WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE?
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25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying, 2 Praise ye the Lord for the avenging of Israel, When the people willingly offered themselves. 3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing unto the Lord; I will sing praise to the Lord God of Israel. 4 Lord, When thou wentest out of Seir, When thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, The earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, The clouds also dropped water. 5 The mountains melted from before the Lord, Even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel. 6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, In the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, And the travellers walked through byways. 7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, Until that I Deborah arose, That I arose a mother in Israel. 8 They chose new gods; Then was war in the gates: Was there a shield or spear seen Among forty thousand in Israel? 9 My heart is toward the governors of Israel, That offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord. 10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, Ye that sit in judgment, And walk by the way. 11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, Even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates. 12 Awake, awake, Deborah: Awake, awake, utter a song: Arise, Barak, And lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam. 13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people: The Lord made me have dominion over the mighty. 14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; After thee, Benjamin, among thy people; Out of Machir came down governors, And out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. 15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; Even Issachar, and also Barak: He was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart. 16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, To hear the bleatings of the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart. 17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: And why did Dan remain in ships? Asher continued on the sea shore, And abode in his breaches. 18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death In the high places of the field. 19 The kings came and fought, Then fought the kings of Canaan In Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; They took no gain of money. 20 They fought from heaven; The stars in their courses fought against Sisera. 21 The river of Kishon swept them away, That ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. 22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings, The pransings of their mighty ones. 23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; Because they came not to the help of the Lord, To the help of the Lord against the mighty. 24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, Blessed shall she be above women in the tent.
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
The story of the golden calf in Exodus is very tragic. In spite of all the magnificent display of God’s power for their deliverance, the children of Israel reverted to idolatry; making for themselves a calf god of gold and worshipping it as the one which brought them out of Egypt.
To bring them out of Egypt, the Lord had sent ten powerful plagues upon the land of Egypt and upon all their gods, climaxing with the death of every first born of the Egyptians. The Pharaoh literally expelled them with immediate effect. Even when he realised his mistake and went after them with the full force of Egyptian chariots, the Lord showed that He was God, and that no one could fight Him and win! The Red Sea parted, and Israel passed through on dry ground, but the entire Egyptian cavalry drowned in the Red Sea. Before this incident they had seen the power of God on many other occasions – manna from heaven was provided from Heaven for them which would last for 40 years; They drank water that gushed out of the rock; Moses had received the Ten Commandments of God to guide them. In spite of all these, they made their own idols and began to worship them while Moses was up in the Mountain with God.
In our own time aren’t there those who start out with God as Christians, and then later revert to what they had left behind? You cannot win if you do that. The apostle Peter described it as the dog turning back to his own vomit and the pig that was washed to her wallowing in the mire (). Who is on the Lord’s side? The right side? The victorious side? The winning side?
1. THE MORAL INSANITY OF THE FAITHLESS WHO WORSHIP IDOLS
1. THE MORAL INSANITY OF THE FAITHLESS WHO WORSHIP IDOLS
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30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.
14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Unsaved man always wants to have his own way. They proudly proclaim, “with our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own. Who is lord over us?” (). In their foolish pride they proclaim, there is no God. They do this so that they can continue to live in corruption, and practice abominable things. They forsake the fountain of living water and make for themselves broken containers that can hold no water (). That is what the children of Israel did making the golden calf. They forsook the God who preserved their lives in Egypt, and delivered them with a strong hand; Who caused the Red Sea to part to create a passage for them where there was none; Who gave them fresh water out of rocks; sent them manna from Heaven and meat from the sky; Who guided them with the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night; Who crushed all their enemies before them; Who called them to be His chosen People! They forsook Him and went after a god of gold made with their own hands. A god made with their own hands! Moses in righteous anger smashed the tables of the Ten Commandments and demanded of them, who was on the Lord’s side!
Many Christians, a large proportion of them, act very much like these Israelites. Do we act as though we recognise the terrible price Jesus paid for our redemption? He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. Christ gave His life a ransom for many. He was crucified, dead and buried. Christ died, the Just for the unjust! In the world if someone did something like this for another person, that man or woman will commit themselves totally and wholeheartedly to their benefactor or helper. A large proportion of Christians are Christians half-heartedly. The commitment of such people is questionable. Many times, you don’t know where they stand. They are more comfortable with the world than with the people of God. Today they are strong; tomorrow they are compromising. In Church they appear fine; but outside the Church they are worldly. They serve God with their mouth, but their hearts are far away from Him (). They come as my people come and sit before you as my people. They hear your words but will not do them. With their mouth the show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness (; ).
(i) When you forget that you are a child of God and behave like the world, you are not on the Lord’s side.
(ii) When you fail to totally commit yourself to God and serve Him as He deserves, you are not on the Lord’s side.
(iii) When you feel dissatisfied with God’s methods, God’s timing, God’s plans, you are not on the Lord’s side.
(iv) When you magnify your own ideas and thought and plans above God’s Word, you are not on the Lord’s side
(v) When like Demas, love this present world with its lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye and the pride of life, you are not on the Lord’s side.
(vi) When you join sinners in their blatant disobedience to God’s word; in changing the truth of God into a lie, either because of fear or because you like it that way, you are not on the `Lord’s side.
(vii) When you do nothing to promote the preaching of the Gospel, to winning of souls, to the strengthening of believers, you are not on the Lord’s side.
(viii) When you fail to love the brethren and support those who are weak, and strengthen those who are struggling, you are not on the Lord’s side.
Turn away today from those idols, those things that you count to be more important than God, His Church and His people. Return to the narrow way today. Be not afraid of suffering for your faith in Christ. You will experience the power of God the more!
2. THE MINORITY OF THE FAITHFUL WHO WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD
2. THE MINORITY OF THE FAITHFUL WHO WORSHIP THE TRUE GOD
All through the ages, people who
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26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; Neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: For they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things.
27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
All through the ages, people who stay on the Lord’s side have always been in the minority.
(i) They were in the minority in the days of Noah ()
3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE
3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE
(ii) They were in the minority at the destruction of Sodom ()
(iii) They were in the minority who went to war with Gideon (()
(iv) They were in the minority at the defeat of Goliath ()
(v)They were in the minority at the Crucifixion of Christ ()
(vi) They are in the minority who walk the Narrow Way ()
The same situation is still applicable today. Those who are on the Lord’s side are in the minority. Those who walk in the narrow way are in the minority. Those who believe and practice holiness without which no man shall see the Lord, are in the Minority. Only eight people were saved at the waters of Noah. Only three people were rescued from Sodom during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Out of thousands that came out to go to war with Gideon, only 300 were ready! The disciples of Christ deserted Him at the crucifixion. It was only a hand full of followers that remained with Him till the end
3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE
3. THE MEANINGFUL INSTRUCTION FOR THOSE ON THE LORD’S SIDE
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23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite, 4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite, 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; 9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. 15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west. 16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. 17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, And on thy side, thou son of Jesse: Peace, peace be unto thee, And peace be to thine helpers; For thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
Frances Havergal’s song, “Who Is on the Lord’s Side?” has been used for more than a century to challenge Christians to make a definite commitment to follow Christ in spiritual warfare.
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King? Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring? Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe? Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
Not for weight of glory, not for crown and palm, enter we the army, raise the warrior psalm; but for Love that claimeth lives for whom He died: He whom Jesus nameth must be on His side.
Jesus, Thou hast bought us, not with gold or gem, but with Thine own life-blood, for Thy diadem. With Thy blessing filling each who comes to Thee. Thou hast made us willing; Thou hast made us free.
Fierce may be the conflict, strong may be the foe, but the King’s own army none can overthrow. Round His standard ranging, vict’ry is secure, for His truth unchanging makes the triumph sure.
We learn from history that all the apostles of Christ were totally sold out to the work committed to them. We see that through them, the Church spread all over the world. But they were severely persecuted, crucified or killed. Only one managed, after much persecution, to die without being crucified or killed. But they accomplished the work of spreading the Gospel in their time. Through their sweat, through their blood and through their death, we received the gospel of our salvation. And we are the disciples of Christ right now if we have been freed from sin ().
Isaac Watts wrote another song in 1724 titled, “Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?” This, when there so much persecution against the English dissenters, those who split from the Anglican Church!
Am I a soldier of the cross? A foll’wer of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own His cause or blush to speak His name?
Must I be carried to the skies on flow’ry beds of ease, while others fought to win the prize and sailed thru bloody seas?
Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?
Sure, I must fight if I would reign—Increase my courage, Lord! I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy Word.
Examine yourself today. Are you on the Lord’s side? Joshua challenged the children of Israel to choose this day whom they would serve.
Have you made that choice? Have you chosen the Lord’s side?
[1] Osbeck, K. W. (1996). Amazing grace: 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions (p. 313). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.
Have you turned yourself over to God ()?
Have you recognised sin as a tragedy that leads to death, that must be avoided at costs ()?
Have you dedicated yourself to love and serve the Body of Christ of which you are a member (()?
Have you decidedly chosen to walk the narrow way ()?
Have you decided to prefer Christ above all else ()?
Can you categorically say that you love Jesus above all else ()?
Have you decidedly left the world behind ()?
Have you made the Kingdom of God first, above all other things ()?
then know that your company may be few?
Then never be ashamed of proclaiming His Name!
Then do not always expect a flowery bed of ease!
Then be ready to face the enemies of Christ and of the Gospel!
Then know that this world is not a friend to grace to bring you closer to God!
Then know that you must suffer with Christ to reign with Him!
Then know that you are on the Lord’s side;
The side of blessing;
The side of victory;
The side of everlasting life;
The side of victory;
Christ has won the victory! Christ has overcome the world! We belong to Christ and we have overcome the world! Through Christ we have won the victory! O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
The side of everlasting life;
[2] Osbeck, K. W. (1996). Amazing grace: 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions (p. 314). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.