Brought Low

The book of Judges chapter 6 and we're going to read verse 6 and Israel was greatly impoverished could be read and Israel was brought very low because of the Midianites and the children of Israel cried unto the Lord. I'd like to read secondly in the book of Haggai, the book of Haggai in chapter 1. We'll read from verse 3. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet saying is it time for you O ye that dwell in your sealed houses and this house lie waste. Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways.

Ye have sown much and bring in little. Ye eat, but ye have not enough. Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink.

Ye clothe you, but there is none warm. And he that earneth wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, bring wood, build a house and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified saith the Lord. Ye look for much and lo it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it. Now final reading in Psalm 106.

Psalm 106 verse 35. Psalm 106 verse 35. But were mingled among the heathen, learned their works, they served their idols which were a snare unto them.

Down to verse 39. Thus were they defiled with their own works and went a-whoring with their own inventions. Now down to verse 43.

Many a time did he deliver them, but they provoked him with their counsel and were brought low for their iniquity. The Lord has promised to bless to us the reading from his good word. Now I was taught many things as a young Christian.

One of the things that I was taught as a young Christian was this, that the church is reliving the history of Israel and the importance of knowing the Old Testament scriptures. Now I've no problem with that statement. For example, the Bible says this, the things that were written aforetime, they were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might have hope.

You remember there are two chapters in the New Testament that bring before us the children of Israel. You've 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and you've Hebrews chapter 11. When I think of 1 Corinthians chapter 10, it's the failure of the children of Israel.

And remember those failures are for our example. And then I come to Hebrews chapter 11. Not now the failure of the children of Israel, but the faith and the faithfulness of the children of Israel.

And whether it be 1 Corinthians chapter 10 or Hebrews chapter 11, remember those chapters are for our example. Now what I've read this morning is three things. Judges chapter 6, Haggai chapter 1, and Psalm 106.

And I want you to notice in those three chapters, there is one thing in common. Now you might say to me this morning, what is the one thing in common? And it's simply this. Judges chapter 6, the children of Israel are brought low.

Haggai chapter 1, the children of Israel are brought low. And Psalm 106, the children of Israel are brought low. You mark my words.

What brought the children of Israel low could bring the assemblies of God low in the day that you and I are living in. Now I've come this morning to talk to you about three things. First of all, we're going to consider the cause.

Why was the children of Israel brought low? We're going to consider the cause. Secondly, we're going to consider the cost. I tell you there was a great cost in the children of Israel being brought low and we'll consider the cost.

The third thing we're going to consider is this. We're going to think about a cure. For remember there's always a cost and there's always a cause and there's always a cure.

Now let's think about the first thing and I'm going to give you the three right away because we might not get the first speakers to be an example. So we might not get through what I have in mind, but I'll give you the skeleton and you could put the meat, the flesh around it. What was the cause of Israel being brought low in Judges chapter 6? It was Midian and we're going to speak a little about Midian this morning from Judges chapter 6. It was Midian.

Secondly, what was the cause in Haggai chapter 1? Not now Midian as seen in Judges chapter 6, but it was materialism as seen in Haggai chapter 1. They were living in their own sealed houses and the house of God was lying in waste. It was materialism. But you know when I come to Psalm 106, not now is it Midian as seen in Judges 6, not now materialism as seen in Haggai chapter 1, but I read the phrase this morning from Psalm 106.

They mingled themselves with the nation. They learned their works and they served their gods. They mingled themselves with the nation.

So remember the cause in Judges 6 is Midian. The cause in Haggai chapter 1 is materialism and the cause in Psalm 106, they mingled themselves with the nation. They learned their works and they served their God and they were brought low in their iniquity.

Now let's think of Midian. If you have a good concordance, a strong concordance, any concordance, you look up the word Midian and it means strife. So when you and I consider Midian, we are thinking this morning about strife.

Now listen to what the Bible says about strife. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory. Listen again to what the Bible says about strife.

Where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. So we're talking this morning about strife. Now I want to consider two things very simply about strife this morning.

The first thing we're going to consider about strife is this. We're going to go through the book of the Proverbs and we're going to notice the kind of people that stir, that sow, that kindle strife. Go through the Proverbs and notice the people that kindle, that sow, strife.

Now for example, a froward man, an angry man, transgressor, a tailbearer, a proud man, that's the kind of men, the individuals that sow, that kindle strife amongst the people of God. Now what I want to do secondly this morning is this. We're going to go through the Bible and we're going to notice where you find strife in the Bible.

Now for example, Genesis chapter 13, listen to what I read. There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abraham and the herdsmen of Lot. Do you remember the word of Abraham in Genesis 13? Listen to it.

We be brethren. Now go through the Bible and discover this. We should be servants marked by faithfulness.

We should be sons marked by likeness. We should be children marked by obedience. We should be brethren marked by unity.

But in Genesis 13, there was a strife between Abraham's herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen. I come to Psalm 55 is it? I have seen strife and I have seen violence in the city. Not now amongst the herdsmen as seen in Genesis 13.

But in the city, there was strife and there was violence. Then I come to Luke chapter 22. Listen to what I read in that chapter.

There was a strife amongst the disciples and they're arguing amongst themselves. Who shall be the greatest? No strife amongst the disciples. Then I come to 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and I read a verse like this.

In the church of God at Corinth, there was envy, there was strife, and there was division. And I'm going to say it this morning for it needs to be said. We're living in dark and difficult days.

And the assemblies of God's people are being brought low and it's because of strife. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory. You might say to me this morning, what's the difference between strife and vainglory? Simply this, strife, I put my brother down.

Vainglory, I raise myself up. Says the Apostle, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory. But remember, here's a people that's brought low.

Now get the picture. Listen to how it could be read. Israel was greatly impoverished.

Israel was made very weak. Israel became very thin. Israel became very poor.

Israel was brought low and it was because of one thing, it was Midian, it was strife amongst them. I must leave that there and I'm going to go very quickly to Haggai chapter 1. Let me say a few things about Haggai chapter 1. Remember there's a cause and the cause is materialism. Remember there's a cost and we're going to notice first of all the cost.

Notice what we read this morning. Here's a company of people. They have sown much and they have brought in little.

And remember Haggai has a message for them. I think I read this the other day there. The writer said, Haggai is like an alarm clock.

You might say, how is Haggai like an alarm clock? You know, three weeks ago, 3.30 in the morning, my wife and I had to arise. We had to catch an early flight. So how is Haggai like an alarm clock? Unwelcomed, but necessary.

I tell you 3.30 in the morning was unwelcomed, but if we had to catch our flight, it was necessary. So remember Haggai is like an alarm clock. But you know, he has a message for the people of God.

And I trust this morning, I have a message for the people of God. Haggai was the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message. Now I want to emphasize two things this morning.

The first thing I'm going to emphasize this morning is this. You know, little is much if God is in it. And I think I can prove that very clearly this morning from the Bible.

Little is much if God is in it. Let me give you two examples. One from the old and one from the new.

You remember 2 Kings chapter four? You remember the question that was put to the woman? What hast thou in the house? The woman said, nothing but a pot of oil. So a pot of oil, that's little. Ah, but what was the outcome? The debt was paid and the woman and her sons lived and the rest of it.

I tell you this morning, little is much if God is in it. Let's come to the New Testament. You remember what they said about that lad? There's a lad here with five barley loaves and two small fishes.

What are these among so many? But my point this morning is this. Remember little is much if God is in it. And through the five barley loaves and the two small fishes, the multitude was fed.

But I come to Haggai chapter one this morning and I want to remind this audience much is little if God is not in it. Now get the picture. They have sown much.

They've spent lots of money. They've done lots of work. But what was the outcome? They have sown much, but they have brought in little.

I haven't time this morning to go into it, but let me say this. Here's a company of people dissatisfied. Here's a company of people that's hungry.

Here's a company of people that's thirsty. Here's a company of people that's cold. Here's a company of people spending money to no profit.

Now why? They are living in their own sealed houses and the house of God lieth in waste. Now let me come very quickly. What's the cure? I didn't give you the cure in Judges six.

The cure is they cried unto the Lord. The cure in Haggai chapter one is this. Go up to the mountains, bring down wood, build a house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord of Hosts.

There was a cause, materialism. There was a cost, dissatisfied. But thank God there was a cure.

Go up to the mountains, bring down wood, build a house, take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord of Hosts. Now two minutes and I'm going to sit down. They mingled themselves with the people.

I want to make it very clear. Where God makes a distinction, you and I should keep that distinction. I could go through the Bible this morning.

I won't do it. But time and again, God makes a difference between Israel and Egypt. I'm going to speak about carnality.

You read first Corinthians and you'll discover this. Carnality does four things. I'll give you the four and then I'll sit down.

First of all, carnality divides. Listen to one verse. In the church of God at Corinth, there was envy, there was strife, there was division.

And remember, carnality divides. Second thing I want you to notice about carnality is this. Carnality defiles.

There was fornication at Corinth. First Corinthians 3 says this, if any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are, carnality defiles.

You know, carnality dwarfs. The saints at Corinth, they were babes with whiskers. They were babes instead of being men.

They were carnal instead of being spiritual. Remember, carnality dwarfs. My point this morning is this.

That line of demarcation that ought to mark us, that difference that ought to mark us, carnality does away with the difference. For remember, the Corinthians, they were walking as men. Now before I sit down, let me say three things very quickly.

You remember the 10 virgins? You know, they were different at the beginning. Five of them were wise, five were foolish. They were different at the end.

The five that were wise went into the marriage, and the door was shut, and the five that were foolish were left out. My point is this. They were different at the beginning.

They were different at the end, but the tragedy was this. There was no difference in between. They all slumbered, and they all slept.

So there you have it. Judges chapter 6 brought low because of Midian. Hungarian chapter 1 brought low because of materialism.

Psalm 106 brought low because they mingled themselves with the nation.