#Checkmate painting series

The title of the painting, вЂњCheckmate,вЂќ indicates that the game is over. The devil is grinning ear-to-ear because he has the man cornered. In the painting, a man is playing chess with the devil. Two men stand staring in front of a painting in the art gallery.

ItвЂ™s the story of a famous painting that hung in The Louvre in France: I leave you with a remarkable story that has been told from many a pulpit over the years. When you act in total obedience to God, put all your trust in Him and allow Him to use you, then even when it looks like youвЂ™re losing the fight, youвЂ™re actually being positioned for the win. Never reveal yourself ahead of time or make any moves on your own. вЂњвЂ¬But as for you, ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.вЂќ вЂ“ GenesisвЂ¬ вЂ50вЂ¬:вЂ20вЂ¬ Who then received the same curse upon himself, that he had intended for GodвЂ™s people.

Not just once, but three times, and right in front of the astonished and dismayed Balak.

#Checkmate painting series

O, but GodвЂ¦ Here enters Balaam the diviner.Д«alak hires Balaam to curse the Isrealites, but through a series of events that can be found in the book of Numbers chapter 22 which consist of everything from dreams, to Balaam getting told off by his donkey, God causes Israel to be blessed by the very man hired to curse it. However he had a problem, he knew the children of Israel were to strong for him so he sent for a witch to curse them that he might be able to over take them. Instead of bringing them bread and water (a scriptural archetype of Jesus which is the Word, and the Holy Spirit), Balak sought to destroy them. In the above mentioned verse, the displaced Israelites, in their migration, had wondered onto BalakвЂ™s land. However, in every case, all he actually did was position them to be used against himself in GodвЂ™s final checkmate move. The devil thought he was going to win by having the pharisees hang Jesus on the cross, he thought he would win by sending Pharaoh and his army across the Red Sea after Moses, he thought he would win by having Joseph sold into slavery and imprisoned, and he thought he would win by sending Balaam the diviner to curse the children of Israel. God positions us in ways that hides us from appearing to be a threat to the enemy while allowing the devilвЂ™s moves to position everyone for and unexpected вЂњcheckmateвЂќ. He always manages to catch the enemy unaware, using the very things the devil thought he was doing to destroy us, to not only defeat him but also position us to be blessed and bring about GodвЂ™s will for our lives. IвЂ™ve never been very good at it myself, but IвЂ™m convinced that God is the master chess player on the board of life.

When spoken, it declares that there are no more moves to be made, a victor King is determined, and the game is finished. The word вЂњcheckmateвЂќ is a term used when playing chess. Time and time again, just as things begin to look their worse, God turns everything around for our good in some unexpected, checkmate moment. вЂњOn that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.вЂќ вЂ“ NehemiahвЂ¬ вЂ13вЂ¬:вЂ1-2вЂ¬