Living with Thorns and Snares

Judges 2:1-3  The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, 2  and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3  Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."

The command of the Lord was simple:  the Israelites were not to come into any agreement, or form any connection at all, with the people of the lands they were conquering.  The only one they were to make a covenant with was the Lord.  Why?  Because God knew that the moment they entertained any binding connection or relationship with these nations Israel would easily be enticed to follow their ways.  The only way of life that the Israelites were to be influenced with was the life of God given to them in the law.

A similar command is given to Christians today.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18  Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." 17  "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." 18  "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

A Christian is not to have a binding relationship with unbelievers, with those who do not believe in our Lord and walk according to His ways.  Yes, we have acquaintances, friends and even family who are not believers.  We cannot avoid that.  But a Christian is to make sure that he is not to make any covenant or be in a league together with unbelievers, for eventually it will lead us to compromise our walk with God.  It is the binding relationships (like business partnerships, marriages, fraternities, and the like) that a Christian cannot get himself out of that are dangerous for him.

But sadly, for the sake of profit, for the sake of love, and for many other reasons, Christians place themselves in relationships that threaten their walk with God.  The lure of success, profit and comfort overcome the desire to please God.  And we all know how strong the pull of these things are.

This is why a Christian must exert all effort to keep away from these things, to yoke himself/herself only with people who walk the same walk, talk the same talk, as genuine believers in Christ.

The Lord warned the Israelites about the consequences of their making a covenant with other nations:

3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.

For so many years the Lord had protected and guided His people to the promised land.  But if they willingly covenanted themselves with other nations, God was going to just let them be.  The nations would be thorns in their sides, and their gods and other evil practices would be a snare to them, causing them to be caught in their evil ways.

Some of us who have yoked ourselves with unbelievers have experienced this.  How many Christian businessmen who have partnered with non-Christians are now caught in compromising lifestyles, and are gaining profit by lying, cheating and fooling the government.  How many Christians have “fallen in love” with unbelievers and have placed their partners above the Lord, and have fallen into a life of prayerlessness, immorality, and even completely turning away from the Lord.

Is this the life we want to live – a life of thorns and snares all around us?  When we willingly choose the ways of this world by allowing ourselves to be partners with unbelievers God, in His grace and love, will allow that partnership to bring its consequences upon us, if only it may lead us back to a life fully surrendered, partnered and in league only with Him.

2 Cor 7:1  Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

The First Family

Gen 4:1-4  Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.

Genesis 4 introduces us to the first family brought forth after the fall of Adam and Eve.  There are a number of things we can glean from this account.

Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant.  It’s sad how the world has twisted the use of the word “lay”.  The phrase simply means that Adam and Eve lay down together, and enjoyed sex with each other.  The King James version uses another English word:  “And Adam knew Eve his wife;”. 

That’s an interesting word to use – “knew”.  But it gives us an insight as to why the Lord created sex – so that husband and wife would know each other, would grow intimate with each other.  Those of us who are married know how the sexual act bonds and binds a couple together.  That is why sex was created.

It also shoots down the understanding that sex was made solely for making babies.  That may be a secondary reason.  But the primary reason for a husband and wife to have sex is so that they may “know” each other.

This is why when people have sex before marriage it is both premature and immature.  Premarital sex is mostly selfish, self centered.  Rather than enjoying it to know each other, it is done for selfish pleasure.  And when there is a break up it is painful, or it leads to a loose lifestyle of just doing it with anyone we please.

This is also why extramarital sex is destructive.  It destroys the bond that we have with our spouse.  And instead of growing closer to our spouse we waste our energy on others.

But, of course, Adam and Eve “knowing” each other was also meant to “go forth and multiply”.  And so they eventually bore children.

4:1 “…and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.”

Imagine the feeling of Eve – for the first time she gets pregnant and gives birth to a child.  It must have been a wonder for her!  But she recognizes that all of this happened because of the Lord.  She names her firstborn “Cain”, which sounds like the Hebrew for “acquired”.  And then she proclaims “with the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man”.

A few moments later she gives birth to Abel.  There is no indication as to how long the gap between Cain and Abel is – whether it’s minutes or years.  We assume that they are twins.

Both boys grow up as all of us do – unique and with our own God-given skills and talents:  “Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.”.

It is important for us to recognize what skills and talents the Lord has given us, and to put them to use for His glory.  Many people wish that they were like others, and end up coveting what other people have.  But this should not be the case.  We should recognize what God has given us, be thankful for them, and put them to good use.

Abel kept flocks while Cain worked the soil.  Each did what they were equipped for by the Lord.  As they grew more mature another aspect of life became evident – their worship unto the Lord: 

3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.

Notice how natural it was for these two boys to give to the Lord the fruit of their work, of the talents they had been blessed with by God.  The word “offering” used here is a Hebrew word that literally means “apportion”.  They gave a portion of their blessings, of the fruit of their work to the Lord.

Life is more than just giving birth, raising children, growing up, and using our skills and talents to work.  We must not forget to worship.  It was automatic for Cain and Abel to give an offering to the Lord.  Our talents and skills, our work, all the blessings we receive, are all from the Lord.  We must not forget to apportion what He has blessed us with and offer to Him a thank offering for what He has done.

The Lord our Shield

Psalm 3:1  A psalm of David. When he fled from his son Absalom. O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!
Psalm 3:2  Many are saying of me, "God will not deliver him." Selah
Psalm 3:3  But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
Psalm 3:4  To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
Psalm 3:5  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:6  I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.
Psalm 3:7  Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.
Psalm 3:8  From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. Selah

David experienced what most of us see only in television shows.  His own son carefully planned to take over the throne from him.  He slowly began to win the hearts of the people, granting them favor upon favor (2 Samuel 15).  And then he takes over the throne.  And to avoid any bloodshed David and his whole household leave Jerusalem.  Later on Absalom and twelve thousand men run after him to have him killed.

No wonder David, in Psalm 3, proclaimed “how many are my foes! How many rise up against me!”.  People were against him and saying that God would not deliver him.  David was literally surrounded by death.

But in all this David looked up, and by faith proclaimed:  “But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”  No one else could protect him…not his soldiers, nor the people around him.  He knew that his only shield was his Lord. 

And so he cried for help:  “To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill.”.  I love how David proclaims his faith – he cries aloud to the Lord and He answers…David doesn’t say “He will answer”, for he knew that his Lord would answer his cry.

He slept soundly.  I know many of us know that feeling of not being able to sleep because we are worried about a situation we are in, trying to think of a solution.  But David slept in peace.  Why?

Psalm 3:5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

Even with twelve thousand men running after him, he knew in his heart that his God would protect him.

may God, by His grace, reveal Himself to us that we may know Him as David knew Him, that we, too, may put our faith in Him, no matter what circumstance we face.