As we commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Towers and take note of filled Covid intensive care units we recognize that we are still a people who are often in need of rescue. Truth of the Spirit with Patti Brunner presents God’s Blueprint for Rescue. Scripture is filled with rescue stories. God has a plan to rescue you! For video and audio links and copy of the transcript please continue reading
As I have read and studied the Bible, I have found that one of the main themes is “rescue”. The Old Testament is filled with rescue stories. As we commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Towers and take note of filled covid intensive care units we recognize that we are still a people who are often in need of rescue. Just as the Lord provided fireman and policemen, nurses and doctors the Lord has often sent particular people to lead us to safety. Those who faithfully minister to our ‘viewers’ and listeners reveal the heart of God to His People. We need a source of remembrance to call upon the Name of the Lord when we need rescue.
Welcome to Truth of the Spirit. I’m your host Patti Brunner. Our topic today is God’s Plan of Rescue. Like exit signs that are posted with emergency lighting, His source of rescue is a search for the Light of God. The signs are in clear view but many ignore them until panic blinds them. Narrow is the path. Seek them in good times, study them, use them, and when you need them they will not fail to guide you to safety.
What is the “Blueprint” of God’s Plan for Rescue? How has He laid it out for us? Let’s start with a few stories from scripture. A man named Gideon was called to lead a rescue with God at his side. His story is told in the Book of Judges. The Israelites turned away from God and did what was evil. Sound familiar? In direct result Midian came down hard on Israel. If Israel planted a crop, the Midianites would come in and destroy the crop and take their livestock and the Midian army grew strong in numbers. The Israelites had to run for the hills to escape. This went on for seven years. Judges Chapter 6 says, “And Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the people of Israel cried for help to the LORD.” –No matter how bad things get, even if it is our fault, the Lord is always faithful and ready to help us when we turn to him with our needs. So the Lord raised up Gideon and told him to defeat the Midian army. Gideon wanted to follow through with God’s plan, but he was affected by the sheer size of the Midian army. One man against a hundred twenty thousand! So God gave him a blueprint to follow.
First, God had him step forward in faith by doing a small task: pull down the altar of the false god, Baal, and the wooden pole of the false goddess and then to honor God with a sacrifice. Gideon was afraid to do this alone. He got 10 of his servants and together they did it at night. It’s ok to need the help of others. We can pay firemen and doctors to help us tackle the problems that overwhelm our family, but that’s not the key to God’s blueprint. The key was Gideon’s obedience and trust in God. The trust was very slow to come. He put God’s direction to take on the difficult task of battling the Midian army to the test before he took the risk to save his family of Israel. In Judges chapter 6: “36 Gideon said to God, “If indeed you are going to save Israel through me, as you have said, 37 I am putting this woolen fleece on the threshing floor, and if dew is on the fleece alone, while all the ground is dry, I shall know that you will save Israel through me, as you have said.” 38 That is what happened. Early the next morning when he wrung out the fleece, he squeezed enough dew from it to fill a bowl. 39 Gideon then said to God, “Do not be angry with me if I speak once more. Let me make just one more test with the fleece. Let the fleece alone be dry, but let there be dew on all the ground.” 40 That is what God did that night: the fleece alone was dry, but there was dew on all the ground.”
Once Gideon surrendered his will to the Lord, the Spirit of the LORD took charge of Gideon; and he was able to raise an army of 30,000 men. It would be 30,000 against 120,000. That gave Gideon a little more confidence. But the thing was, God wanted him to defeat their enemy through the power of the Lord not the power of an army. The Lord wants you to use HIS power to defeat the problems in your family.
God told Gideon to reduce his army of 30,000 down to 300, which he did. The Lord then gave them a plan and the 300 obeyed and surrounded the enemy blowing trumpets and holding torches. And the Lord took care of the battle. In the battle, the enemy, confused, turned on each other and were destroyed or captured. The power of the Lord defeated the enemy of a hundred twenty thousand.
This is the rescue and the power of the Lord that the prophet wanted us to hear about in Isaiah Chapter 9. “3 For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, the rod of their taskmaster, you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.” The Lord wants to smash the burden you are carrying. He wants to take you out of darkness and gloom. When you turn to the Lord, cooperate with his way and let Him win the battle people will say: “This is the people of joy!”
The truth sets free the people who live in darkness when the light is all around them. Fear is the largest wall that forms a prison for people. How do we turn from fear toward trust? When we see the goodness of the Lord we must know that it is available to all who call upon the Lord. Doubt causes worry. Worry causes stress. Stress causes addiction, illness, and sadness. Our need for rescue deepens.
We can find examples of rescue in the New Testament, too. In the Gospel of Luke Chapter 4, Jesus reminds the people in a Jewish synagogue of a couple of Gentiles who trusted God seemingly more than the Israelites. “24 Jesus went on, ‘In truth I tell you, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. 25 ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, 26 but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a town in Sidonia. 27 And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many suffering from virulent skin-diseases in Israel, but none of these was cured — only Naaman the Syrian.’ 28 When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. 29 They sprang to their feet and hustled Jesus out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him off the cliff, 30 but he passed straight through the crowd and walked away.” Jesus himself was rescued as Jesus passed from their midst.
One time, reported in the Gospel of Matthew Chapter 14, Jesus “22 made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he sent the crowds away. 23 After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 while the boat, by now some furlongs from land, was hard pressed by rough waves, for there was a head-wind. 25 In the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the sea, 26 and when the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.’ 28 It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ 29 Jesus said, ‘Come’. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, 30 but then noticing the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord,’ he cried, ‘save me!’ 31 Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘You have so little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ 32 And as they got into the boat the wind dropped.” Jesus reached out to grab Peter on the water; He rescued Peter and rescued those in the boat.
Many times Saul, who we also know as St. Paul, was in need of rescue. In the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, his “22 power increased steadily, and he was able to throw the Jewish colony at Damascus into complete confusion by the way he demonstrated that Jesus was the Christ. 23 Some time passed, and the Jews worked out a plot to kill him, 24 but news of it reached Saul. They were keeping watch at the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but the disciples took him by night and let him down from the wall, lowering him in a basket.” When Paul was rescued by being lowered in a basket, his humility and trust in God gave him added protection from destruction.
In Chapter 12 of Acts of the Apostles we find Peter rescued by an angel from prison and 16 soldiers. King Herod arrested Peter. “4 As it was during the days of Unleavened Bread that he had arrested him, he put him in prison, assigning four sections of four soldiers each to guard him, meaning to try him in public after the Passover. 5 All the time Peter was under guard the church prayed to God for him unremittingly. 6 On the night before Herod was to try him, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, while guards kept watch at the main entrance to the prison. 7 Then suddenly an angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him. ‘Get up!’ he said, ‘Hurry!’ — and the chains fell from his hands. 8 The angel then said, ‘Put on your belt and sandals.’ After he had done this, the angel next said, ‘Wrap your cloak round you and follow me.’ 9 He followed him out, but had no idea that what the angel did was all happening in reality; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed through the first guard post and then the second and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him. 11 It was only then that Peter came to himself. And he said, ‘Now I know it is all true. The Lord really did send his angel and save me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’”
I wonder how many times the Lord sends angels to rescue us? [CCC#334] “The whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels. 201” We see this in Acts chapters 5, 8, 10, 12, and 27. Catechism Paragraph #336 says, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.202 “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” 203 Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.”
Distress is stirred when the unknown grips the heart. If we show to the Lord our heart, laid bare, He shall give us His peace. Rescuers are sent from the throne every day. Yet many turn away from God’s love, living in their own pain because they choose to control so as to inflict a “relieving pain” on others to alleviate their own. Stepping on the suffering of others they seem to “rise above” yet it is a sinking step and soon the pain deepens. Fear not, the rescuers do not give up but stand by until assistance is accepted. Lives will change later or sooner. Keep your eyes focused on the Lord; the Lord hears your prayers and they are answered.
Catechism Paragraph # 332 “Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation, announcing this salvation from afar or near and serving the accomplishment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; protected Lot; saved Hagar and her child; stayed Abraham’s hand; communicated the law by their ministry; led the People of God; announced births and callings; and assisted the prophets, just to cite a few examples. 194 Finally, the angel Gabriel announced the birth of the Precursor” [John the Baptist] “and that of Jesus himself. 195”
We can call upon the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. The Lord has actually moved heaven and earth to rescue us! He has rescued mankind in extraordinary measures—such as the parting of the sea! God sent ten plagues against the Egyptians before Pharaoh decided to free the Israelites. In Exodus Chapter 14, “5 When Pharaoh king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, he and his officials changed their attitude towards the people. ‘What have we done,’ they said, ‘allowing Israel to leave our service?’ 6 So Pharaoh had his chariot harnessed and set out with his troops, 7 taking six hundred of the best chariots and all the other chariots in Egypt, with officers in each. 8 Yahweh made Pharaoh king of Egypt stubborn, and he gave chase to the Israelites. The Israelites marched confidently away, 9 but the Egyptians, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, his horsemen and his army, gave chase and caught up with them where they lay encamped beside the sea near Pi-Hahiroth, facing Baal-Zephon. 10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up — and there were the Egyptians in pursuit of them! The Israelites were terrified and cried out to Yahweh for help. 11 To Moses they said, ‘Was it for lack of graves in Egypt, that you had to lead us out to die in the desert? What was the point of bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Did we not tell you as much in Egypt? Leave us alone, we said, we would rather work for the Egyptians! We prefer to work for the Egyptians than to die in the desert!’ 13 Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid! Stand firm, and you will see what Yahweh will do to rescue you today: the Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 Yahweh will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm.’ 15 Yahweh then said to Moses, ‘Why cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to march on. 16 Your part is to raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the Israelites can walk through the sea on dry ground,” So, the Israelites had to step forward in faith. And Moses had to step forward in faith and raise his arm and the staff. And what did the Lord do? He says, “17 while I, for my part, shall make the Egyptians so stubborn that they will follow them.” Well, okay! So, we are going to go on across and you’re going to let them follow us, Lord? Then what? And the Lord said, “And I shall win glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and all his army, chariots and horsemen. 18 And when I have won glory for myself at the expense of Pharaoh and his chariots and horsemen, the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh.’ 19 Then the angel of God, who preceded the army of Israel, changed station and followed behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from their front and took position behind them. 20 It came between the army of the Egyptians and the army of Israel. The cloud was dark, and the night passed without the one drawing any closer to the other the whole night long. 21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong easterly wind all night and made the sea into dry land.” The Lord did it! “The waters were divided 22 and the Israelites went on dry ground right through the sea, with walls of water to right and left of them. 23 The Egyptians gave chase, and all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea after them. 24 In the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud and threw the Egyptian army into confusion. 25 He so clogged their chariot wheels that they drove on only with difficulty, which made the Egyptians say, ‘Let us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting on their side against the Egyptians!’ 26 Then Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea and let the waters flow back on the Egyptians and on their chariots and their horsemen.’ 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, as day broke, the sea returned to its bed. The fleeing Egyptians ran straight into it, and Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. 28 The returning waters washed right over the chariots and horsemen of Pharaoh’s entire army, which had followed the Israelites into the sea; not a single one of them was left. 29 The Israelites, however, had marched through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to right and left of them. 30 That day, Yahweh rescued Israel from the clutches of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the sea-shore. 31 When Israel saw the mighty deed that Yahweh had performed against the Egyptians, the people revered Yahweh and put their faith in Yahweh and in Moses, his servant.”
Do you see God’s blueprint? He calls us not to focus on our enemy but to focus on Him. He will do what He says He will do! We have to trust the Lord!
Even before God rescued the Israelites from Egypt, God saved a single family by having the faithful and obedient father build an Ark. We find this rescue in the first book of the Bible, Genesis Chapter 6. “9 This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, an upright man among his contemporaries, and he walked with God. 10 Noah fathered three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. 11 God saw that the earth was corrupt and full of lawlessness. 12 God looked at the earth: it was corrupt, for corrupt were the ways of all living things on earth. 13 God said to Noah, ‘I have decided that the end has come for all living things, for the earth is full of lawlessness because of human beings. So I am now about to destroy them and the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark out of resinous wood. Make it of reeds and caulk it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how to make it: the length of the ark is to be three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 Make a roof to the ark, building it up to a cubit higher. Put the entrance in the side of the ark, which is to be made with lower, second and third decks. 17 ‘For my part I am going to send the flood, the waters, on earth, to destroy all living things having the breath of life under heaven; everything on earth is to perish. 18 But with you I shall establish my covenant and you will go aboard the ark, yourself, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives along with you. 19 From all living creatures, from all living things, you must take two of each kind aboard the ark, to save their lives with yours; they must be a male and a female. 20 Of every species of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that creeps along the ground, two must go with you so that their lives may be saved. 21 For your part, provide yourself with eatables of all kinds, and lay in a store of them, to serve as food for yourself and them.’ 22 Noah did this; exactly as God commanded him, he did. Genesis 7 6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood came, the waters over the earth. 7 Noah with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives boarded the ark to escape the waters of the flood.”
God’s Words in scripture are filled with stories of rescue and the stories of the need for rescue. Over and over His people have fallen from grace; they have fallen on hard times after turning their face away from Him. See this. Learn from their mistakes. Find hope in their rescue. God I Am will reach out and take you by the hand when you call out, “Lord, save me!”
In the 3rd Psalm, which is a Psalm Of David when he was fleeing from his own son Absalom who was trying to overthrow his own father for control of the kingdom, David prayed in song, “ 1 Yahweh, how countless are my enemies, how countless those who rise up against me, 2 how countless those who say of me, ‘No salvation for him from his God! 3 But you, Yahweh, the shield at my side, my glory, you hold my head high. 4 I cry out to Yahweh; he answers from his holy mountain. 5 As for me, if I lie down and sleep, I shall awake, for Yahweh sustains me. 6 I have no fear of people in their thousands upon thousands, who range themselves against me wherever I turn. 7 Arise, Yahweh, rescue me, my God! You strike all my foes across the face; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 In Yahweh is salvation, on your people, your blessing!”
Of course our salvation is in Jesus! The King of Rescuers is Jesus. He rescued us from sin and death. Even the name of Jesus can rescue us! Acts Chapter 2 “21 And all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts Chapter 4 “Only in him is there salvation; 12 for of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’” The name of Jesus can rescue those who are tormented. Paul demonstrated this in Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 “16 It happened one day that as we were going to prayer, we were met by a slave-girl who was a soothsayer and made a lot of money for her masters by foretelling the future. 17 This girl started following Paul and the rest of us and shouting, ‘Here are the servants of the Most High God; they have come to tell you how to be saved!’ 18 She did this day after day until Paul was exasperated and turned round and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to leave that woman.’ The spirit went out of her then and there.”
Learn the value of the name of Jesus. He has paid the price—you now have a right to the field with the treasure. By His Cross Jesus has rescued us from death. Life in the Spirit is the result. The hatred sown by evil is overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and Love is restored in the hearts of man. The difficulties in the days ahead will fade like the dew. God’s kingdom is established on the earth. He is our rescuer! All the earth rejoices in the Lord. All the earth sings songs of praise. Glory to God, forever! Halleluiah!
You have been listening to Truth of the Spirit and God’s Blueprint for Rescue. We invite you to like this episode and leave us a comment. You can read this script at PatriarchMinistries.com/174. Check out the other episodes of the Blueprint of God series. And then come back for more. With the Holy Spirit there’s always more! Amen.
