Gtcotr/ss031019
Judges 3:31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
What is an ox goad? This is an ox goad …
Have you ever been goaded into doing something?
A goad is a long sharp stick that sometimes has a metal point or even nails driven through the end so that they stick out the other side. It is used to prod, guide and direct oxen along the right path.
Can you imagine being irritated by someone goading you and kicking one of those things? How about kicking it repeatedly, over and over again, just because it is prodding you to change direction or to get back in line.
This is the picture Jesus gave to Saul of Tarsus during his, ‘Road to Damascus’ experience. Jesus said, “I am the One whom you are persecuting … it is hard to kick against the goads.”
Saul understood this proverb immediately and realized that he was having a visitation from heaven and that if he continued persecuting the Church and threatening Believers, he would really be hurting himself.
As a result, Saul listened to the Living Word and changed his ways. He accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, was baptized in water and was filled with the Holy Spirit. From that time on Saul became known as the Apostle Paul, Jesus’ ambassador of grace to the Gentiles.
Godly goading is something used by the Holy Spirit to get us going, get us back in line or to keep us on the straight and narrow. Thank God for all the Godly goading we receive from the loving hand of God.
Goads continue to be used in many countries today where oxen are still used instead of tractors or trucks. We don’t know if Shamgar walked softly but we do know he carried a big stick! He killed 600 men with that stick … six hundred!
Acts 9 NKJV
1 ¶ Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
Kicking against the goads injures no one but the one who is doing the kicking. The ancient proverb used by Jesus continues to be understood by many cultures. An obedient and submissive ox can easily learn to be guided, with a goad, without irritation or injury. However, if the animal gets out of line and refuses to be encouraged or corrected, they are often irritated by the prodding and attempt to break free of their master’s will. At times they kick against the goad in hopes it will go away and stop bothering them.
This proverb is used by ancient cultures to characterize a disobedient and rebellious nature. God does not desire to injure us, only to guide us. A person who cannot be instructed or corrected is no good to God. Godly goads provide us with reasonable reminders and ordinate pressures to change our ways to line up with God’s will.
Godly Goads
· By and large, The leadership and the laws of our nation are Godly goads. God establishes and supports authorities over us.
Romans 13
1 ¶ Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
· Our Conscience is a Godly goad.
Every Born-Again Believer has the Holy Spirit of God living inside of them and God is greater than our conscience. He uses it to give us guidance.
1 John 3
20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.
· The Sermons we hear in Church are Godly goads.
1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Sermons from our pastors should goad us and guide us in life.
We can also get Godly advice, encouragement and correction (goads if you will) from family members, good friends, and wise counselors. However, not everything we hear from others is from God. Saul had quite a few followers and he even had the backing of the whole Jewish High Council concerning tracking down Believers in Jesus and carting them off to jail. But Saul was wrong and so were his friends and supporters. Saul even held the coats of the men who stoned Deacon Stephen to death in Jerusalem.
Jesus wanted Saul to understand that when someone hurts the Church, they are hurting Him personally. Jesus takes it personal. Jesus plainly told Saul … I am Jesus … I’m the One you are persecuting.
Evidently the Holy Spirit had been dealing with Saul for some time and Saul had refused to pay attention to the goads. It can be easy to miss God’s prodding when there is such bitter hatred in a person’s life. Acts 9:1 tells us that Saul was breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. That should have been his first cue … that just doesn’t seem like the loving God we know and serve. Saul was a religiously educated man … surely, he should have seen that he was only hurting himself … and those of course whom he imprisoned and murdered. But – Saul missed it. So …
I believe God has goaded, is goading, and will yet goad us when we need to change.
How can we recognize a Godly Goad?
1. It will not only sound like the Word of God but … It will agree with God’s Word, God’s Will, and God’s Way. No one is exempt from God’s Word. He is kind, caring, loving, forgiving, merciful, and true.
2. Because the Holy Spirit lives in us and we aren’t going to run Him off … It won’t go away because you ignore it or kick against it.
3. God goads us to get us moving or to change our direction. He doesn’t just poke at us with a sharp stick for fun. One of the ways we can recognize it’s a Godly Goad and no just a good idea is … It will require a decision on your part to change. The word ‘repent’ comes to mind when we talk about making a change from a wrong way to a right way – from our way to God’s way. That’s what Saul did. That bitter, full of hate, murderous Saul became the Apostle Paul, filled with mercy, grace and the goodness of God.
Ecclesiastes 12
10 The Preacher sought to find acceptable words; and what was written was upright — words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd.
