Responding to Oppression

Oppression

Oppression can be defined as prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control. It is a systematic tool that has existed since the beginning of civilizations. This year being the 400th anniversary of 1619, in which history depicts this as being the beginning of North American Slavery. It is quite rare that many pulpits in 2019 have been quite silent on this issue. Along with the prolonged cruelty that slavery was, as it turned into black codes, fugitive slave acts, Jim Crow, and most recently police brutality as well as a host of oppressive tactics in the work place, in our communities and within Christianity. The tenets of racism, oppression, prejudices, and xenophobia are never and have never been condoned by Jesus. We are reminded of what Paul writes to the Galatians that there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. We know this verse, can quote this verse, nonetheless the enemy has divided us on a day worship that should be a unifier of the entire world.

Although oppression is wrong, it does not give credence to hate one another, nor does it give us the ability to justify any wrong doing we commit at the hands of being oppressed. Dr. Martin Luther King once stated, "Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love." Even upon last week we discussed that evil cannot be repayed with evil but we must overcome evil with good.

Leaders within the church and the community must respond to oppression in an integral way, a way that shows hope, love, justice and promotes peace.

Points of Understanding

The will to win cannot come from a place of poor integrity.

Worrying about what you do not have will never grant you victory over the oppressor.

The victory has to be handed over by God.

The Will to Win Cannot Come from a Place of Poor Integrity

The ability to inspire is a trait that leaders must have. In verses five through seven we see that some people ran away, some hid and some even left the country. Those who stayed were fearful because the future looked uncertain but they remained faithful.

No matter the oppression we cannot allow ourselves to act irrationally or without integrity.

Between Saul and Jonathan they had about 3,000 men in comparison to the 30,000 that the Philistines had. This hate disdain between Hebrews and Philistines was very heavy. Verse 4 of chapter 13 says that Israel had become an abomination to the Philistines.

The odds are definitely stacked against the Hebrews physically, but God is still on their side, and when God is on your side you have to act like it. This is what Faith is. I look outnumbered, outsmarted and any other out you can think of, but with faith in God I have to know that I still have the ability to overcome.

One of the tools the oppressor can draw from is numbers. In this instance the Philistines had a larger number of men than the Hebrews.

It’s quite difficult to overcome oppression initially, but what makes it even more difficult is unethical leadership.

Let’s set the stage:

The people are in fear, their leader does not refer to God to inspire the people.

We have to remain patient, refuge is coming, we live in this world of instant gratification and when the refuge is not their when we desire it, we must be careful that we do not make irrational decisions.

The New King James Version Chapter 13

As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

Saul acted without integrity, make excuses, and acted outside the framework of his responsibilities. Saul was a King not a Priest. Saul failed to wait, Patience is a mark of character and Saul’s character had major flaws. This is what happens when we act on our own accord rather than waiting on God to provide clarity.

I know it’s unclear when you turn on the news and see good men like Botham Jean killed in his apartment on top of all the other instances we have witnessed first hand of people losing their lives to the people that should be providing protection.

I know it’s unclear when you do not feel at ease in your own neighborhoods.

I know it’s unclear when you worry about the safety of our children inside a school.

But these uncertainties do not and cannot allow us to act without reason, without patience and without integrity.

The New King James Version Chapter 1

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Saul wanted victory but lacked patience, Saul wanted to overcome but on his own accord. We have to act within the confines of how God desires and commands.

In effort to act with integrity we cannot be motivated by hate. Regardless of the oppression we have to mindful of how God wants us to react, respond, and handle ourselves. Hate is never the answer.

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.

But love covers all sins.

Saul was out of line primarily because he was King, not priest. God has a role for government and he has a role for spiritual leadership. The commonality should acting within the best interest of the oppressed people. But just because one realm refrains from acting in the manner God has commanded does not justify us to act with hate.

Worrying about what You do not have Will Never Grant you Victory

What does oppression look like? How should we respond to oppression?

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble

We have to understand that the oppressor is not oblivious to the potential power or uprising of a fed up people. Moses demanded Pharaoh let the people go. Daniel refused to be enticed by the cultural differences that were contrary to the will of God.

 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.

23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Lack of resources is never an excuse of doing what we can.

The Philistines had an advantage in weaponry and technology.

The Philistines had so many soldiers they could divide the Hebrew soldiers

The goal of the oppressor is to divide. If they can divide they can conquer.

Jesus tells us the goal of the enemy, “44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.”

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

The Victory Is Handed Over By God

I know chapter 13 looked bleak, and Hebrews were running for their lives, they were exposed as the expense of a leader that lacked integrity. But praise God for Jonathan. Thank God for someone that does not let fear get in the way of freedom.

6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

Title does not ensure a skill set, Saul was King but Jonathan acted like a King. Saul tried to impress people with words, Jonathan provided actions. Saul allowed his men to settle in fear, Jonathan inspired the men to fight in faith. We can be great with words but weak with deeds! The battle does not belong to us, it’s the Lord’s and in due time he lifts us up!

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Jesus taught many parables, provided many miracles, served many people. Jesus was a victim of oppression, his hometown was looked down upon. He was hung on a tree, he was arrested and beaten. He was killed without a proper trial, dead without a proper funeral. But do not give up because God can bless you with a Resurrection more memorable than you death ever was. Jonathan went from son of the King, to Savior of a nation. Jesus went from can anything good come out of Nazareth to Savior of the whole world.