Ai had defeated Israel in the first battle. The Jews were horrified that an enemy could stop them when God had assured them of victory. After taking care of their sin problem with Achan, the Jews followed God's direction and laid an ambush for Ai.

A large force was to lie in wait behind the city. A small number of men were to approach the gate in an attack. As the men of Ai came out the Jews were to retreat and draw out the men. When the city was empty of soldiers the ambush trap was sprung and the hidden soldiers were to rush into the city and set it on fire. Too late, the men of Ai realized that their hope of refuge was gone and their city was on fire. While they thought they were winning, they were really being drawn into a trap and destroyed.

The military design of an ambush needs two basic things: bait and a deadly surprise. Satan has many devices about which we are warned (2 Cor. 2:11). One of those devices is the ambush. Satan lures people out and they think that they are winning. Then the trap is sprung and what they once had is gone.

Consider these ambushes that are laid for today.

The International

Ambush Of Oil

A hateful religion whose design is to destroy Israel and rule the world controls oil. The world's addiction for gasoline is a noose around the world's neck. That hateful religion holds the cords to the noose. Where is it all leading? Read Ezekiel 38, 39 to see the prophecy of Gog and Magog coming against Israel. Read Revelelation and see the nations gather together in a world government. Those oil rich nations can raise the price to anything they want and the world will pay. Oil is the bait and the ambush results in Armageddon.

The Ambush

Of Churches

Churches are temped to get new Bibles and new song books so that the world will be more at home. The Scriptures are changed so that salvation does not involve a holy God and sinful men but a soft hearted God and mis-directed people. God's wrath has been replaced by a tear in the Savior's eye. People are not called upon to repent from their sins and receive Christ but are to "find new direction" and "more meaning."

Churches are tempted to change the worship from gospel preaching to self help sermons. Worship becomes entertainment. Music becomes expressions of the flesh and not of the heart.

While these changes are made "to reach more people" it is really a trap of Satan. The church gives up their distinction as a born again people of God to show the world that there is really not much difference. There may be a few people who protest but their cries are drowned out as the young people dance their way into the aisles. It starts out two services, traditional and contemporary. The traditional service gets smaller and smaller and is finally eliminated.

When the older generation moves aside there will stand a church so liberal that the gospel is never preached. The people of the traditional church were lured out and thought they were gaining the victory. They did not know how much they had lost until they saw that their city was burnt behind them.

The Ambush

Of Homes

The Bible has a father led home with the mother in close partner-ship with him. Children obey their parents and the family is a reflection of Christ and the church. The family's love for God and for each other acts as a barrier to keep out the world and the flesh.

The world, with Satanic support, is trying everything it can to destroy the "traditional home." Submission is classified as bondage. Obedience is held in disdain. Parents are to be ignored or rebelled against. Husbands are urged to be weak and self-centered. Dad's are taught that "you can't do anything with kids, anymore." Society has gone from "Father Knows Best" to "Father IS an idiot" and some seem to be.

Children rule the house. Sports games and practice, after school clubs, and other activities are offered or "your child won't be socialized." (By the way, "socialization" means they are just like the world.) There is no time for church or youth activities.

The home is being led away from its biblical foundation to a phantom place of modernizations where everyone will be "well adjusted." Too late the parents look back and see their city burning. The children are grown and are raising their children with much less convictions and godliness than the parent ever had. Grandparents cry out "Pray for my grandchild" when the real problem is the years of com-promise that directed the lad away from God's standards.

Individuals

Ambushed

The Ten Commandments were written to reflect a Holy God's rules for us. They were also given to keep us from self destructing in sin. First Satan supplants a person's faith in the Bible. "Yea, hath God said?" is still a favorite question to ask the individual. To change Bibles from the King James to some modern version is the first step. If God did not mean what He said in the King James why should He mean what He says in the new versions that read differently and do not even have the same verses, in some cases.

Individual standards are questioned. In the name of "freedom" sin is no longer sinful. Separation from the world is either tossed aside and called "legalism" or separation is the main doctrine and works religion is the result.

When a person rejects God's standards and begins to substitute the doctrines of man instead, the ambush is set. Too late the individual sees the city burning behind him. Morals are corrupted, marriages lost, children are turned forever from God and the church.