BREAKING CYCLES

Joshua 24

Joshua before his death challenged the nation to faithfully and consistently serve the Lord. He presents to them a choice 24:14-15

God never forces his will on us

In Joshua 24:20 Joshua warns the nation of the severe repercussions of forsaking the Lord

LOOK AT THE NATIONS RESPONSE IN VERSE 21-22 (LIP SERVICE)

JOSHUA GIVES ON LAST CHALLENGE IN VS 23

AS WE TRANSITION TO THE BOOK OF JUDGES ISRAEL TAKES A TURN FOR THE WORST THEY ENTER INTO A SORDID CYCYLE OF SIN

they broke GODS laws

they broke GOD’S covenant

which led to GOD’S Discipline

which led to Israels temporary remorse because they desired relief

which soon after they reverted back to the same ways

which became a vicious cycle

which led to Israel going round and round on the hamster wheel never seeming to be able to get it right!

Judges 2:7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. (Joshua set a precedence )

8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres e in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals.

Judges 3:12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel.

Judges 4:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. 2 So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan

Judges 6:1The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.

Israel pleads for help / Righteous Requirement

Judges 6:7 When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

Judges 10:6 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him,

Why do you think Israel was unable get it right with GOD?

Do you think they were pulled into this sinful cycle or pushed?

INHERITED -     GENESIS   20:1-16 ; 26:1-11

Abraham / Isaac

INFLUENCED -  NMBERS 14:30

Joshua / Caleb

FIVE CYCLES TO CODNSIDER

DISOBEDIENCE ( Galatians 5:9 )n a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump

UNFAITHFULNESS : not adhering to vows, allegiance, or duty : DISLOYAL

Mark 14:53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

FLESH

Mathew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ j 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30

PRIDE -Nebuchanezzar

Daniele 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

VANITY

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

BREAKING CYCLES

CONFESSION

Joshua 7:19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

Acts 5:5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Paul at Ephesus

Acts 19:18 And many of those who had believed came, confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 and many of those who practiced magic brought together their* books and* burned them* up in the sight of everyone. And they counted up their value and found it was ⌊fifty thousand silver coins⌋. 20 In this way the word of the Lord was growing in power and was prevailing.

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,

but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

REPENTANCE

11 Corinthians 6:17  Therefore,

“Come out from them

and be separate,

says the Lord.

Touch no unclean thing,

and I will receive you.” 

SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

The New International Version Chapter 12

43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”