Disillusioned
Disillusionment is disappointment
in an Illusion
Subtitle
Scripture
Num 21:4 "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul
of the people was much discouraged because of the way."
Text
Num 21:4 "
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."
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Cain
Cain became disillusioned when he brought his offering to the Lord and the Lord refused it because it was not done not as the
Lord had commanded.
Cain was angry.
Cain's countenance fell.
His face drooped.
Cain became disillusioned
in the Lord
in the Lord's work
Because Cain had an illusion about
the Lord
and the Lord's work
Lot's Wife
Lot's wife became disillusioned when they were making their way out of Sodom even before sun up as God rained Brimstone
and Fire out of Heaven.
She became disillusioned
because of what they were leaving
because of where they were going
because she could see and hear
the destruction of Sodom
And there was never going to be
a going-back
To her
her prospects seemed dim
her hope seemed faded
her heart seemed broke
I feel sorry for Lot's Wife, she
hitched her wagon to the wrong star.
made her deposit in the wrong bank.
bought her policy in the wrong Insurance Company.
Disillusionment was
inevitable for her
guaranteed for her
Disillusionment was on a speeding locomotive
bound for where Lot's Wife lived
*
a train that could not be derailed
*
a train that could not be slowed or stopped
*
a train that was 100 cars long
and each filled to the brim
*
with hopelessness
*
with heartache
*
with disillusionment
Lot's Wife turns back toward Sodom
and instantly she is turned into a Pillar of Salt
It is curious to notice
that Lot did not look back.
that Lot's daughters did not look back.
But they also became disillusioned in short order
At the same time
all of this was taking place
We see in
Gen 19:26 "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt."
But look at the very next verse
Gen 19:27 "And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:"
Gen 19:28 "
he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the
smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace."
Unless of course
that person standing on that high ridge looking over the fertile Jordan Valley
had bought stock in that complex
had invested their life in that city
had banked their retirement in the that commerce
then they would have been
just as disillusioned
as the Lot's wife, leaving whole her life behind
as Lot himself, leaving everything behind, but a cave to live
as Lot's daughters, leaving all prospects for a future, behind
Why was all of this?
If we become disillusioned in someone or something
It is because we had an illusion about them before hand.
We recognize, do we not,
that an illusion is something that is not real.
It is something we mustered up in our own minds.
It is something we conjured up ourselves.
When we become disillusioned
the thing in which we had an illusion
is uncovered
or
is destroyed
or
is finally seen for what it is
For example
In 1976 several men and myself decided to start a business we were going to have to invest some money and borrow a lot of money.
I told my wife that we were not looking to make a lot of money but were simply going to make an investment and maybe someday
have something to sell to care for our old age. Both of us worked very hard in this project and invested time, money invested and a
lot of thought procecesses for a long time.
It was my part to build the equipment. I drew out the plans with a piece of soap stone on steel plate and structurals for a bunch of
welders to cut and piece together. I saw to every detail, from start to finish.
But, now listen closely, we had no illusion about what we were doing. We worked hard. We worked long. But every step of the
way, we were a good witness and a good steward of what the Lord had given us
In 1983 we were called out of that business
to go to school and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In 1986 the Oilfield was in such a condition
we sold all the equipment for what we owed against it, not ending up with a dime left over.
If we had some illusion about all of that,
we would have been very disillusioned when it collapsed.
On the contrary,
we were able to praise the Lord for the whole thing.
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Temporal vs. Eternal
2 Cor 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal eight
of glory;"
While all of this is going on
these setbacks,
these reversals,
these difficulties.
What should be our attitude?
2 Cor 4:18 "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which
are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal."
It seems !!!!!
that the things that are illusional are the things that cannot be seen,
but it is just the opposite.
The illusional things
are really the things that can be
touched,
handled,
seen,
and smelt.
And the real things
are really those things that cannot be
touched,
handled,
seen ,
or smelt.
She had let them play
a huge roll in her life.
When she turned around
to take another look, she had disillusionment on her mind and she was turned into a block of salt.
because he had let Sodom play
too big a part in his life.
Sodom and the temporal things
were important to him.
Not God and not the eternal things..
2 Cor 5:1 "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an
house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
When this earthly tent or tabernacle is gone
and it will be gone one day,
we will have a Glorified Body
Rom 8:17 "
if (we are) children (of God), then (we are) heirs; (and) heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so
be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."
No wonder
we ought to not look on these illusional things on the earth.
We have much more waiting for us on the other side.
If Lot's wife had not been absorbed in the Society of Sodom
she could have praise the Lord in that sunrise, when Fire & Brimstone hailed down from heaven.
She could have said, the Lord's Will be done.
But, Lot's wife was not concerned about being
a child of God,
an heir of the Father,
a joint heir with Jesus.
She was just concerned about the Illusion
that all of them called Sodom, and became Disillusioned, in the Illusion, when it collapsed.
2 Cor 5:2 "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:"
Believe me
every time you place any faith in the things you can see, you will be disillusioned,
because the real things, the eternal things, are the things you cannot see.
2 Cor 5:3 "If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked."
2 Cor 5:4 "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but
clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."
Lot's family
groaned for the things of this body,
which can be seen and felt.
But they should have been groaning
for the body that cannot be seen with these eyes
or felt with these hands.
2 Cor 5:5 "Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the
spirit."
So, He has given to us
the Earnest of His Spirit.
Since we are so ever doubtful and so earthly conscious
God has given to us a guarantee.
God has put down some Earnest Money against all His promises.
That Earnest is His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is better
than a CD at the Bank
than a Retirement where you work
than Treasury Bills
than an Insurance Policy
Those are all Illusions,
they will be gone one day.
I am not saying you can't have those things,
in many cases they are necessary.
But they are not to be
Counted on
Trusted in
or even to be
considered to be real enough to be eternal.
They are like fruit in the basket
they are good
they are helpful
they are necessary in some ways
but they will rot one day.
Use them for their usefulness,
don't trust in them.
2 Cor 5:6 "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from
the Lord:"
2 Cor 5:7 "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)"
By faith he stumbled not
at the loss of the city
at the loss of the buyers for his wool
at the loss of acquaintances.
Abraham, in his faith
did not trip over the loss of Lot
It does not mention anywhere
that he went to look for Lot as he had done when the Chaldeans came and took him away.
Abraham was confident
that God was in the destruction,
that God was not going to destroy a righteous man in Judgment,
that God always did what He said He would do.
Listen to this
God is no illusion
so you can never be disillusioned
in Him.
2 Cor 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
2 Cor 5:9 "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."
2 Cor 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in
his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
2 Cor 5:11 "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I
trust also are made manifest in your consciences."
We are all subject
to times of disllusionment
Abraham was
Disillusioned by not having a son
Went to Hagar, his wife's servant
Rebekah
Became disillusional when she Conspired to place Jacob in line for the birthrite, etc.
Moses
Disillusioned
when he killed the Egyptian
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Disillusioned
when at the burning bush.
He couldn't do it.
but God could
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Disillusioned
when he threw down the Commandments.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Disillusioned
when he struck the Rock twice
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Miriam
Disillusioned
when Moses married the Ethiopian and she got leprosy.
She got her eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Israelites at Kadesh-Barnea
Disillusioned
when the cities were walled
and the enemy were giants.
They got their eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Achan
Disillusioned
when he could not take of the spoil at Jericho.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Samson
Disillusioned
when he could not have the wife he wanted.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Naomi
Disillusioned
when the famine came and they left for Moab.
She got her eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Saul
Disillusioned
when David become popular.
Disillusioned
when he went to witch of Endor.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Elijah
Disillusioned
when Jezebel told everyone she would kill him.
Disillusioned
when he thought he was the only one faithful to God.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
Gehazi
Disillusioned
when Elisha let Naaman go without requiring a fee of him.
He got his eyes on the things seen
instead of on the things not seen.
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Not Disillusioned
Enoch
Walked with God
He got his eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Abraham
Not disillusioned
at the offering of Isaac.
God will provide Himself an lamb.
He got his eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Isaac
Gen 25:21 "And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of
him, and Rebekah his wife conceived."
Jacob Wrestles with God
Not disillusioned
with his experiences with Laban
with the injury to his thigh
Jacob is going to hang on to the Lord with all he has.
He got his eyes on Eternal Things,
Instead of the Temporal Things.
Joseph
Not disillusioned.
His brothers meant it unto evil (and were disillusioned),
but God meant it for good.
He got his eyes on Eternal Things,
Instead of the Temporal Things.
Elisha
Not disillusioned
when he was constantly told to not go with Elijah
Elijah told Elisha
tarry here at Bethel, but he would not
Elijah told Elisha
tarry here at the School of the Prophets, but he would not
Elijah told Elisha
tarry here in Jericho, but he would not
Elisha had his eyes on the things of God
and he got a double portion of the power of Elijah
He got his eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Nehemiah
Not disillusioned
when being attacked
by Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian
He got his eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Mordicai
Not disillusioned
by the threats of Haman
He got his eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego
Not disillusioned
when telling the heathen king,
that whether they lived
or died
they would not bow to the Golden Statue.
They got their eyes on Eternal Things
Instead of the Temporal Things
Woman at the Well
Disillusioned at first by Religion.
But was not disillusioned later
when she found out that Jesus was the Christ.
She got her eyes on Eternal Things,
Instead of the Temporal Things.
John the Baptist
Became Disillusioned
by not knowing if Christ was the one that should come.
He got his eyes on Eternal Things,
Instead of the Temporal Things.
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Go back to Text Verse
Num 21:4 "And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul
of the people was much discouraged because of the way."
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Jesus
Jesus was never disillusioned
Because he never got His eyes on the illusional.
Jesus told Mary and Joseph
"I must be about my Father's business"
Jesus knew where He was and what He was doing
Mat 16:21 "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and
suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
Mat 16:22 "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto
thee."
Mat 16:23 "But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
Mat 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me."
Mat 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."
Mat 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?"
Mat 16:27 "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every
man according to his works."
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