The Horn Of Our Salvation

[00:00:00] And we just really have missed them, and I'm glad they are here again today. This morning in the message, the message, you can see the title in the bulletin, is the Horn of Our Salvation. A number of months ago, I'm not sure just how many months ago, but it's been a while back already as I was reading the scriptures, I've seen this term, the horn, and realized that often times the scriptures talk about the horn or the horns. [00:00:38] And I think that is over a hundred times that that is used in the Bible. And I realized that I was just kind of skipping over that. You know, we see words and concepts sometimes and we just kind of, just sort of fly over it and don't really stop and think about what is behind that. What are they saying? What are they talking about? And, excuse me, so this morning I would like to look at that a little bit, about this whole area of a horn. [00:01:18] Now today of course we use that term, we use that word in various ways. Our cars have horns and our trucks have horns and if you ride a horse a saddle has a horn on it and cows have horns and all kinds of things. By the way, last night Mark had a riddle for us and his riddle was that why do cows wear bells? Because their horns don't work. And so, anyhow, as we talk about horns here, and we get about horns in the Bible, we're talking about animal horns. [00:01:59] And basically, first of all, now it's used in different ways and so on, but that's where really it comes from. These people were an agriculture people, and they were used to being around animals with horns. They plowed with oxen and used oxen for various kinds of work. I don't know if they had milk cows or how all that was. But they hunted, and the beasts of the forest had horns on them, some of them dead. [00:02:31] And so horns were a very important part, you might say, of their life. They were used to being around them. Of course, the bigger the horn, the more powerful the animal, it seemed like. And so the term horn became a symbol of power and authority. And, you know, the bigger the horns, the more important they were, supposedly. [00:03:06] It was something that gave status to an animal. It was something that gave, you know, they were important. And it became a term that not only applied to animals, but it applied to people. because a person's status and so on was sort of displayed as their horn or their horns and their self-worth and so on. Those with the biggest ones won. [00:03:38] They were the winners, those that had the biggest horns and so on. It even represented their family line and their descendants. It seemed like a person's horn had to do with who they were and who their family was. Go to 1 Samuel 1, I'm sorry, 1 Samuel chapter 2, and in here you have Hannah praying a prayer that was a prayer of thanksgiving after she took Samuel and dedicated him at the temple and left him there. [00:04:18] And in 1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 1 it says, And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoices in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth is enlarged over mine enemies because I rejoice in thy salvation. So she's saying my horn is exalted, her worth, who she was. She now had a family and descendants and so on. [00:04:49] And, you know, it was like a 12-point buck, you might say, that had horns, some that really stuck out. Now, that concept is still pretty much going today, isn't it? Horns are still pretty important sometimes to people. Hunters identify with that very quickly. Some people go out and hunt for meat. [00:05:20] They're after the meat. But others go out and not only do they like the meat, but they also like the horns that go along with it. And they can let deer after deer pass by until they find one that hopefully will come by with a nice set of horns on it. And it's something about it that, you know, it's a challenge and it's kind of a thing that we like to see. I like to see those nice horns. It's a big prize that they can get. [00:05:56] Each animal sort of has its own scoring system when it comes to horns. and depending on how wide they are and how big around and all kinds of things that they have a scoring system that they use. And then they go home and they oftentimes either take the horns or take the head and so on and they place it on the wall. And sometimes you'll see a number of them hanging on the wall. And the emphasis there is not on the head of that animal. [00:06:28] The emphasis is on and what draws attention is the horns. That's what people really look at, isn't it, are those horns, because of how big they are and how many tines and all of that type of thing. Probably one of the biggest sets of horns around is, you go over to Carl's living room, and he's got a pretty good set of horns, that's on an elk that he shot. And so, horns are still something that are pretty special to us. [00:06:59] And again, horns are something that represent, you know, getting that big, that animal with that big rack on, usually it's an older animal, it's one that we finally outsmarted, they've lasted for a long time, but we finally outsmarted them. They represent strength and dominance and so on. So, it's just, you know, I never really stopped to think about that so much. When the Bible talks about horns and what that means. [00:07:33] Now let's just look at some of the ways in the Bible that horns are used and what they represent. Now they actually took horns and used them for certain things. Over in the book of Joshua, chapter 6, verse 4, and I don't think we're going to turn to it, But you remember that story of the Israelites going around the city of Jericho. Each day they would go around and then the seventh day they went around seven times and then they shouted and the walls fell down. [00:08:07] But the thing that was happening during all that time they were going, they were blowing on their ram's horns. And they would take horns from rams and make a trumpet out of them. And I'm sure they had their own distinct sound. And I think it was seven of them that as they walked around, they were blowing on these trumpets made out of ram's horns. And so they were used for musical instruments. They were also used for containers. And we read about that. [00:08:43] You remember the story about where Samuel, where God told Samuel, he says, Just take your horn, fill it with oil, and go over and anoint one of Jesse's sons. And that's what he did. And so, I don't know how big of a horn it was, but it was a horn from some animal that they would take and hollow out and plug in and use it for a container for liquid. And we specifically see there what was anointed oil. Another place over in Ezekiel it talks about an ink horn and that evidently and I would picture that as a smaller type of horn but they would take it and they would put their ink in that and it even says how that was fastened onto the side. A writer would use an ink horn and that was where they would get their ink out to write with. [00:09:36] The Bible refers to horns that were very valuable, and that was horns of ivory. And that would have been shipped in from probably India or different places from elephants. And so they were very valuable. There was even a law concerning horns. Go to Exodus 21. And we see here that one of the laws that they had had to do with their animals that had dangerous horns on them. [00:10:08] In Exodus 21, verse 29, well, it's verse 28. If an ox gore a man or a woman that they die, then the ox shall surely be stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall be acquitted. But if the ox were wont to push with his horns in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath been warned about it, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death. [00:10:48] And so it was important, and it was very important that you took care of those animals that had these big horns on that were dangerous to people. And so the Bible had a law about that. Now, the Bible talks about a certain animal that evidently was sort of the grand trophy of all the animals because of its horns and because of its size and so on. [00:11:22] And that is the unicorn. The unicorn, we often think of the unicorn as an animal, for some reason we think of that as an animal that has one horn. But, excuse me, and excuse my cough, I'm still fighting cold. The unicorn, as best described, and here again I don't think there's a real good consensus exactly what the unicorn was. But the unicorn was probably an animal like a wild ox that was out in the wild. [00:11:59] They were very dangerous, they were very wild, they had a massive set of horns, and they could not be tamed. They were just one of those animals that could not be tamed. The reason we know that they had two horns was that over in Deuteronomy 33 it talks about Joseph. And let's just turn to that, Deuteronomy 33. And this is a blessing on Joseph. [00:12:31] Deuteronomy 33, verse 9. I'm sorry, verse 16. Deuteronomy 33, verse 16. And we're talking here about the blessing on Joseph and it says, And for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof, and for the goodwill of him that dwelt in the bush, [00:13:02] let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, one of the twelve brothers, and upon the head of him that was separated from his brethren. His glory is like the firstlings of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns, With them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth, and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim and the thousands of Manasseh. [00:13:33] And I just find that interesting that the Bible is talking about Joseph, and you remember what happened with Joseph. Joseph got two tribes in Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh. And he's liking here, he said, Joseph is one that has the horns of a unicorn, and those horns are both Ephraim and Manasseh. So, it was an animal that had two horns. Over in the book of Job it talks about, remember all those questions that God asked Job there at the end? [00:14:09] When God was speaking to Job after all the things that he went through? And you go over to the book of Job, chapter 39. Job 39 verse 9 God is asking him all kinds of things and he says Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee or abide by thy crib? And here again it was a fierce animal that was not able to be tamed [00:14:41] Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band and the furrow? Or will he harl the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because of his strength is great, or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? But it seemed like the unicorn was one that was very strong, and so on. Go over to Psalm 92. Psalm 92, verse 9. [00:15:17] For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, for lo, thine enemies shall perish, and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn. I will be anointed with fresh oil. Mine eyes shall also see my desire and mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me. And there again, it was that whole area of a person's horn being exalted, he said, like the horns of a unicorn. [00:15:51] And God was going to be doing that for that. Also, when it came to this whole area of horns, bullies used their horns. And the Bible talks about like sometimes cattle and different animals would sort of bully their way through something because they had the big horns to do it. Over in Ezekiel 34, he makes a comparison to that, only he's talking to the leaders and to the shepherds in doing it. [00:16:25] Ezekiel 34 verse 20 He says Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them Behold I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder and pushed all the diseased with your horns till ye have scattered them abroad and therefore will I save my flock and they shall no more be a prey and I will judge between cattle and cattle And so, he likens people to animals with horns that have a way of bullying themselves and pushing people around because of their power and authority. [00:17:06] And something that God looked at as wickedness. Now, another place or another way that the Bible uses horns, and that is that in the book of Daniel, and again in the book of Revelation, And by the way, I think it's those two books that the word is used probably about the most. But he talks about kingdoms. And he talks about, in Daniel and Revelation, both talking about future kingdoms. And he refers to them as horns. [00:17:40] I just find that interesting. Let's just look at a couple. We're not going to spend much time on this. But when you read through some of these books and come across that term, we have a little idea of what they mean. Go to Daniel chapter 7. And in Daniel chapter 7, we see some prophecy there in verse 7. He says, [00:18:35] 10 horns. But he's referring to a future kingdom. And I suppose this kingdom would have 10 different kingdoms involved with it. But verse 8 says, I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another little horn, and before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. And so, the Bible uses horns as symbolic of kingdoms and powers and so on. [00:19:11] And by the way, every once in a while you read where a horn was broken off. And a horn broken off was always a sense of judgment and failure and so on, when a horn was broken off. But as you read through Daniel and Revelation, you'll always see that in a number of places. And they, of course, represent kingdoms and different powers that are coming. [00:19:43] Now, coming back to this whole area that was the title of the message this morning, And that is the horn of our salvation. I talk about all the other to bring us to this. And that is that the ultimate horn is God himself. And the Bible speaks about that as the horn, the horn. [00:20:17] Go over to Psalm 18. Psalm 18. I want to read the first three verses here in Psalm 18. He says, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust. [00:20:52] My buckler, and then notice, and the horn of my salvation and my high tower I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised and so shall I be saved from mine enemies Now what does he mean there when he says the Lord, he's talking about the Lord Jehovah And he said he's my strength, he's my shield, my buckler, all of these things And he says, he is the horn of my salvation. [00:21:25] And here again, it comes back to this whole concept of horns. What did they do? Horns were a protection, weren't they? Horns protected animals. Those with the horns were a protection to the other animals around. Horns could do a lot of, they could even destroy if they wanted to. But they were powerful. It just has that whole idea of power and strength and might and so on. But that is our God. He is the horn. He is the protector of our salvation. [00:22:04] And I think it's so important that we get a hold of that concept. Now, in the New Testament, let's go over to Luke chapter 1. In Luke chapter 1, we have here where Zacharias, after he was able to talk again, gives a prophecy. And as he speaks, one of the things that he says in Luke chapter 1, verse 69, [00:22:38] And he said, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. Now, who is that horn of salvation that he's talking about there? Obviously, Jesus, isn't it? Jesus is that horn of salvation. And I guess this morning, I want us to really stop and think about our Lord Jesus and just that whole concept of He is the horn of our salvation. [00:23:14] And I realize that's not a term we use a lot. But let's stop and think a little bit of what that means. About He is our protector. He is our strength. He is our deliverer. And you think of all the power and the majesty of that great big animal that has that big rack of horns on them. But that's nothing in comparison to Jesus. [00:23:47] Nothing in comparison to His power and His strength. You know, I believe there's two things. There's two things that we want to think about here as far as Jesus being the horn of our salvation. We think about Him as having the power to save us and to take us to heaven. Make us ready for heaven. and the one that gives us eternal life. That's one part of that and that's a tremendous strength and a tremendous power. [00:24:26] But I'd also like to bring it down to more, right down to where we're at too, day by day. And that is that Jesus also is the horn of our salvation as far as just day-to-day living. And as we struggle in life, as we face various temptations or various things in our lives that need to be changed, [00:24:58] Maybe we face habits or attitudes or have physical illnesses. Maybe we face discouragement or depression or despair or disappointment of some kind. I want us to stop and think about the fact that Jesus is the horn of our salvation. Usually, we oftentimes just use this word salvation as far as salvation for eternity. But that term salvation has to do with deliverance [00:25:29] It has to do with deliverance in the everyday things of life that we face The problems that we face and so on He is our deliverer And you know I just want us to look at Christ in that way this morning I'd like to read a series of verses And just to help us, and I'm not going to make many comments on them, but I'd just like to read these verses this morning. [00:26:00] And one of the dangers in reading these verses is that oftentimes we'll get kind of sidetracked and think about, well, that must be eternal security or that must be something that we misinterpret in some way and so on. But we have verses in the Bible that really can, where we are to really place our confidence and our trust in the Lord. Let's go to John chapter 10. [00:26:43] John chapter 10. Verse 29. By the way, I encourage you to follow and read, turn right to these if you can. It's good we read them with our own eyes. He says, My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands. You know, and just read those verses there, and just the confidence that we can have in the Lord. [00:27:17] Just that confidence we can have in Him. Romans 8, verse 31. Romans 8, verse 31. What shall we then say to those things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall we not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? [00:27:50] It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, and yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, and who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors to him that loved us. [00:28:27] For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, Nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature Shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Aren't those verses that encourage us? You know, as we face struggles, as we face problems Those should be things that give us courage to go on God, your Jesus, is the horn of our salvation He's able to do that [00:28:57] Romans 14 Romans 14, verse 4 Who art thou that judgest another's man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be whole enough, for God is able to make him stand. You know, so often we look at, we kind of look at ourselves and say, Lord, I need the strength to overcome. And that's true, we do. And I'm not belittling that at all. [00:29:29] But too often we don't stop and realize of how much strength God is already doing. He has the strength to do it. We have to be willing to let Him do it. But too often we focus on our strength rather than focusing on the Lord's strength and what He can do. Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20. He says, Unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. [00:30:18] God is able and Jesus is able to do far abundantly what we can even ask or think. And then another one over in 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy 4, verse 18. He says, The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. [00:30:49] Amen. And I think it's just so important that we do not forget how powerful God is. And how that He is the horn of our salvation. He is the one that wants to deliver us. And He has the power to do us. One more, the last one, over in Revelation 12. Revelation 12, verse 11. [00:31:29] Here it says that they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. And here again, there is the power of the blood of the Lamb. that they were able to overcome. I guess verse 10 talks about Satan and the accuser of the brethren, but overcame him by the blood of the Lamb. Well, I hope this morning that as you read the scriptures and you come across this term, the horn or the horns, [00:32:04] that we stop and really look at that and realize what it means And how that Jesus, the horn of our salvation And maybe sometime when some of you hunters see that buck with that special rack on it and so on That you think that's really special, and it is But stop and think about, we have one that the horns are much, much greater than any animal [00:32:39] And that is Jesus, the horn of our salvation. May the Lord bless you and trust that it is something that can be a help to us. Let's stand together for prayer. Father, we thank you this morning.