Caught off guard

1. Tonight I want to look at a variety of passages in the Bible that all have the same theme: disaster.

2. There are cases where people were not expecting calamity but it came upon them.

FOR SEVREAL DAYS WE HAVE SEEN THE EFFETS OF A VERY BAD FLOOD, ONE OF THE WORST DISASTERS IN OUR NATION’S HISTORY.

a) The Bible has many examples of people who were caught off guard.

b) Tonight we want to look at 6 passages which make this point.

2) Our text selections are: Judg. 20:34; Prov. 23:35; Prov. 24:12; Isa. 42:25; Lk. 19:44; Mt. 24:37-39.

3) We start with the first text, Judg. 20:34.

a) The tribe of Benjamin was protecting some very bad people.

b) Israel had 400,000 troops gathered together (Judg. 20:1-2) to take out the wicked people who were being protected.

c) The Benjaminites (verses 14-16) had mobilized just under 27,000 soldiers.

d) One would think that an army of 400,000 would quickly overcome a force of 27,000.

e) Listen to the battle report – verses 19-23 of Judg. 20 – READ.

f) Israel and its army of 400,000 men lost 22,000 soldiers the first day!

g) It seems incredible that such a big army would face such a large loss, but this is what happened.

h) God said Israel was to fight again so Israel and it thousands of soldiers did battle a second day.

i) Verses 24-28 – READ.

j) On the second day, 18,000 Israelite soldiers died; 10% of the force (40,000 soldiers) was killed.

k) Day three came and this was the last battle – it is described in verse 35 – READ.

l) Benjamin lost 25,000 men.

m) Benjamin only had 27,000 to start with so their whole force was nearly eliminated.

4) The Benjamites must have felt so confident on days one and two of the battle.

5) They wiped out 10% of Israel’s military force and must have suffered few if any causalities.

6) A day came—sooner than they thought—where they met disaster.

7) Disaster comes, and when it arrives, those it affects are often shocked.

8) Next on our list is Prov. 23:35.

a) This is a very special text in that it goes to great lengths to describe alcohol.

b) A wise man knew some things about liquor.

c) He said booze leads to mental problems (verse 33).

d) It can cause hallucinations and confusion.

e) He commented on how a drunkard is off balance when he walks.

f) An intoxicated person may imagine that he is like a sailor, swaying on a ship’s rigging – verse 34 – READ.

g) We want verse 35 – READ.

h) The writer pictures a man who was drunk and beaten, but he didn’t know it.

i) Booze had so affected him he could not and did not realize someone was punching him.

j) Catastrophe came in the form of an attack and he was not prepared.

9) In our day and time a lot of people will not prepare themselves for disasters.

10) We have a long-term reminder of this with the recent hurricane; people were warned.

11) An order to evacuate was issued, but people refused to heed the warning.

12) At least some had the attitude, “we’re safe; it will not affect us.”

13) As we look at those who are suffering, we can make an observation about human nature.

14) After lives are put back together, there will be those who refuse to learn from this disaster.

15) There will be people who take no precautions and make no changes for times in the future.

16) How do we know that? Prov. 23:35 – the end of the verse.

17) Notice the words, “I will seek it again.”

a) Here is a man who got very drunk, beaten up, but he didn’t learn from the experience.

b) He said he would go out and do it all over again.

c) No matter how hard we try, some will not be convinced of disaster or learn from it.

18) Prov. 24:12 is probably across the page – READ.

a) When disaster comes there are those who say, “We didn’t know.”

b) Perhaps a more accurate quotation is, “We didn’t think it was going to be this bad.”

c) “We didn’t realize the water would come this far, this fast, this high, this strong, or be this dirty.”

d) Realizing the disaster after the fact is too late.

e) Certainly we expect that in eternity a similar mindset will be found.

f) There will be those who think, “I did not realize hell would be this bad, this long, this much suffering.”

g) Those who refuse to avoid disaster often complain about the crisis but it is too late for that.

19) Moving from Prov. 24 to Isa. 42:25 – this passage in my mind is one that deserves emphasis.

a) As I look at the hurricane damage I have a lot of perspectives.

b) There are innocent people who are suffering. Members of the church are suffering.

c) As with other disasters, we cannot say this was or was not a judgment of God.

d) We can say New Orleans is known for some things, especially sinful things.

e) This city offers “Southern Decadence,” an annual homosexual celebration.

f) Some of you have already received this information via e-mail.

g) If you didn’t get it that way, you might find the following to be rather interesting.

20) Would you like to take a wild guess at when southern decadence was scheduled for this year?

a) August 31-September 5, 2005, the same time frame as the flood damage.

b) There is actually a web site for southern decadence (it’s currently off-line).

c) I have not heard this on any of the major news networks or seen it in any newspapers.

d) It is absolutely fascinating that the destruction came just prior to this large celebration.

e) New Orleans is also famous for its Mardi Gras celebrations.

21) Hear God’s prophet speaking – Isa. 42:25 – READ.

a) Many can never see a connection between sin and judgment.

b) As I said we cannot say for sure the destruction was a judgment of God.

c) That possibility at least needs to be considered.

d) Instead of listing this as a consideration, everything goes back to not having made the right flood control decisions.

e) It is god to remind ourselves that God owns the world and He is still active in it.

f) He has used natural disasters in the past to punish and He can do the same today.

g) Yet, just as in the prophet’s time, a lot of people “just don’t get it.”

h) People talk about coincidence, bad luck, just the way it was.

i) Divine judgment is also a possibility.

j) One American city has just been wiped, and it may not be the last.

22) From the Old Testament we turn to the New Testament, Lk. 19:44.

a) Jesus came to the city of Jesus and He was thinking of the future.

b) He knew Jerusalem would be razed (completely destroyed by the Romans) in about 40 years.

c) The Lord really wished the Jews would accept Him and avoid the destruction.

d) These people preferred absolute disaster over salvation.

e) Verses 41-44 of Lk. 19 – READ.

f) We can look at this text and think of the point in terms of eternity.

23) God’s gospel has been put forth to the world but Jesus said most will reject it.

24) In southern states people are saying the hurricane disaster is “hell on earth.”

25) What is being experienced is surely far worse than we can imagine.

26) It is not, however, “Hell” in any sense of the word.

27) Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 A.D. was far worse, but it was not even a foretaste of eternity without God.

28) No matter who warns or how well we warn, there are people who will not make eternal preparations.

29) A long time ago I had to tell myself as a preacher, “People are making choices against God and it is not you.”

30) Many, at least in this life, prefer to choose eternal destruction over eternal life. This is a fact we cannot change.

31) We now come to the final text, Mt. 24:37-39.

a) Jesus knew a little something about floods.

b) He was well aware of how things had gone in the time of Noah.

c) Though about 4,000 years had passed, the Lord used the flood for a great illustration.

32) In verse 37 Jesus compared the coming of the flood to His second return – READ.

a) We have a living example of people who were unprepared for a hurricane.

b) Now, food is needed, water is needed, medical supplies and care are needed.

c) Now that things are needed, there is an eagerness to find them.

d) People will do almost anything to get what they need and want.

e) They will steal, shoot people, form gangs, or whatever else is necessary.

f) After a disaster strikes, all kinds of clever schemes are devised.

g) Disaster springs people into action.

33) In eternity, there is no room for cleverness or making things right with God.

34) If we and or others enter into the disaster area called Hell, we cannot better the sitaution.

35) Water in the south will recede, but the fires of Hell will never be extinguished.

36) People may finally die physically because no one helps them, but such will not occur in Hell.

37) We can warn and warn, but as long as life is good, warnings can fall by the wayside.

38) Verse 38 – READ.

a) How long did Noah warn? 120 years.

b) Noah made his plans; he entered into the ark; the world scorned him.

c) This man must have been the laughing stock of his day.

d) Noah must have been considered a class act crackpot.

39) Notice the simple ending of the story in verse 39 – READ.

40) There were people in the south who were also victims of a flood and swept away.

a) Like Katrina, this ancient disaster was one that was not supposed to come.

b) We have seen that same mindset.

c) One day New Orleans residents thought, “we’re safe.”

d) Some felt they were so safe they stayed at started to loot stores.

e) Before long they and they tv set they stole were washed away.

41) Another disaster—the world’s worst ever—is coming. Christians know it as the judgment day.

42) All will stand before the Lord and be judged for their lives.

43) There will be no “aid” from anyone but the Lord, and that help will only be for Christians.

44) Are we a child of God?

45) We may never see a hurricane, tornado, mudslide, earthquake, etc.

46) We will see the disaster of unsaved people appearing before God.