Some Things We Can Learn From a Horse

Some Things We Can Learn From a Horse

Intoduction:

God loves horses and has wondrous appreciation for horses. God used them throughout the Bible: Listen to the awe and beauty with which God describes his wondrous creation the horse to Job:

Job 39-19-25 9Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? 20Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. 21He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. 22He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. 23The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield. 24He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. 25He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting

The story of Balaam The story of Absalom The story of Ester The story David The story of the Birth of Christ The story of triumphant entry The return of Christ The four horses of Revelation

I. Horses were created for man’s pleasure just as man was created for God’s pleasure.

a. Transportation b. Work c. Beauty c. You were created for God’s pleasure d. God Walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. God desires to fellowship with you. E. Disobedience, (sin), separated God from Adam and Eve. Your sin also separates you from God.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned

II. A stubborn, disobedient horse is not pleasing to man and a stubborn and disobedient man is not Pleasing to God.

a. Horses are dumb. God created them to be trained.

b. Men are dumb when compared to the wisdom of God. Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

So are My ways higher than your ways,

And My thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there,

But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Proverbs 14:12 12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death

c. Just like horses, men are born with the need to be trained. Psalms 32:9 9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Psalms 32:8-9 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

III. Stubborn horses, (those who put their will over their masters will), must be disciplined and so will stubborn men be disciplined by God.

a. Because of the curse of sin, just like the horse, man’s fallen heart has a rebellious nature. Deut. 31:24

24And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this .law in a book, until they were finished, 25That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 26Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. 27For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

b. Stubborn men,(those who put their will over God's will), must be disciplined.

Proverbs 26:3

A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.

c. The Bible compares the stubborn man to a horse with a stiff neck.

Proverbs 29:1

1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

d. Just like a horse that will not submit to man is condemned to death, God will judge the stubborn man who refuses to submit to his creator.

The wrath of God is revealed against all those who rebel against their creator. Romans 1:18-32 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29being filled with all unrighteousness, £sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, £unforgiving, unmerciful; 32who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

e. God has judged others in the past so don’t even think that he won’t judge you. 1. Adam and Eve- The horror of awfulness of sin 2. Cain and Able- It’s small, God will overlook it 3. The people in Noah’s day- Everybody else is doing it, everyone can’t be wrong 4. Sodom and the cities of the plain- I have the right!

f. God would become unjust and the universe would cease to exist, if he did not judge your sin. Matthew 11:20

0Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, who£ are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

f. God provided a substitute for your punishment.

John 3:14-18

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in Him should £not perish but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For through Him might be saved.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

f. Jesus gave us a clear and vivid example of what happens to the man who does not repent of his rebellion and submit to his creator.

Luke 16:19-31

19There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 27Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: 28For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Conclusion: a. God created you for his own pleasure. b. Your sin displeases God your creator. c. God commands you to repent

. Acts 17:30-31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere

to repent, 31because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by

raising Him from the dead.” c. Don’t stiffen your neck like a stubborn, rebellious horse against the pleading of the Holy Spirit of God as he convicts you of your sin and draws you to repent and be saved. God will not grade on a sliding scale. Listen to the pleading of Wisdom in the book of Proverbs:

23 Turn at my rebuke;

Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;

I will make my words known to you.

24 Because I have called and you refused,

I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,

25 Because you disdained all my counsel,

And would have none of my rebuke,

26 I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when your terror comes,

27 When your terror comes like a storm,

And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,

When distress and anguish come upon you.

28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;

They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me.

29 Because they hated knowledge

And did not choose the fear of the Lord,

30 They would have none of my counsel

And despised my every rebuke.

31 Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way,

And be filled to the full with their own fancies.

32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them,

And the complacency of fools will destroy them;

33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely,

And will be secure, without fear of evil.”