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We Utterly Destroyed

Holy war.  That’s a scary subject today, with Muslim terrorists in the name of jihad, their concept of holy war, going around killing civilians in things like 9/11 and suicide bombings.  And this was a scary thing in the past, when Crusaders in the name of Christianity went to war over the so-called holy lands, killing people, sadly, in the name of Christ.  Those are just a couple of examples of the many atrocities that have been committed under the guise of holy war.

Well, what about this passage?  In this passage, Israel begins their military conquest of the Promised Land.  The Hebrew word for this sort of conquest is the word cherem.  Cherem warfare.  It’s when they utterly destroyed man, woman, and child, in the name of God.  It’s basically the biblical word for a sort of holy war.  I hope this causes you to sit up straight in your seats when you hear this.  So the question becomes, is this an atrocity, akin to what Muslim terrorists do today, and what the Crusaders did in the past?  If you do think so, and you’re a Christian, do you just try to ignore passages like this?  Or, if they are not the same sort of thing, then why?  What’s the difference?

Listen in as we consider this topic and it’s impact on our lives today.

Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 2:26-3:11 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 08/02/2009 in Novato, CA.

Manuscript: We Utterly Destroyed

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Then We Turned and Journeyed

“Are we there yet?”  If you’ve gone on a road trip before, I’m sure you’ve either heard those words before or said them yourself.  During long car trips you can get bored, especially if the scenery is pretty bland.  But often if we just take the time to look around we can find a lot to enjoy and take in.  Well, in our passage for today we are taken into a pretty long road trip, so to speak.  Here’s a 38 year journey compacted into some 25 verses.  I’m sure Israel probably asked God a number of times, “Are we there yet?”  But God had a plan.  He had placed them on this journey.  He knew where they were going and when they’d get there.

Today we will reflect on this journey of Israel, and ultimately reflect on how God works in our life, in the journey that he has us on.

Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 2:1-25 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 07/26/2009 in Novato, CA.

Manuscript: Then We Turned and Journeyed

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The Lord Would Not Listen To Your Voice

We’ll consider today what biblical repentance looks like, and the only way in which it can be effective, as we examine Israel’s own misplaced repentance in this passage. 

Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 1:19-46 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 07/19/2009 in Novato, CA.

Manuscript: The Lord Would Not Listen To Your Voice

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You Murmured In Your Tents

Have you ever murmured?  Maybe we don’t use that word much.  In our passage we see Israel murmuring.  Murmuring is something often done in private, either to yourself, or to a small audience.  The word here in verse 27 could also be translated as “whisper,” or maybe even “grumble.”  Usually when the bible talks about the sin of murmuring it’s referring to that quiet complaining that we like do.

Well, the sin of murmuring is one of several sins in this passage.  And yet in many ways it’s the sin of murmuring that becomes so devastating here for Israel.  And of course, the sin of murmuring is really something that reveals the condition of their heart.  It’s not so much that murmuring causes a heart to go hard, but that a hard heart results in murmuring.  And yet murmuring can be so destructive because it can then sow further seeds of unbelief and discouragement among yourself and with others.  This is all a part of what we see going on in this passage with the nation of Israel.  And so today I want us to look at this sin of murmuring, both with Israel, and with us.  But of course, most of all, we’ll be looking again this morning at the gospel of Jesus Christ, even as we think about the sin of murmuring.

Sermon preached on Deuteronomy 1:19-46 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 07/05/2009 in Novato, CA.

Manuscript: You Murmured In Your Tents

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