“OVERTHROWN”

1. News of the recent tsunami has died down, but the tragedy has not been forgotten.

2. A few days ago someone sent me an e-mail and picture related to the destruction.

3. In the background of this photo was a body of water that seemed endless.

4. In the foreground was a single man.

5. Between him and the ocean was debris.

6. There appeared to be a collapsed building and wood was piled up along the shore.

7. Other items were floating in the sea.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AREAS RECENTLY DEVASTATED, WE MIGHT USE THE WORD “OVERTHROWN” TO DESCRIBE THEM.

a) As we continue to hear reports, we might turn our attention to a special word in the Old Testament.

b) In the Hebrew Bible God there is a word that often means “overthrown.”

2) In some places this term has an additional meaning of “turn.”

3) The first time we encounter this term is Gen. 3:24.

4) There was a flaming sword that “turned” (the word we want to study) to seal off the Garden of Eden.

5) Our word, if you it to be spelled out in English, is not very long.

6) It is spelled haphakh, and it is a verb.

7) After Genesis 3 we find this unique word used in Gen. 19:21.

a) Lot and his family were on the way out of Sodom; heaven’s judgment was about to fall on the wicked.

b) Lot pleaded for the right to go to another city.

c) He was promised that a city of his choosing not be “overthrown” (Gen. 19:21).

d) What did the heavenly messenger mean when he made this promise?

e) Overthrown meant utter destruction, total demolishment, wiping it clean.

8) A few of us have seen satellite images from the tsunami disaster areas.

9) In picture number 1 (the before shot), we see green growth and houses.

10) In picture number 2 (the after shot), there is almost nothing but brown.

11) Ancient people knew and we know what it was like to have an area completely decimated.

12) Gen. 19:29 informs us how Sodom was “overthrown” (same word).

13) This area was totally demolished.

14) When we think about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, we typically turn to the book of Genesis.

a) Other verses in the Bible, however, also comment on this destruction.

b) One of these additional passages is found in the book of Deuteronomy.

c) Deut. 29:23 not only talks about Sodom and Gomorrah, it uses the term overthrow.

d) In this additional passage we learn something else – READ. Deut. 29:23.

15) God “overthrew” cities, and this overthrowing was done in God’s “anger and wrath.”

16) Sin angers God. National (community) sin really angers God.

17) Many think God will always sit idly by and never lift a finger against wrongdoing in this life.

18) God says that is not true. He has the ability to “overthrow” a city, a nation, or all the nations.

a) Now is a good time to remind ourselves God’s city ability is not limited to an overseas city.

b) He can overthrown an American city—a big American city.

c) A few nights ago I saw some interesting information.

d) Officials believe it is possible for terrorists to construct and use a nuclear bomb.

e) It may be a crude bomb, but the potential for such an act exists.

f) It is possible for a major city like L.A. to be wiped off the map within a day.

g) Cities are taking this kind of threat very, very seriously.

19) Chicago has huge numbers of cameras throughout the city, some of which are hidden.

20) Police can view the images from a central processing center.

21) Technology is getting so good that if gunfire erupts, a camera automatically points in that direction.

22) Technology and protection are good, but they are no guarantee against destruction.

23) God has overthrown places in the past and He can still do it today.

24) Many have asked if God wanted the tsunami to come and do what it did.

25) Stated another way, was the tsunami divine punishment upon nations and communities?

a) Only God can answer that question.

b) We know God has judged nations and still does so because nations are judged in time.

c) We also know our world is a place of free will, and nature can have a mind of its own.

26) “Did God do that” is the wrong line of investigation when looking at natural disasters.

27) What if God did will for the tsunami or another disaster to come, like our recent snow storm?

28) Are we as finite human beings capable of judging His decision to engage in such acts?

29) Can we understand why such acts might be necessary at such a time in earth’s history?

30) Do we have the right and authority to put God on trial and say, “God, explain yourself?!”

31) Some seem to think they have this right.

32) Saying God was responsible is one side of the coin. Let’s look at the other.

33) If God had no direct hand in this matter (the contrasting view), many still want to fault Him.

34) One writer (Heather MacDonald), said this:

35) “Centuries of uncritical worship have clearly produced a monster.

36) “God knows that He can sit by passively as humans are wantonly mowed down.

37) “The next day churches, mosques, and synagogues will be filled with thankful believers.”

38) “The faithful will ask for help in healing the wounded while ignoring God’s not preventing disaster.”

39) To some, that sounds like good reasoning. Let’s carefully consider this writer’s points:

a) Does God “passively sit by” while people were mowed down like a tractor cutting grass?

b) In the case of Sodom, God was not idle; it was His will that certain places be overthrown.

c) Such could have been the case here. Natural disasters have sometimes been God’s will.

d) If the tsunami was not God’s will, was God idle? Did He sit by and do nothing?

40) It amazes me that people look at the world and regard it as a simple place to run.

41) People fail at running small and large business, as well as nations, but the world is easy to manage.

42) Let’s suppose for just a minute it is God’s job to prevent disasters like the tsunami.

a) Here is the first question to be addressed: what kind of disaster should God prevent?

b) Should God step in and act if a disaster affects 100,000 or more people?

c) If so, what about a disaster of 10,000? What about a tragedy involving 100 or even 10?

43) If the disaster involves only one person (and that one person is us), would we not want Him to intervene?

44) If we are going to make God the stopper of disasters, fairness demands He do it for 1 or a million.

45) Now we come to our second question: what kind of disaster should God prevent?

a) Should it be death?

b) Death is a tragedy; should not God therefore end this problem?

c) If no one dies, people will still probably be sick.

d) Disease is a tragedy (many suffer horribly), so God would be obligated to end that problem too.

e) Now we have everyone living forever and they never have a disease or become ill.

f) People do, however, fall victim to crime and that can be disastrous.

g) How does God stop all the crime in the world?

h) What about food, hunger, shelter, and all the other issues of life that can be disastrous?

46) People bring God down to their level and draw shallow conclusions about Him.

47) There are times when nature takes its course and God will not intervene.

48) There are other times when He says “enough is enough. You will be overthrown.”

49) God has not made this world our permanent home so it is not going to be a perfect place for us.

50) Life is like so many other “temporary” arrangements we experience.

a) We know of temporary work areas, temporary help, and temporary services.

b) God has made this earth a short term stop for people.

51) Sometimes our temporary residence is destroyed.

52) Job 9:5 uses the word we have introduced to say God can “overthrow” mountains.

53) There are many figurative statements in the book of Job and this is certainly figurative language.

54) Yet, this figurative speech teaches a literal point.

55) God is not idle; He is not dead, powerless, or unable to act in the world.

56) He has great power and this powe can be used to judge, punish, and overthrow.

57) A passage that may strike us in a very meaning way is found a little later in Job, Job 12.

58) Job said God can do things with water.

59) He can “withhold it” or “sent it out.”

60) God has the ability to do what was done during the recent tsunami.

61) Job 12:15 – READ.

62) Here the word we are looking at is rendered “overturneth.”

63) Whether the tsunami was an unfortunate event or a divine judgment, water “overturned” things.

64) As we look at this word I cannot forget to include Prov. 12:7.

65) A wise man said the “wicked” are “overthrown.”

a) We have all seen the tsunami pictures.

b) People were buried in water. Water surrounded them and they were carried away.

c) People died by having dull and sharps objects thrust into their bodies.

d) No one who has seen the pictures would ever want to experience that kind of thing.

e) Yet, God says most of the world will undergo a much worse experience.

f) Each “wicked” (unsaved person) will be overthrown.

g) That is a promise of God and it is absolutely true. There will be no exceptions.

h) All people live for eternally, and unforgiven people cannot spend eternity with God.

i) If we are not in a right relationship with God, there is only one alternative: be overthrown

j) Satan and his forces will be overthrown and unsaved people will be cast away with them.

66) God’s message to nations and individuals is: repent or be overthrown.

67) The overthrow may be in this life or it may be reserved for the Day of Judgment; it will come.

68) On the other side of the aisle is “the house of the righteous.” These people will “stand.”

69) Those who went through the tsunami would have eagerly taken an opportunity to go through it unscathed.

70) God says this is His offer to those who want to be His people.

71) We can escape the pain of judgment and eternal condemnation.

72) We can weather the most intense type of judgment the world will ever see.

73) For that to occur we must become a Christian and we must be faithful to God.

74) Have we become a child of God by faith, repentance, confession, and baptism?

75) Are we living a life dedicated to God?