So from that time on half of the servants toiled in the work, and the other half defended and kept watch. The defenders had spears, shields, bows, and habergeons – the most likely idea is that they were kind of chainmail vests, because the Hebrew word refers to something woven.
Every Christian is involved in defending the faith, as well as presenting the faith, proclaiming the faith. Everyone is to be a defender. Even if it means paying very close attention when some terrible error is explained, or warned against. You put on your own sidearm simply by taking heed, taking note, listening to the warning. There are so many things to warn against these days. This stealth attack, secret attack that the Samaritans planned: that is what we are seeing today. We see it in the Internet. All of a sudden in sound churches the members are listening to all sorts of other preachers, and they explore the Internet. But you don't know about those preachers. ‘Oh, I do’, you say. ‘I only listen to people who are sound.’ Really? Sound as Eliashib possibly. They may be compromised and you are unaware of it. There are preachers who had never been heard of until the Internet came along. It has brought them right to the fore, and they very speedily employ staff who know how to work the Internet, and become extremely well-known, and well distributed. When liberalism came in in the 20th century, one of the reasons for its tremendous progress and success among evangelical people, was that it used our language. Liberals used our terms. They actually spoke about conversion when they didn't mean conversion at all; they meant something quite different. But, because they used evangelical terminology, evangelicals thought, ‘Oh they are speaking our language; he is such a nice man, and he says all the right things.’ Actually he was pouring unbelief into hearts and doubt on the Scriptures: he was a theological liberal. This is how it works. The same is happening with the Internet. There are people who become known as being sound, but how sound are they? What are they really teaching? There are a hundred and one problems and errors. One man is very well known and very well received, particularly among those who home-school – that is not a criticism of home schooling – and he is widely regarded as a Reformed evangelical, but he believes in baptismal regeneration, not conversion as a result of repentance and faith and trust in Christ. The people who believe that he is a fervent evangelical don't know that. That is not made very plain. Another person who is perhaps sixty or seventy percent sound, but he has a very curious belief. He doesn't believe you should exhort your hearers or put a finger on their sin, or warn them of anything. Just teach the doctrines, teach the faith, explain the Bible, explain the technicalities: the geography and history and the doctrine. Well of course the nominal believer loves that sort of thing, because he is never challenged; he is never really made to think. It is the old Samaritan stealth attack all over again.