronomy 28, if you would, and let's begin there with verse 15, and then we're going to skip down to verse 43. Look in Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15. Look what God says. In fact, I'll preach more on this text a little bit later. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 15, look what God says: "But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee." Hmm. Skip down to verse 43. Let's see what some of these curses are. In fact, they're all listed all the way down to verse 43, but here's the one that I want. He says in verse 43, "The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high, and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, thou shalt not lend to him. He shall be the head, thou shalt be the tail."
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"Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed. Why? Because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever, because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things. Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in want of all things, and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." So you want to know why, basically, we're under the rule of our enemies? The answer is because we've been disobedient. Now, listen carefully.
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Do not hand me the old cop-out. "Well, those verses apply to ancient Israel." They did apply to ancient Israel, but they also apply to modern Israel. Well, who is the modern Israel? The truth is that Christians, true believers, are indeed God's Israel. Let me just show you. Just turn to the book of Galatians. I could show you a multitude of passages, but let's start in Galatians chapter 3. We'll only need to go to one other chapter in Galatians, but look how plainly God says this. Remember now, the New Testament, the Old Testament. It is the old covenant and the new covenant. Now watch. Galatians chapter 3 and verse 7. Here it is. Look what God says. "Know ye." Now here's something you need to know. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham." Galatians 3 verse 7. Galatians 3 verse 7. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham." Who are the children of Abraham? They which be of faith.
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Not those which be of the flesh. Those which be of faith. You say, "But I am a true descendant of Abraham physically." Whether you are or whether you aren't doesn't really matter. What really matters is do you have faith in Jesus Christ? Abraham's true seed are those who have faith in Jesus Christ. That's what he says. "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." Look in verse 9. "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."
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Who do the blessings come upon? Those which be of faith. Look down to verse 16.
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Now, everybody can say, "Well, we know Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Oh, those were Abraham's seeds, so to speak." But to whom were all the promises given? Look in Galatians 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed, singular. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and thy seed, which is Christ." Now, when God gave Abraham all of those promises that his seed should inherit the land and everything else, the seed was Christ. How do I know that? Not only because the Scripture tells us, but even Christ said He's been given all power and jurisdiction and authority in heaven and earth. He inherited all things. Wow! What? Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not as to seeds of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ. So every promise that God gave to Abraham, He was giving to the true seed of Abraham, which is Jesus Christ. Now look in verse 29, Galatians 3 verse 29.
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I don't see how this can be any plainer or made any more simple. Galatians 3 verse 29, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed. What does that mean? You are heirs according to the promise. All those promises are ours in Christ. Now, one other. Look in Galatians 6, and verse 16.
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Here again is another plain passage. Galatians 6 verse 16. Look what he says. "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God." Now wait a minute. We have the Israel of God identified specifically right here. "And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God." Well, who are the Israel of God? And the answer is, they that walk according to this rule. Now, let me explain the word rule. The word rule is the Greek word kanon. It is where we get our English word canon.
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Not C-A-N-N-O-N, that's the kind that shoots. But C-A-N-O-N, we talk about the canon of scripture, or the Old Testament canon, or the New Testament canon. And the word kanon, or the word rule here, literally means a measuring stick, or a measuring rod. Here is what the Apostle Paul was saying. Listen. "They that walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy upon the Israel of God." Who's the Israel of God? They that walk according to this rule. In other words, God's true Israel obeys Him. They walk according to the Word of God. So we are God's Israel and we are just as covenantally bound to obey God now as the old covenant people were covenantally demanded to obey in the Old Testament. You see, when you get to 2 Corinthians 3, Paul says the difference is this. The old covenant was written upon tables of stone. In the new covenant, His law is written in our hearts and in our minds. So we are indeed the Israel of God.
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You see, circumstances may change, but principles never change. And I've taken you through the Scriptures enough that you should know that we are obligated to obey God's law. We are. So tired of people telling me, "Well, I don't have to obey God's law. I'm under grace." Well, listen, that's what grace does. Grace gives you the ability to obey. What did Paul say? "What? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid!" Don't even think that thought. Do you understand, and I'm sure that you do, that there is no such thing as a holy, sanctified adulterer, or a holy, sanctified fornicator, or a holy, sanctified thief, or a holy, sanctified profane person. It's impossible to be holy when you're violating God's law. You cannot obey God's law and be holy and righteous. Righteousness is not only defined by God's law, righteousness is in conformity to God's law. So if you and I want to be holy and obedient, we must obey. What does that mean? It means this.
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Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws, statutes and judgments, and refuse to execute rapists, murderers, kidnappers, and others that merit and deserve the death penalty will only produce a society of death. A nation that refuses to honor the Lord and enforce His law will always fall prey to idolatry, socialism, demonism, witchcraft, communism, and Marxism. You want to know where we are?
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This country has sired a generation of thieves, pagans, idolaters, fornicators, and lazy, indolent, ungrateful, and unthankful children that believe that everything is owed to them and if it's not given to them, they're ready to take it. All the violence and all the anarchism that we've seen in recent days and recent months, it's just simply a reaping what we have sown over all these years. And I'm afraid to use the good old South Georgia lingo, you ain't seen nothing yet. I believe it's going to get so much worse.
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So we have to ask the inevitable question. What can we do? What shall we do? Well, I want you to go back to Joel chapter two, because Joel informs us concerning the correct course. I want you to first of all look at verses 15 and 16 in Joel chapter 2. And Joel tells you that first of all there must be preparation. There must be preparation. Look in verse 15.
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"Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breasts, let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet." First of all, I want you to note what he said. There was to be a blowing of the trumpets.
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Now, without me taking you through all the scriptures, showing you how the trumpets were used, let me just summarize it for you. And I'll show you some scriptures here just momentarily. But the trumpets were blown to call a solemn assembly. They were also blown to assemble the people together. They were blown to sound an alarm. They were blown in preparation of battle and during actual battle as well. They were also blown over sacrifices and special feast days and for a number of other special activities. But in this context, these trumpets are being blown to announce a solemn assembly.
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Look in Joel 1 and verse 14. Joel 1 and verse 14: "Sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land of the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord." So he said sanctify you a fast, call a solemn assembly. How do you call a solemn assembly? By blowing the trumpets. So look in Joel chapter 2 and verse 1. Here's how he says, "Blow ye the trumpets in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain. Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord cometh, and it is nigh at hand." Now, in Joel 2 and verse 1, he's not just simply blowing the trumpet for a solemn assembly, now it is a sound of an alarm. Because the judgment of God is about to fall on the land. So, here's the preparation. First of all, blow the trumpets. That is, sound the alarm. Voice the cry. God's judgment is imminent.
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There must be some preparations made if we're going to avoid His judgment. Secondly, notice if you would please, He says in verse 15, "Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify fast. Call a solemn assembly." So there must be a sanctified fast. A sanctified fast must be announced and accomplished by a solemn assembly. What he means by that is this, God's judgment is real and it is serious and therefore it must be taken seriously.
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Now the impetus behind this is simply this, that God was willing to show mercy if the people would repent. So that's why they're saying call this solemn assembly and sanctify a fast. Now, have you ever wondered how do you sanctify a fast? And although this message is not on fasting, and I have preached on it in times past, and there is an absolute fast, there's a normal fast, there's a partial fast. But when he says that we are to sanctify a fast.
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How do we do that? Well, let me show you. I believe what God means is this. The way you sanctify a fast is not just simply by performing an absolute fast or normal fast or partial fast, but by doing that which God commands. Turn in your Bibles back to Isaiah chapter 58. Isaiah 58. And let's take the time to read the first 12 verses. If you want to understand about sanctifying a fast, look at Isaiah 58 beginning there with verse 1. Isaiah 58 verse 1. God says, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Israel their sins." Now look what God says about the people.
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"Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me the ordinance of justice. They take delight in approaching God." Of course, all this is hypocritical. And watch verse three. Here's why it's so hypocritical. "Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not. Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?"
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In other words, Lord, we've done all these little ceremonies, we've gone through all these rituals, and Lord, you're not paying attention to us. Look what we're doing for you. We're fasting for you. We're afflicting our souls for you. Look what God answers in the latter part of verse 3. "Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labors." Now look. "Behold, you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness. You shall not fast as you do this day to make your voice to be heard on high." In other words, if you want me to hear you, says God, you have to fast my way, not your way. Watch verse 5. "Is it such a fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his soul?"
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"Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush? and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, an acceptable day of the Lord?" You think just going through a ceremony and doing all this, that's what I want? No, says God. Watch verse 6. "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, then thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily, and thy righteousness shall go forth before thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity, if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light arise in obscurity, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday."
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"And the Lord shall guide thee constantly, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones. And thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Watch, "And they that shall be of thee shall build thee all waste places." You want restoration? Here it is. "Thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shalt be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the paths that dwell ahead." What's he saying?
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If you're going to fast, you better do it the way I'm telling you to do. And my fast is not just to knock yourself down and get yourself sick and to spare and to put sackcloth under you and put ashes on your head. No, no, no, no. My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.
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Now, I want you to go back to Joel. I want you to watch this. Because he not only said, sanctify fast and call a solemn assembly, which we've dealt with by blowing the trumpets. I want you to note thirdly in verse 16, everyone wants to participate. He says, "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and those that suck the breast, little babies, let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet." So God is saying that everyone is to participate. None are exempt. Why? Because everyone has an obligation and a duty to repent and to seek God's mercy and to seek to avert the judgment of God. In order, therefore, for none to think themselves exempt, the people are precisely defined as old men, children, and sucklings. Even the bride and the bridegroom are to give up the delight of their hearts and take part in the penitential and mournful worship. No age or rank is to stay away because no one, not even the suckling, is free from sin and all, without exception, are indeed exposed to the judgment of God.
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There could not be a deeper proof of the corruption and the sinfulness of the entire nation when God says, you even bring the sucklings, you bring the babies in. Because they're just as much exposed to the judgment of God as you are. In other words, God is saying everyone is to share in the humiliation for almost since the judgment and no one will be exempt when it does come. Therefore, he says, every age, every rank is to come.
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So there must be preparation. Look in Joel 2 and verse 17, because here's the second thing, there must be prayer. He says, "Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" Although the priests, the ministers of the Lord are singled out in verse 17, all of God's people were to pray. But the priests and the Levites were to pray between the porch and the altar, which was a place reserved for the ministers of God alone. So here the priests were to pray where their faces toward the Holy of Holies, which God had filled with his own glory and is there, that they were to weep and mourn and pray. So all of the people, but here in verse 17, he singles out the priests and he gives them a specific place. But I want you to note, he also gives them particular petitions or specific petitions to pray.
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A form of prayer is provided for the priests and for the people. What were they to pray? Here's what he says in verse 17, they were to pray "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is thy God?" So first of all, they were to pray, "spare thy people." The word spare literally means to have pity and compassion upon, to look upon, and thus to spare. So when he says spare thy people, it is a petition then, beseeching God for mercy and grace and compassion. Now I want you to note, the second petition is intimately connected with the first. For he says, "spare thy people," watch carefully, "O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them." The sparing requested is that God's heritage not be given over to the heathen, that the heathen should rule over them.
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Now remember, so far in the book of Joel, there's been all these judgments, famine and all this. But right now, the people have not been instantly defeated and conquered. It's imminent. And so Joel is saying, look, to avert this judgment, you need to begin praying, "spare thy people and give not thine heritage, so that the heathen should rule over them." You know what we tend to forget?
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That we are God's portion. That we are God's heritage. You know, I've often thought, according to Romans chapter 8, our inheritance is the Lord Jesus Christ and everything that belongs to Him. God's heritage is His people. I think we got the better part of the bargain. You know what the Bible says in Deuteronomy 32 and verse 9? Let me just quote it. "For the Lord's portion is His people. Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." The Lord's portion is His people. Now why should the people pray, "spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to the heathen"? Let me show you.
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Hold Joel 2, but turn in your Bibles to Psalm 94. I want you to look in Psalm 94. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 1. We'll just read the first seven verses. I want to show you what happens when the heathen have dominion over God's people. Psalm 94 verse 1, "O Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself." Watch. "Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things, and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?" Now watch what they do. "They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage."
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"They slay the widow, and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. Yet they say the LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of Jacob record it." What do they do when they're in charge? Well, what does the Bible say? "They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine heritage." And then He tells you how the weaker ones are always murdered and assaulted by those in charge. So here's what Joel is doing, in Joel 2 and verse 17, when he says to the people and to the priests that they're to pray, "spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach of the wicked that they should rule over them."
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What he's saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God. You must flee to God. You must seek Him for His grace and for His mercy. There's nothing else left for us. We cannot trust in our righteousness, for we have none. We cannot trust in our obedience before we've been disobedient. We cannot trust in our goodness, because it evaporates like the dew. We cannot trust in our good deeds, for we don't have any to trust in, and if we did, all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What Joel is saying is this, if God doesn't have mercy on us, we're sunk. If God does not have mercy on us, we're sunk.
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So he's telling the people to pray, "spare thy people, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them." What Joel is saying is this, if you don't repent, the final axe is going to fall. The axe is going to fall. In other words, you've been under God's judgment thus far. And it's been bad. But again, you ain't seen nothing yet. Because once God resolves to totally consume you, there's no health and there's no hope.
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Have you ever prayed a prayer like this? Has it ever really entered your mind that you should pray, "spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them"? Does it bother you, does it upset you that we have such an unbiblical, ungodly, and unchristian economic system? Does it bother you and upset you that we have such an unbiblical and ungodly foreign policy? How about all of the unbiblical and ungodly and reprobate laws that have been passed and that are being passed?
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How about the murder of all the babies in the womb? How about the rise of the sodomites? And not just the rise of the sodomites, but the protection and the promotion that our own government gives to them. And should I mention the absolute total corruption of our own governmental system? And how about the fact that our own government is spending millions and millions and millions in building and repairing mosques? Does it bother you?
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Does it make you want to pray, "Lord, spare thy people and give not thine heritage reproach that the heathen should rule over us"? I will tell you this, I believe that that particular judgment has already befallen us. And the truth is, professing Christians are not the least bit concerned. We have been conquered. We have been dominated. And we are on the verge of being exterminated. And we're still asleep. There's no urgency. There's no begging. There's no beseeching. There's no prayer. There's no pleading.
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And for all practical purposes, humanly speaking, in America, we're just waiting for the axe to fall and chop our heads off. We fail to heed the warnings of Scripture. We fail to obey. So here's my question. Where is your God? Where is your faith? Where is your repentance and obedience? Let me just quote these for you. I want you to listen to what Solomon outside of Christ, the wisest man on earth said. Okay? Proverbs 28 verse 12.
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"When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory. But when the wicked rise," that is rise in power, "a man is hidden." Why? Why do you have to hide when the wicked get in power? Because they'll steal everything you have, and they'll murder you and your family. In Proverbs 28 and verse 28, he says it again, "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, but when they perish, the righteous increase." When do the righteous increase? When the wicked perish. And in Proverbs 29 and verse 2, he says this, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn."
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All I'm trying to say is, based upon the truth of Joel, it's time to sound the trumpets. It's time to call for a solemn fast and a solemn assembly. It's time to mourn and weep and call upon the Lord. It's time to repent. It's time to seek the Lord. And it's time to say, "spare thy people, O God, and give not thine heritage a reproach, that the heathen should rule over them, lest the heathen say, where is thy God?" Why does Joel say that? Because Joel is giving us another reason why we should pray. And that is because of the glory of God. You cannot reproach the people of God without reproaching God Himself. And when the wicked begin to mock and ridicule and ask, "where is thy God?" They're not only mocking and deriding God's people, they're slandering and blaspheming God like He is not the true God. He can't do anything.
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I want you to look very quickly, hold your will to, but look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 9, because this is exactly what Moses knew and had in mind when God was going to kill all of those people and make of Him a greater nation. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 9, beginning there in verse 25. Moses said, Deuteronomy 9 verse 25, "Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first, because the Lord had said He would destroy you. I prayed therefore to the Lord and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin, lest the land which thou broughtest us out of, say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them
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in the wilderness." Moses said, Lord, you can't do this. Lord, if you kill all these people, the enemy will reproach Thee and Thy power and Thy glory. And so this is exactly what Joel is saying. He is saying we have to be concerned with God's glory. It's not just our rear ends that we're to be concerned about. It's not just our economy. It's not just our possessions. It's not just our lives. It's the glory of God. We do not want our God blasphemed and reproached and mocked and ridiculed. And we must understand there is no salvation apart from God. There's no salvation apart from His will. Very quickly, I want you to look at verse 18. Here's the third thing. Not only must there be preparation and prayer, thirdly, there must be pardon. Verse 18. Note, if you would, after the people begin to repent and pray, verse 18, "Then will the Lord be jealous for His land and pity His people. Yea, the Lord will answer and say unto His people, Behold, I will send you corn and wine and oil, and you shall be satisfied therewith, and I will no more make you reproach among the heathen."
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Watch, "But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the East Sea, and the hinder part toward the utmost sea. And his stink shall come up, and his ill savor shall come up, because he hath done great things." In other words, God will destroy him. Then God says, "Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the Lord will do great things." In other words, God's pardon is based upon his grace and his mercy.
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He is the one that must give us repentance and thanks. We have to understand there is no deliverance apart from Him. If He does not turn us, we will not be turned. Let me tell you something else that I believe that we should be praying. We should be praying not only that God would spare us and give not His heritage to reproach, that the heathen should say, "where is your God?" Not only should we be praying for God's honor and God's glory, but we should be praying that God would indeed turn us.
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Let me just quote these verses. Psalm 80 and verse 19. Psalm 80 verse 19. David prays, "Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved. Turn us again, and we shall be saved." In other words, there's not going to be any salvation until God turns us. In Psalm 85 in verse 4, he said this, "Turn us, O God, of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease." And then finally, in Lamentations 5 in verse 21, Jeremiah prayed, "Turn thou unto us, O Lord, and we shall be turned."
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"Renew our days as of old." So when God turns to us in mercy and grace, we are turned to Him in repentance and faith.
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Now, I've got just about five or six other scriptures for you. I want you to go back to Psalm 79. I told you I'd come back to that one. Psalm 79. And I want you to see what happens. Psalm 79 and verse 10. Psalm 79, verse 10. Again, Asaph prays this, and he asks this question, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God?" You want to know where our God is, says Asaph? Okay. "Let him," that is, let God, "be known among the heathen and our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which He shed." In other words, you know where our God is. We need to pray that God will arise in judgment. That God would arise in vengeance. That God would indeed destroy His enemies. That's what He's saying. Look in Psalm 9. Psalm 9. Psalm 9.
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And notice if you would, verses 19 and 20. Psalm 9, verse 19 and 20. Look again what David prays. Remember, David's a man after God's own heart. Psalm 9, verse 19. "Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged in Thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men." In other words, here's what David's praying. Show them who's boss. Show them who is God. They want to know where our God is? You show them. You teach them. And if you look in Psalm 68, again, David prays it like this. Psalm 68, beginning there with verse 1, and reading through verse 3.
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So many scriptures, but watch this. Psalm 68, verse 1. What does David pray? "Let God arise. Let His enemies be scattered. Let them also that hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away. As wax melted before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad. Let them rejoice before God. Yea, let them exceedingly rejoice."
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And let me point this out, please. You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies. When God delivered Israel from Egypt, He destroyed Egypt. When God delivered Lot, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. When God delivered Noah, He destroyed the others. Judgment and salvation go together. You cannot have one without the other. So when you're praying, "spare thy people, O God."
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"Give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them." What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people, and destruction for God's enemies.
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Now, I want to show you just three verses. One of them you don't have to turn to, you can quote it. I want you to turn, if you would, to Isaiah 54 and the little book of Micah toward the end of the Minor Prophets. Go ahead and find the book of Micah, if you would, right before the book of Nahum, right after the book of Jonah, you find the little book of Micah. Go ahead and turn to Isaiah 54 first. Okay? We'll read that and then we'll go to Micah. Isaiah 54 first. I want to show you the promises of God to the individuals, to the families, to the churches, and to the people that obey Him.
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Although Joel is dealing with judgment, here's what he's telling these people, now's the time to repent. Watch Isaiah 54 and verse 17. I love this passage. God says, "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn." Are you looking? "This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." What's God saying?
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I have appointed you to victory, if you will obey Me. There is no weapon that is formed against thee that shall prosper. I do not care how many secret weapons the enemies have. I don't care how much mind control, electronic control. No weapon that is formed will prosper against you if you obey God. Look in the book of Micah, Chapter 7, beginning there with verse 7. Micah 7, verse 7. We'll read through verse 10. Micah 7, verse 7. "Therefore I will look unto the Lord. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me." Thank God for that. And look what Micah says, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy!"
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"When I fall, I shall arise. When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause and execute my judgment for me. He will bring me forth the light, and I will behold His righteousness. Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which saith unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? Mine eye shall behold her, now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets." What did Micah say? My God will give me victory. My God will allow me to conquer.
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And the last passage, you don't need to turn there, 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Joel said there must be preparation. There must be prayer, which includes repentance and faith. And then there will be pardon.
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And God will restore all the years that the Palmer worm has eaten. That's what He promised in the book of Joel. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your truth, for Your grace, for Your mercy. Help us, O Lord, to live for Thee. Help us to pray, Lord. Spare Thy people, O God. And give not thine heritage a reproach that the wicked, the heathen, should rule over us, lest they say, Where is thy God? Make them know who is God. Arise, O Lord, and make
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:37:56Z

Where is thy God

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Joel 2:15-18, focusing on the heathen's taunt, 'Where is thy God?' He explains that such reproach comes when God's people are under judgment for disobedience. The sermon calls for preparation (solemn assembly, fasting), prayer (pleading for mercy and God's honor), and promises pardon upon repentance. Weaver applies these principles to modern America, asserting that Christians are the Israel of God and that national calamities result from covenant unfaithfulness. He urges repentance, prayer for deliverance, and trust in God's promises of restoration and victory over enemies.

Introduction: The Question 'Where is thy God?'

Weaver introduces the sermon's title from Joel 2:17 and notes that the heathen ask this question to reproach God's people when they are under judgment.

Joel chapter 2, beginning there with verse 15.

Scripture Reading — Joel 2:15-18

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breast. Let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 115:3

"But our God is in the heavens, he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."

The Bible teaches us in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 3:16

"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory."

Historical and Biblical Examples of the Taunt

Examples from Gideon (Judges 6) and David (Psalm 42) show that the question 'Where is thy God?' is a common reproach when God's people suffer defeat or hardship.

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"And there came an angel of the Lord and sat under an oak, which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite, and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites."

Now watch.

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."

Now watch. The angel says,

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor."

And Gideon said, verse 13, unto him,

Scripture Reading — Judges 6:11-13

"O my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us?"

Scripture Reading — Psalm 42:3, 10

"My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually saying to me, Where is thy God?"

Scripture Reading — Psalm 42:3, 10

"As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"

Application to Modern America

Weaver applies the question to present-day America, asking why Christians are persecuted and why the heathen rule, suggesting it is due to national disobedience.

And then he responds,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 79:10

"Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed."

Covenantal Disobedience as the Cause

Using Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, Weaver argues that defeat and domination by enemies are curses for disobedience to God's law, applicable to modern Christians as spiritual Israel.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48

"But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee."

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:7, 9, 16, 29

Who do the blessings come upon? Those which be of faith. Look down to verse 16. Now, everybody can say, "Well, we know Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Oh, those were Abraham's seeds, so to speak." But to whom were all the promises given? Look in Galatians 3 verse 16. "Now to Abraham and his seed, singular. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and thy seed, which is Christ." Now, when God gave Abraham all of those promises that his seed should inherit the land and everything else, the seed was Christ. How do I know that? Not only because the Scripture tells us, but even Christ said He's been given all power and jurisdiction and authority in heaven and earth. He inherited all things. Wow! What? Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not as to seeds of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ. So every promise that God gave to Abraham, He was giving to the true seed of Abraham, which is Jesus Christ. Now look in verse 29, Galatians 3 verse 29. I don't see how this can be any plainer or made any more simple. Galatians 3 verse 29, "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed. What does that mean? You are heirs according to the promise. All those promises are ours in Christ. Now, one other. Look in Galatians 6, and verse 16.

Here again is another plain passage. Galatians 6 verse 16. Look what he says.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

Now wait a minute. We have the Israel of God identified specifically right here.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 6:16

"And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them and mercy upon the Israel of God."

The Need for Preparation: Solemn Assembly and Fasting

Joel 2:15-16 calls for blowing the trumpet, sanctifying a fast, and gathering all people—including infants—for a solemn assembly, signifying urgent, corporate repentance.

The Nature of a Sanctified Fast

From Isaiah 58, Weaver explains that a true fast is not mere ritual but involves loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying God's law.

The Need for Prayer: Specific Petitions

The Need for Pardon: God's Promised Response

Verse 18 promises that if the people repent and pray, God will be jealous for His land, pity His people, and restore blessings, removing the reproach and destroying the enemy.

Praying for Judgment on Enemies

Weaver cites Psalms 79, 9, and 68 to show that deliverance for God's people involves judgment on His enemies; we should pray for God to arise and vindicate His name.

"Give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathens should rule over them." What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people, and destruction for God's enemies.

Promises of Victory for the Obedient

Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7-10, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 assure that no weapon formed against God's obedient people will prosper, and He will heal their land if they humble themselves and pray.

Where is thy God

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uaOtGNUDLyw
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: Promises Of The Law
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-14
Dictation Name
Book	Book 042: Covenant Theology: Blessings, Curses, and Sanctions: God's Answer to America's Problems — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	76

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Question 'Where is thy God?': Weaver introduces the sermon's title from Joel 2:17 and notes that the heathen ask this question to reproach God's people when they are under judgment.
Historical and Biblical Examples of the Taunt: Examples from Gideon (Judges 6) and David (Psalm 42) show that the question 'Where is thy God?' is a common reproach when God's people suffer defeat or hardship.
Application to Modern America: Weaver applies the question to present-day America, asking why Christians are persecuted and why the heathen rule, suggesting it is due to national disobedience.
Covenantal Disobedience as the Cause: Using Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, Weaver argues that defeat and domination by enemies are curses for disobedience to God's law, applicable to modern Christians as spiritual Israel.
The Need for Preparation: Solemn Assembly and Fasting: Joel 2:15-16 calls for blowing the trumpet, sanctifying a fast, and gathering all people—including infants—for a solemn assembly, signifying urgent, corporate repentance.
The Nature of a Sanctified Fast: From Isaiah 58, Weaver explains that a true fast is not mere ritual but involves loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying God's law.
The Need for Prayer: Specific Petitions: Joel 2:17 instructs the priests to pray, 'Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them.' This prayer seeks mercy and protection of God's honor.
The Need for Pardon: God's Promised Response: Verse 18 promises that if the people repent and pray, God will be jealous for His land, pity His people, and restore blessings, removing the reproach and destroying the enemy.
Praying for Judgment on Enemies: Weaver cites Psalms 79, 9, and 68 to show that deliverance for God's people involves judgment on His enemies; we should pray for God to arise and vindicate His name.
Promises of Victory for the Obedient: Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7-10, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 assure that no weapon formed against God's obedient people will prosper, and He will heal their land if they humble themselves and pray.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The heathen's taunt reveals God's judgment on His people.

When the heathen ask 'Where is thy God?', it is because God's people are suffering under His judgment for their sins, giving occasion for mockery.

Weaver says: 'The reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them.'

National calamities are covenantal curses for disobedience.

Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 list curses including enemy domination for breaking God's law. These principles apply to any nation that rejects God's commandments.

Weaver reads Leviticus 26:14-21 and Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48, then states: 'So you want to know why, basically, we're under the rule of our enemies? The answer is because we've been disobedient.'

New Testament believers are the true Israel and bound to God's law.

Galatians 3 and 6 identify those of faith in Christ as Abraham's seed and the Israel of God, making them heirs of the promises and obligated to obey God's law.

Weaver expounds Galatians 3:7, 29 and 6:16: 'If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise... God's true Israel obeys Him.'

True fasting is ethical obedience, not mere ritual.

Isaiah 58 defines a sanctified fast as loosing bands of wickedness, freeing the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and covering the naked—not just outward affliction.

Weaver reads Isaiah 58:6-7 and says: 'My kind of fast, he says, is for you to obey me and do what is right and honor me according to my law.'

Prayer must plead for God's mercy and His honor.

Joel 2:17 provides a model prayer: 'Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach.' This seeks both compassion for the people and protection of God's reputation.

Weaver states: 'What Joel is saying is this, you're being shut up to the absolute mercy of God... We do not want our God blasphemed and reproached.'

God promises pardon and restoration upon repentance.

Joel 2:18-21 promises that if the people repent, God will be jealous for His land, pity His people, restore agricultural blessings, and remove the northern army, ending reproach.

Weaver reads Joel 2:18-21 and says: 'God's pardon is based upon his grace and his mercy... He is the one that must give us repentance.'

Deliverance requires judgment on God's enemies.

Biblical examples (Exodus, Lot, Noah) show that salvation for God's people coincides with destruction of the wicked. Praying for deliverance implies praying for God to arise in judgment.

Weaver says: 'You can never have deliverance without judgment... When you're praying, spare thy people, O God... What you're praying is this, deliverance for God's people, and destruction for God's enemies.'

Obedient believers are promised victory over enemies.

Isaiah 54:17, Micah 7:7-10, and 2 Chronicles 7:14 assure that no weapon formed against God's obedient people will prosper, and He will heal their land if they humble themselves and pray.

Weaver reads Isaiah 54:17: 'No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper,' and Micah 7:8-10: 'Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy! When I fall, I shall arise.'

Scripture References

Joel 2:15-18: Primary text of the sermon; calls for a solemn assembly, fasting, and prayer for God to spare His people and not give them to reproach.
Psalm 115:3: David's answer that God is in the heavens and does whatever He pleases, affirming divine sovereignty.
1 Timothy 3:16: The mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, referring to Christ's incarnation.
John 1:14: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, revealing Christ's glory.
Matthew 28:18: All power in heaven and earth is given to Christ, affirming His authority.
Judges 6:11-13: Gideon questions why Israel suffers if the Lord is with them, paralleling the heathen's taunt.
Lamentations 1:7: Jerusalem's adversaries mocked her Sabbaths during affliction, illustrating heathen reproach.
Psalm 42:3, 10: David's enemies taunt him daily, 'Where is thy God?' while he is in distress.
Psalm 79:10: Asaph asks why the heathen should say 'Where is their God?' and prays for vengeance to be known among them.
Psalm 115:2: The heathen ask, 'Where is now their God?' as a reproach.
Leviticus 26:14-21: Curses for disobedience, including terror, consumption, and enemy domination; cited as the reason for national defeat.
Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48: Curses for disobedience, including the stranger rising above and becoming the head; applied to modern America.
Galatians 3:7, 9, 16, 29: Those of faith are Abraham's children and heirs according to the promise; Christ is the seed to whom promises were made.
Galatians 6:16: The Israel of God are those who walk according to the rule (canon) of Scripture.
Isaiah 58:1-12: God defines a true fast as loosing bands of wickedness, feeding the hungry, and obeying His law, not mere ritual.
Deuteronomy 32:9: The Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance.
Psalm 94:1-7: The wicked break God's people in pieces and afflict His heritage, showing the danger of heathen rule.
Deuteronomy 9:25-29: Moses intercedes for Israel, arguing that destroying them would cause the Egyptians to reproach God's power.
Psalm 80:19: David prays, 'Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts... and we shall be saved.'
Psalm 85:4: A prayer: 'Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.'

Historical References

The War of Northern Aggression (American Civil War): Weaver mentions a frequently asked question: 'If the South was right during the war of Northern Aggression, why did the South lose the war?' He references a previous sermon series answering this.
Muslim president (Barack Obama): Weaver refers to 'our Muslim president' as an example of heathen dominion in modern America.
Rise of sodomites and government protection: Weaver cites the rise and governmental promotion of homosexuality as evidence of national judgment.
Government spending on mosques: Weaver mentions that the government spends millions building and repairing mosques as a sign of corruption.

Important Quotes

The question, Where is thy God, was asked by the heathen. And the reason the heathen were asking that question was because they were reproaching the people of God, because God's judgment was against them, and here they're claiming to be the people of God, and they're in such bad straits, that the heathen says, Uh-huh, yeah, you're God's people? Where is your God?

Defines the central problem: the heathen's taunt arises when God's people are under judgment, making their claim to be God's people seem hollow.

Therefore a people, a country, a nation, a race, that thumbs their collective noses at God's righteous laws, statutes and judgments, and refuse to execute rapists, murderers, kidnappers, and others that merit and deserve the death penalty will only produce a society of death.

Argues that societal decay is a direct result of rejecting God's law, including capital punishment for serious crimes.

If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Key verse (Galatians 3:29) used to establish that Christians are the true Israel and heirs of covenant promises.

You can never have deliverance without judgment. Any and every time God delivers His people, He judges His enemies.

Establishes the inseparable link between salvation and judgment, justifying prayers for God to arise against His enemies.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 is the classic promise of national healing conditioned on repentance, used as a concluding call to action.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways do we see the heathen's taunt 'Where is thy God?' in our culture today?

[Context]

Weaver applies the question to modern America, citing persecution and mockery of Christians.

[Question]

How should we understand the relationship between national calamities and covenantal disobedience according to Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28?

[Context]

Weaver argues that curses for disobedience apply to nations that reject God's law.

[Question]

What does it mean that Christians are the 'Israel of God' and how does that affect our view of Old Testament law?

[Context]

Weaver expounds Galatians 3 and 6 to show believers are Abraham's seed and obligated to obey God's law.

[Question]

What is a 'sanctified fast' according to Isaiah 58, and how does it differ from mere ritual fasting?

[Context]

Weaver explains that true fasting involves ethical obedience and care for the oppressed.

[Question]

Why does Joel 2:17 instruct the priests to pray between the porch and the altar, and what does this teach about intercessory prayer?

[Context]

Weaver notes the specific location and petitions given to the priests as a model for prayer.

[Question]

How can we reconcile prayers for God's mercy with prayers for His judgment on enemies, as seen in Psalms 79, 9, and 68?

[Context]

Weaver argues that deliverance and judgment are inseparable; we should pray for God to vindicate His name.

[Question]

What promises does God give to those who repent and obey, according to Joel 2:18-21 and Isaiah 54:17?

[Context]

Weaver highlights promises of restoration, protection, and victory for the obedient.

[Question]

How should the church respond to the moral and political decay described in the sermon?

[Context]

Weaver calls for sounding the alarm, solemn assembly, repentance, and prayer for national healing.

Applications

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