Judges 5:6 English Standard Version (ESV) “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.”

During these present times finding those people who are on the edge and able to hear will not be easy. I begin here in Judges 5:6 because of Shamgar. Israel was being oppressed by the Philistines during these days and Shamgar sought to break the oppression by violent means. Does that sound familiar?

The highways represent paths of righteousness, straight paths easily traveled. It was how mankind could walk in God’s will and good pleasure. Those ways had been abandoned. Does that sound familiar?

The byways represent the crooked paths, were the acts of the travelers would be accepted among their fellow travelers but hidden from the sight of Shamgar. Does that sound familiar?

If we are to find those stragglers that have no desire to lead the violence, nor to oppose it, we will not find them in the highway. It is impossible to save souls in a church full of saved people. Does that sound familiar?

Matthew 3:1 English Standard Version (ESV) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Who is preaching peace, love and joy in the byways? Where is God’s love being seen? If you are wondering where the byways are, they are anywhere outside of our church sanctuaries. We all feel safe and protected in church. God is a God everywhere, even in the byways. If we walk in His will we can expect sanctuary protect to be extended wherever we go.

Do not take this word as any kind of encouragement to stand and yell at the leading edge of mob violence. Those people will not listen. Let God lead you in your search for the lost, to reach those on the edge that will still hear reason.

Exodus 14:21 English Standard Version (ESV) Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

We were speaking yesterday about seeing our way out of this present pandemic of evil and hitting the reset button. During this time we want to hear and believe God in order to walk in His will as He moves against the tide of evil in our nation. Allow me to grasp an example of an old escape plan in order to point out some not so obvious points.

Here in Exodus 14:21 Moses stretches forth his hands in obedience to God’s command. This is something we should aspire to do. Moses stands on the edge of the sea. Moses did not step down into the sea until God was through preparing the way. This went on all night. In the flesh Moses must have been getting tired. Holding our arms outstretched all night long is a super human feat.

Our flesh will be on edge waiting on the Lord to complete His work. We do not have the strength to maintain the attitude of worship that long. We need His strength to succeed. We need to pray for that strength. We need God to be super human in us in order not to jump off the edge and into the middle of the fray.

I watched a video of men and women breaking into a Wells Fargo bank. There were those who were actively doing damage and then there were eager participants waiting for the windows to be removed so that they could enter. Then there were those at the back that held back from participating. Those people were not actively participating. They were on the edge, perhaps even on edge.

Those are the ones that can be reached. Those are the ones that might hear another voice, a voice of reason.

“God loves you.”