The Battle of the  Ages
with  
MEN IN THE MIDDLE
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.


THE BATTLE OF THE AGES

 
THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOD & THE DEVIL, THE BATTLE BETWEEN GOOD & EVIL
 
Text:  Job 1: 6 - 12:       
         
An unseen battle has been raging for millennia's! It could rightly be called the 'Battle of the Ages', because that is exactly what it is! This battle is being fought in the heavens, as well as on earth!  It is between God and the devil, good and evil, right and wrong, the angels and the demons! ! The prize in this immense conflict is the souls of humanity, the billions of members of Adam's fallen race!
       
In order to rescue 'fallen man',  Almighty God initiated a very elaborate sacrificial system to redeem the descendents of Adam and Eve, who were created in His "image and likeness". After the fall of our first parents, God set the precedent  of 'animal sacrifice' as the means of meeting the demands of divine justice and bring man back into fellowship through the forgiveness of sins!  
       
Because of the seriousness of the offence, God had pre-determined that He would intervene in the conflict by sending His one and only Son - Jesus Christ our Lord - to purchase our freedom and and privileges as His children! His Son would be incarnated (God in human flesh) so that He could bear our penalty and pay the price of our redemption through the shedding of His pure and perfect blood!
     
Until the "fullness of time", God used the sacrifice of innocent animals as types of His Son Who would be born of a virgin, live among men and die upon a rugged cross for the sins of the world, as the Lamb of God!
 
The Church was born on the Day of Pentecost - after Jesus' death and resurrection  - when God poured out His Holy Spirit upon 120 disciples in Jerusalem! The Church is the body of Christ, a living organism with Jesus Christ as Head, and the Holy Spirit as His representative upon this earth! since that day, our Heavenly Father has effectively used the Church in His battle to free lost humanity and place them in His kingdom, by receiving His Son as their Lord and Saviour!
       
1. GOD LOOKED FOR A MAN -  Ezekiel 22: 30 - 31
      
In Ezekiel 22: 30, God states: "I sought for a man among them,  that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land..." In order to stave off judgment against His own people because of their evil, pernicious and sinful ways (see verses 23 - 29), the Almighty looked for someone to STAND IN THE GAP, to make up the hedge, to be a mediator between Himself and a sinful people , so that He wouldn't have to destroy them!
     
"But" states the Lord, "I FOUND NONE! Therefore have I poured out Mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath: their own ways have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God." (verse 31)
      
God is still looking for men  to stand in the GAP, to make up the HEDGE, to INTERCEDE before His throne for a lost and dying humanity! We realize that there was only ONE Who could be the ultimate Mediator between God and man, Who could BRIDGE the Gap between sinful mankind and a Thrice - Holy God, and that Person is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God! 
      
He is still looking for bridge builders, intercessors and soul winners, as followers of the MASTER and  ambassadors of His glorious kingdom!
 
2. HE SAW THAT THERE WAS NO MAN - ISAIAH 59: 16 - 17
     
The Bible says "God saw that there was NO man, and He WONDERED why there was NO intercessor! In Ezekiel we see God searching for a man to stand in the gap, to make up the hedge, and here we see that He did not find anyone! The most extraordinary truth is that God wants to involves us in Hs great work of salving humanity from destruction, death and hell! And that He is still looking for people who really care, intercessors, and ambassadors for Hi great cause!
     
It is almost unthinkable that the great God Who created this world and all of us, would WONDER why we are so uninterested in His Redemptive plan! After searching heaven and earth for someone to intercede, someone to stand in the GAP, His own arm brought salvation! And when Jesus hung on Calvary's cross between two thieves -  dying as a common criminal - He took the hand of God in one hand and the hand of man in the other and brought God and Man together at the CROSS!
     
Since Jesus has done so much for us, can we not obey His Great Commission to carry His Name, His Word and His Gospel to the ends of the earth, thereby helping to build His Great Kingdom in the hearts an lives of men and women?
      
The Bible says: "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sin" (Heb. 9: 22); "it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul." (Lev. 17: 11); "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with the other and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son,  cleanseth us from all sins." (I John 1: 7)
 
3. RUN THROUGH THE STREETS, SEEK FOR A MAN  - JEREMIAH  5: 1
      
God told Jeremiah to run to and fro throughout the streets of Jerusalem, searching for an upright man who could execute judgment and seek the truth! If such a man emerged, God promised to spare the city He said: "And I will pardon it."
      
Why was God so interested in finding an honest man who would tell the truth and bring people back to righteousness? He knows  that the only way to stop judgment from falling upon a people who have sinned, is for them to repent and turn back to Him! It is a Divine Law!
       
The entire nation of Israel had sinned. Jerusalem was filled with iniquity and the "hammer of God's judgment" was about to fall. The message of His mercy had to be preached so there could be a revival! This verse reveals  their ungodly state: "For My people have committed two evils; they have foraken Me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water. " 
     
 The Bible says: "The soul that sinneth, it  shall die." (Ezek.18: 20); "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 3: 23); "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life though Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6: 23) 
 
4. ABRAHAM, THE INTERCESSOR - GENESIS 18: 20 - 32
      
In this Scripture, we see a classic picture of a real Intercessor!  Almighty God had come down - in a theophany - to discuss with His servant and friend Abraham, what He must do with the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
      
Abraham was concerned about these two cities, which were targeted for destruction because of their wickedness. And doubtless, he was more concerned for his nephew Lot, and his family! immediately, he began to intercede with the Lord to spare the city of Sodom! 
     
 Look at his logic: "And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt Thou also destroy  the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" 
      
As the Lord agreed with his logical and fervent prayer, Abraham continued to press for concessions, mercy  for Sodom. Again and again, he pressed for leniency and was rewarded with a resounding , "Yes, I'll spare it for tens sake." But there were not ten righteous souls in teh city and Abraham stopped pleading! Oh, how we need more intercessors in the Church to plead with God for our cities and our loved ones!
 
5. MOSES INTERCEDES FOR CHILDREN OF ISRAEL - EXODUS 32: 30 - 32
     
The children of Israel had sinned grievously, while Moses was on the Mount receiving the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandment, written by the finger of God.  The Lord was wroth and stated that He would destroy them and make of Moses a great nation. The prophet plead with the Almighty and in no uncertain terms stated: "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin --; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written." (verses 31, 32)
     
God changed His mind and did not destroy them all! Moses was willing to go to Hell to save  the people of Israel.
 
6. PAUL WAS WILLING TO GO TO HELL FOR HIS PEOPLE - ROMANS 9: 1 - 3; 10: 1
      
Only two people in the Bible were prepared to go to hell in order to save the Jewish nation - Moses and Paul! When I first read this Scripture, I had to do a double-take. It was so powerful that it did not seem right to me! What was I reading? Was it possible that the great apostle to the Gentiles could have made such a statement? And why did he need five witnesses to prove that he was telling the truth?
     
 He said: "I say the truth, number one; I say it in Christ, number two; I lie not, number three; My conscience bears me witness, number four; So does the Holy Ghost, number five! What was so heavy duty that he had to use five witnesses to prove that he was telling the truth?  Simply this: He had such a burden for the lost souls of his Jewish nation that if it were possible, he would have gone to hell in their place if that would have saved them!"
      
Of course, that was not possible! Only One could save them and His name is JESUS the CHRIST!
And remember, it was the Holy Spirit Who put that burden on Paul's heart!
 
7. NO MAN LOOKING BACK IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD - LUKE 9: 62
      
 In closing, a strong word of warning! Jesus didn't make it easy to follow Him. He knew that the way would often be hard, so He encouraged people to count the cost before embarking on the journey with Him!
       
The Bible says: "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee withersoever Thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head. And He said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
      
"And another also said, Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God!" (verses 57 - 62)
      
God is looking for men and women who are unafraid and consecrated to do His will, regardless of cost! We must not compromise or look back, but press on for Jesus Christ and His glorious kingdom! Amen.