Judges 7:9-8:35
It was finally time for Gideon to lead his 300 men into battle. God had given them the victory, and it was now up to Gideon to have the courage to go. God gave Him the word, but realized that Gideon was still scared. He knew Gideon, so He provided a way to help Gideon overcome his fears and go into battle. God sent Gideon with his servant to a place just outside the city where a man was telling about a dream he had had. The dream was about a cake of barley bread crushing a tent in the Midianite city. The interpretation of the dream given to the man and Gideon was that God had called him to do that very thing, to take over and capture the city. With the assurance and confidence to go into battle, Gideon then led his 300 men into the city in the middle of the night just as God had commanded.
Remember, Gideon and his 300 men were severely outnumbered. There was no way that they could physically defeat the large number of Midianites. God was with Gideon, and He gave him the ability to overcome their enemies. The Midianites fled, and Gideon pursued. Judges 8 continues the story of this pursuit. Gideon has to cross the Jordan with his 300 men and has to ask several along the way which way the kings of the Midianites went. He eventually finds them and kills them. The Israelites once again regained their freedom under the leadership of Gideon and the grace of God. It was a truly remarkable battle. With just 300 men, God was able to take over an army of 120,000. This is how many had fallen while Gideon was still in pursuit of the kings who had 15,000 more men with them. God had once again protected His children, for there was no way that 300 men could win in such sever odds without Him.
The victory in this battle ushered in another time of peace for Israel, this time 40 years. Israel wanted Gideon to reign over them, but he declined. Although God established him as the next judge over Israel, Gideon was sure to tell the Israelites that they should not follow him. Instead, he wanted them to seek after God. Gideon knew where all the credit should go. God had proven Himself time and time again, giving Gideon the confidence to press on through every step of the battle. Gideon returned his gratitude into praise. Israel praised God right alongside Gideon, but when Gideon died, so did Israel’s worship. They immediately turned away from God, and began worshipping their idols, such as Baal. They forgot what God had done for them, and they forgot what Gideon had taught them. Israel was headed for yet another time of trouble.
Matt
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Judges 6:25-7:8
Judges 6:25-7:8
Gideon’s fears are seen even more in the second half of Judges 6. First, he is told to tear down the idols that are up in his father’s house. He was to make a bold stand against the false gods that his family was worshipping in order to show them the one true God of Israel. Because of his fear, Gideon was unable to complete this task during the day. Instead, he took a group of men with him in the middle of the night, but he did all that God had commanded. The next morning, he was confronted about his actions. The men of the city did not know how this had happened, and Gideon was placed on their list of suspects. When questioned, Gideon showed a sign of courage. Without fully admitting that he had done it, he questioned the authority of Baal. He simply asked the men of the city to allow Baal to clean up the mess himself if he truly was deity. Gideon said this knowing that it was not possible. Gideon was beginning to learn what it meant to stand up for the Lord, but he still had fears. As we saw in the first part of Judges 6, be careful not to judge him too quickly. At some point in life, we all deal with these fears. We all fail to stand up for God in a tough situation at some point. That does not make it right, nor does it take Gideon off the hook, but we must realize that we all do this. So instead of judging him too quickly, we should learn from his mistake (and our mistakes).
The end of Judges 6 holds the most famous story about Gideon, the fleece. This story proves the point above about our fear to follow God. You may have found yourself bargaining with God at some point in life? How many of us ask God if He will do just one thing then we will follow Him? That is what Gideon did in this passage. He used the signs of the dew and the fleece to know if he was the one called to lead Israel against the Midianites. His calling was confirmed, and he no longer had any excuse to disobey God. But there is something else that is interesting in this passage. Remember that Baal was unable to fix the mess that Gideon made, for he is not a god at all. Gideon called out this false religion in the midst of his town’s leaders. Then, in this next passage, we see God’s power. Who else but God could cover the ground with dew except for one small section where a piece of fleece lay? Although Baal has no power, God is all-powerful. He can perform miracles that our finite minds could never fathom. This is even more reason to follow Him when He has called us to do so.
As the battle draws close in Judges 7, Gideon finds himself with 32,000 men to go into battle with, but God finds that it is far too many. Not wanting Israel to think that they saved themselves, ignoring His strength, God cut the army down to 10,000 immediately. Seeing that it was still too many, God put the people through a test of drinking water. This cut the army down to just 300 men. Now immediately I want to ask why God would cut 32,000 men down to 300 knowing that Gideon has a problem with trusting God completely. Wouldn’t this feed into Gideon’s fear, possibly causing him to give up and go home as well? God probably knew that was a possibility, but His purpose in doing this was to get the glory. He had protected Israel time and time again, and every time they turned from Him. They would worship and thank Him for a time and then return to their sin. By using only 300 men, and allowing Israel to be severely outnumbered, God would show His children once again that their accomplishments did not come by their own strength, but by His. Of course, He could not force them to believe, but in this, God was continuing to draw His children back to Himself. We may question God’s purposes, but we must remember that He is in control. He knows what is best, and we should never neglect to glorify God in every situation in our lives.
Matt
Gideon’s fears are seen even more in the second half of Judges 6. First, he is told to tear down the idols that are up in his father’s house. He was to make a bold stand against the false gods that his family was worshipping in order to show them the one true God of Israel. Because of his fear, Gideon was unable to complete this task during the day. Instead, he took a group of men with him in the middle of the night, but he did all that God had commanded. The next morning, he was confronted about his actions. The men of the city did not know how this had happened, and Gideon was placed on their list of suspects. When questioned, Gideon showed a sign of courage. Without fully admitting that he had done it, he questioned the authority of Baal. He simply asked the men of the city to allow Baal to clean up the mess himself if he truly was deity. Gideon said this knowing that it was not possible. Gideon was beginning to learn what it meant to stand up for the Lord, but he still had fears. As we saw in the first part of Judges 6, be careful not to judge him too quickly. At some point in life, we all deal with these fears. We all fail to stand up for God in a tough situation at some point. That does not make it right, nor does it take Gideon off the hook, but we must realize that we all do this. So instead of judging him too quickly, we should learn from his mistake (and our mistakes).
The end of Judges 6 holds the most famous story about Gideon, the fleece. This story proves the point above about our fear to follow God. You may have found yourself bargaining with God at some point in life? How many of us ask God if He will do just one thing then we will follow Him? That is what Gideon did in this passage. He used the signs of the dew and the fleece to know if he was the one called to lead Israel against the Midianites. His calling was confirmed, and he no longer had any excuse to disobey God. But there is something else that is interesting in this passage. Remember that Baal was unable to fix the mess that Gideon made, for he is not a god at all. Gideon called out this false religion in the midst of his town’s leaders. Then, in this next passage, we see God’s power. Who else but God could cover the ground with dew except for one small section where a piece of fleece lay? Although Baal has no power, God is all-powerful. He can perform miracles that our finite minds could never fathom. This is even more reason to follow Him when He has called us to do so.
As the battle draws close in Judges 7, Gideon finds himself with 32,000 men to go into battle with, but God finds that it is far too many. Not wanting Israel to think that they saved themselves, ignoring His strength, God cut the army down to 10,000 immediately. Seeing that it was still too many, God put the people through a test of drinking water. This cut the army down to just 300 men. Now immediately I want to ask why God would cut 32,000 men down to 300 knowing that Gideon has a problem with trusting God completely. Wouldn’t this feed into Gideon’s fear, possibly causing him to give up and go home as well? God probably knew that was a possibility, but His purpose in doing this was to get the glory. He had protected Israel time and time again, and every time they turned from Him. They would worship and thank Him for a time and then return to their sin. By using only 300 men, and allowing Israel to be severely outnumbered, God would show His children once again that their accomplishments did not come by their own strength, but by His. Of course, He could not force them to believe, but in this, God was continuing to draw His children back to Himself. We may question God’s purposes, but we must remember that He is in control. He knows what is best, and we should never neglect to glorify God in every situation in our lives.
Matt
Monday, October 4, 2010
Judges 6:1-24
Judges 6:1-24
As the cycle continues in Judges 6, a clear picture is given of how much Israel was suffering under the hands of the other nations. In those times of enslavement, Israel was experience the direct opposite of what the Promised Land had to offer. God had always told them how great the Promised Land was and how much they would have. They would be blessed beyond measure and have the best food and land ever. Joshua and Caleb had experienced this when Moses sent the spies to the land. The initial generation of Israelite inhabitants experienced these blessings when they first arrived. Now, however, under the control of the Midianites, Israel was experiencing the direct opposite. Had God abandoned His children? Remember that God had warned Israel through both Moses and Joshua about the consequences of becoming a disobedient people. As a result, they experienced some really hard times. For instance, these people came in each year as they planted their crops and destroyed their fields so that Israel would not have a steady food supply.
Israel was indeed suffering once again, and again they called out to God for help. Instead of sending immediate help, God reminded them of what He expected from them. He reminded them of where they had been as a people. Although this particular group of Israelites had not been in Egypt, through the Wilderness, or lived through the Conquest, they had heard the stories. Whether they chose to believe the stories or not was completely up to them, but they had been told how God had provided for them in the past. Furthermore, many of these people probably lived during the time of Deborah and Barak and had seen God’s protection then. Ultimately they had no excuse for their disobedience, but in their distress, they finally showed faith in God and called out to Him.
So God began to call His next judge, Gideon. It is interesting to note that Gideon was the youngest and weakest in his opinion. He tells the messenger that God sent, which goes back to the question of who the angel of the Lord is (for even in this passage it refers to him as both an angel and later as the Lord), that he is the youngest of the weakest clan of Manasseh. Just as God had done with Moses, he did not take Gideon’s excuses. Although Gideon saw himself as weak and not fit to be put in the role God was calling him to, God had big plans for him. So God assured Gideon that He would be with him, giving Gideon peace and confidence to take that step of faith and serve God. Sadly God’s promise of protection was not enough for Gideon. He asked the angel of the Lord for a sign, and the angel did just that when Gideon presented him with some food. The angel consumed it with fire and disappeared from Gideon’s sight all at once. At that moment, Gideon realized who he had been talking to and cried out to God in recognition. God was pleased with his faith and once again assured him that He would be with him.
At this point in Gideon’s story it is easy to criticize Gideon. Why did he not believe? Why did he ask for a sign? What was so hard about following God? We must not forget, however, that we do the same thing to God. Has God ever asked you to do something for Him: encourage a hurting friend, share the Gospel with your neighbor, financially help someone you know who is in need, etc.? Has God ever called you to a position in life that you were afraid to accept? I think we can all think of times in which we were afraid to accept the call or task that God had laid before us. We must learn to trust God no matter what. Gideon was human just like us and had some fears, but we must work past the fear and fully rely on God in life.
Matt
As the cycle continues in Judges 6, a clear picture is given of how much Israel was suffering under the hands of the other nations. In those times of enslavement, Israel was experience the direct opposite of what the Promised Land had to offer. God had always told them how great the Promised Land was and how much they would have. They would be blessed beyond measure and have the best food and land ever. Joshua and Caleb had experienced this when Moses sent the spies to the land. The initial generation of Israelite inhabitants experienced these blessings when they first arrived. Now, however, under the control of the Midianites, Israel was experiencing the direct opposite. Had God abandoned His children? Remember that God had warned Israel through both Moses and Joshua about the consequences of becoming a disobedient people. As a result, they experienced some really hard times. For instance, these people came in each year as they planted their crops and destroyed their fields so that Israel would not have a steady food supply.
Israel was indeed suffering once again, and again they called out to God for help. Instead of sending immediate help, God reminded them of what He expected from them. He reminded them of where they had been as a people. Although this particular group of Israelites had not been in Egypt, through the Wilderness, or lived through the Conquest, they had heard the stories. Whether they chose to believe the stories or not was completely up to them, but they had been told how God had provided for them in the past. Furthermore, many of these people probably lived during the time of Deborah and Barak and had seen God’s protection then. Ultimately they had no excuse for their disobedience, but in their distress, they finally showed faith in God and called out to Him.
So God began to call His next judge, Gideon. It is interesting to note that Gideon was the youngest and weakest in his opinion. He tells the messenger that God sent, which goes back to the question of who the angel of the Lord is (for even in this passage it refers to him as both an angel and later as the Lord), that he is the youngest of the weakest clan of Manasseh. Just as God had done with Moses, he did not take Gideon’s excuses. Although Gideon saw himself as weak and not fit to be put in the role God was calling him to, God had big plans for him. So God assured Gideon that He would be with him, giving Gideon peace and confidence to take that step of faith and serve God. Sadly God’s promise of protection was not enough for Gideon. He asked the angel of the Lord for a sign, and the angel did just that when Gideon presented him with some food. The angel consumed it with fire and disappeared from Gideon’s sight all at once. At that moment, Gideon realized who he had been talking to and cried out to God in recognition. God was pleased with his faith and once again assured him that He would be with him.
At this point in Gideon’s story it is easy to criticize Gideon. Why did he not believe? Why did he ask for a sign? What was so hard about following God? We must not forget, however, that we do the same thing to God. Has God ever asked you to do something for Him: encourage a hurting friend, share the Gospel with your neighbor, financially help someone you know who is in need, etc.? Has God ever called you to a position in life that you were afraid to accept? I think we can all think of times in which we were afraid to accept the call or task that God had laid before us. We must learn to trust God no matter what. Gideon was human just like us and had some fears, but we must work past the fear and fully rely on God in life.
Matt
Fall is Here!
Cooler weather has come to North Carolina. Although I never really thought it was that hot out here, especially when compared to the West Tennessee summers, it is nice to be living in the 70 degree weather once again. Nothing beats Fall for me; it is the best time of year. I love seeing the leaves change and fall. I love the cooler air. I love the holidays! Today I went to get some groceries and noticed their stock of pumpkins outside the front doors. I could not help but think that those pumpkins meant that Halloween was almost here. Although I do not care too much for that holiday, it is a sure sign that Thanksgiving and Christmas are not that far behind!
School is school right now. I am on Fall Break all this week, but a lot of my time is being filled with studying. Today, I have spent the majority of my time reading for different classes. I am trying to get ahead on some of my book reports (which will be posted in the coming weeks) as well as study for my first round of tests. Mid-terms are only a couple weeks away, so I am trying to wisely use this time to prepare for them while I have that time. Who knows what the next week could bring, and I do not want to be stressing the night before my first round of seminary tests!
But life is great out here in the Triangle. I think I am finally beginning to learn the area. The GPS stays put away more so now than it did just a few weeks ago. I can get to several churches in the area without any help, as I still look for the church that will become my church home for my time out here. I can also get to any shopping center or restaurant that I need without the help of a GPS. So if anyone decides to come this way... I can help you get around.
Thankfully we only have 6 weeks of classes between Fall Break and Thanksgiving! It will be a busy 6 weeks for sure, and finals will be on the other side of Thanksgiving as well. But time is beginning to fly by once again as I have become quite adjusted to seminary life. Enjoy the wonderful Fall weather.
Matt
School is school right now. I am on Fall Break all this week, but a lot of my time is being filled with studying. Today, I have spent the majority of my time reading for different classes. I am trying to get ahead on some of my book reports (which will be posted in the coming weeks) as well as study for my first round of tests. Mid-terms are only a couple weeks away, so I am trying to wisely use this time to prepare for them while I have that time. Who knows what the next week could bring, and I do not want to be stressing the night before my first round of seminary tests!
But life is great out here in the Triangle. I think I am finally beginning to learn the area. The GPS stays put away more so now than it did just a few weeks ago. I can get to several churches in the area without any help, as I still look for the church that will become my church home for my time out here. I can also get to any shopping center or restaurant that I need without the help of a GPS. So if anyone decides to come this way... I can help you get around.
Thankfully we only have 6 weeks of classes between Fall Break and Thanksgiving! It will be a busy 6 weeks for sure, and finals will be on the other side of Thanksgiving as well. But time is beginning to fly by once again as I have become quite adjusted to seminary life. Enjoy the wonderful Fall weather.
Matt
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Judges 4-5
Judges 4-5
The cycle continued in Judges 4 as Israel found themselves in captivity under Canaan once again. God set His plan into motion when they cried out for help and gave them Deborah and Barak. We must be cautious in this passage and not put all of the praise on what Deborah and Barak were able to accomplish. Yes, God was able to use them in mighty ways, and it was under their leadership that God once again gave the Israelites victory, but it was not all because of them. Like the other judges, Deborah and Barak were God’s instruments. They humbled themselves before Him and allowed Him to use them. So like all the great leaders of Israel, they were able to lead Israel in victory and maintain peace in the land, this time for 40 years.
What is interesting about this story is that it was not a military victory like some of the previous judges. Whereas Ehud went into the king’s house himself and killed the king of his enemy, Barak only scared the Canaanites. They recognized Israel’s strength and fled, never to return in violence again during Deborah and Barak’s reign. But even more than that, their fleeting caused problems within their group. It appears as if the leader’s wife, Jael, recognized their sin. Then again, this may have been fear after seeing what Israel was capable of. The text is not clear as to why they turned in on each other, but Jael ended up murdering her husband after they had fled from the Israelites. She then went out and met with Barak assuring him that their leader was dead and even showed him. Instead of a great military victory on Israel’s part, their enemies turned on one another and were defeated in that manner, still giving Israel the victory.
Now I said earlier that we should be careful to give Deborah and Barak the praise. This is true for any spiritual leader. If someone is truly following God and devoted to Him, they will not want the praise. This is something that we should all consider. When you accomplish something great for God do you expect people to notice and let you know how great you were or do you step away from the situation careful to give God the glory? If people do notice, do you become prideful or do you redirect their attention to God? This is something I try to think of anytime God allows me to join Him at work. It is amazing enough that God would allow us to join in with Him. Therefore, we must be careful about who we praise. Deborah and Barak had the right attitude in their situation, and Judges 5 shows what they did in response.
In their song they shift their main focus on God. They praise Him for His deliverance and protection and warn the nations that do not fear God. It is clear that the main focus in this chapter is on what God had done for Israel during their battles against Canaan. They also tell of what they had done, but it is not done in a prideful manner. They do mention that they led Israel in this victory, but it is clear that they are doing it under the Lord’s leadership, and they do not focus on themselves. They also praise the tribes that came out to help in the battle, as well as asking why the rest of the tribes did not come out to support their brothers. Finally there is a section devoted to Jael, praising her for actions, which seems to point to a possible change of heart on her part. At the very least, she was willing to help Israel in the battle. So Deborah and Barak serve as great examples for us, examples of humility. They do recognize that they were successful in battle, but they share that recognition with the tribes and with Jael. But most importantly, they make sure that all the praise is directed toward God. The opening verses and closing verses, as well as many verses in between, point to God.
Matt
The cycle continued in Judges 4 as Israel found themselves in captivity under Canaan once again. God set His plan into motion when they cried out for help and gave them Deborah and Barak. We must be cautious in this passage and not put all of the praise on what Deborah and Barak were able to accomplish. Yes, God was able to use them in mighty ways, and it was under their leadership that God once again gave the Israelites victory, but it was not all because of them. Like the other judges, Deborah and Barak were God’s instruments. They humbled themselves before Him and allowed Him to use them. So like all the great leaders of Israel, they were able to lead Israel in victory and maintain peace in the land, this time for 40 years.
What is interesting about this story is that it was not a military victory like some of the previous judges. Whereas Ehud went into the king’s house himself and killed the king of his enemy, Barak only scared the Canaanites. They recognized Israel’s strength and fled, never to return in violence again during Deborah and Barak’s reign. But even more than that, their fleeting caused problems within their group. It appears as if the leader’s wife, Jael, recognized their sin. Then again, this may have been fear after seeing what Israel was capable of. The text is not clear as to why they turned in on each other, but Jael ended up murdering her husband after they had fled from the Israelites. She then went out and met with Barak assuring him that their leader was dead and even showed him. Instead of a great military victory on Israel’s part, their enemies turned on one another and were defeated in that manner, still giving Israel the victory.
Now I said earlier that we should be careful to give Deborah and Barak the praise. This is true for any spiritual leader. If someone is truly following God and devoted to Him, they will not want the praise. This is something that we should all consider. When you accomplish something great for God do you expect people to notice and let you know how great you were or do you step away from the situation careful to give God the glory? If people do notice, do you become prideful or do you redirect their attention to God? This is something I try to think of anytime God allows me to join Him at work. It is amazing enough that God would allow us to join in with Him. Therefore, we must be careful about who we praise. Deborah and Barak had the right attitude in their situation, and Judges 5 shows what they did in response.
In their song they shift their main focus on God. They praise Him for His deliverance and protection and warn the nations that do not fear God. It is clear that the main focus in this chapter is on what God had done for Israel during their battles against Canaan. They also tell of what they had done, but it is not done in a prideful manner. They do mention that they led Israel in this victory, but it is clear that they are doing it under the Lord’s leadership, and they do not focus on themselves. They also praise the tribes that came out to help in the battle, as well as asking why the rest of the tribes did not come out to support their brothers. Finally there is a section devoted to Jael, praising her for actions, which seems to point to a possible change of heart on her part. At the very least, she was willing to help Israel in the battle. So Deborah and Barak serve as great examples for us, examples of humility. They do recognize that they were successful in battle, but they share that recognition with the tribes and with Jael. But most importantly, they make sure that all the praise is directed toward God. The opening verses and closing verses, as well as many verses in between, point to God.
Matt
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Judges 2:16-3:31
Judges 2:16-3:31
Israel’s disobedience only grew worse from this point forward in their history. There would be times of greatness that would still come, leaders who would turn the nation back to God. Israel would still have great moments like they had had with Joshua, but for the most part, they would find themselves on a downward spiral. The book of Judges is best seen as a circle: Israel would disobey God, find themselves being oppressed by their enemies, cry out to God, and have a successful and peaceful time under a judge (ruler). Sadly, the peaceful times only lasted as long as the judge was alive, and Israel immediately went back to their disobedience afterward. So God allowed them to live in their disobedience. He came to their rescue when He found them sincerely crying out to Him for help, but once they turned from Him and went back to their wicked ways, He removed His hand of protection.
Judges 3 shows how God knew this would happen all along. He knew that Israel would not remain obedient to Him forever, which is why He was sure to state in the Law what the punishment for disobedience would be. That is why He made sure that both Moses and Joshua stressed the differences in the blessings and the curses that they would receive based on how they acted. The nations that had been left in the Promised Land was partly Israel’s fault for not taking the initiative to go out and completely conquer the land, but it was also God’s plan to leave these nations. It was going to be through those hard times that God would see if Israel really trusted Him or not. It was easy for them to obey Him when everything went well. Now, Israel had to decide if they would continue to trust Him in the difficult times, and they proved that they did not.
As a result of their initial disobedience, God allowed the ruler of Mesopotamia to take over, and Israel served him for 8 years. Consider the cycle mentioned above. Israel recognized their mistakes, knew that they did not want to be under the control of Mesopotamia, and cried out to God. He supplied them with a judge, Othniel, and they experienced peace in the land for 40 years under his rule. He was chosen by God and obeyed God’s commands. He led the Israelites back to God, and they experienced God’s blessings once again, ultimately defeating the men from Mesopotamia.
But instead of learning from this experience, they fell back into the same trap and turned away from God again. So God allowed the Moabites to take over, and they reigned for 18 years. Israel cried out to God, and He chose Ehud as the next judge. Again, under his leadership, Israel was able to defeat their enemies and bring peace back to their land, this time for 80 years. Ehud’s story is a little longer, for Scripture explains exactly how Israel defeated the Moabites. It shows how Ehud snuck into the king’s house and single-handedly killed the king. Ehud knew that God had given them victory and did not let any obstacle get in his way.
One more judge is mentioned at the end of Judges 3, Shamgar. Only one verse is dedicated to him, but in it we can assume that Israel must have gone through the same cycle of disobedience and repentance. God once again delivered Israel, but one has to wonder why they never learned. Before we jump on Israel’s case, we must consider our own lives. It is easy to look at someone else’s actions and see where they messed up. It is easy to point out their mistakes and criticize them. But we must also think about how we act. How many times do we fall back into the same mistakes over and over again? Instead of reading these stories and criticizing Israel, we should read these stories and learn from Israel.
Matt
Israel’s disobedience only grew worse from this point forward in their history. There would be times of greatness that would still come, leaders who would turn the nation back to God. Israel would still have great moments like they had had with Joshua, but for the most part, they would find themselves on a downward spiral. The book of Judges is best seen as a circle: Israel would disobey God, find themselves being oppressed by their enemies, cry out to God, and have a successful and peaceful time under a judge (ruler). Sadly, the peaceful times only lasted as long as the judge was alive, and Israel immediately went back to their disobedience afterward. So God allowed them to live in their disobedience. He came to their rescue when He found them sincerely crying out to Him for help, but once they turned from Him and went back to their wicked ways, He removed His hand of protection.
Judges 3 shows how God knew this would happen all along. He knew that Israel would not remain obedient to Him forever, which is why He was sure to state in the Law what the punishment for disobedience would be. That is why He made sure that both Moses and Joshua stressed the differences in the blessings and the curses that they would receive based on how they acted. The nations that had been left in the Promised Land was partly Israel’s fault for not taking the initiative to go out and completely conquer the land, but it was also God’s plan to leave these nations. It was going to be through those hard times that God would see if Israel really trusted Him or not. It was easy for them to obey Him when everything went well. Now, Israel had to decide if they would continue to trust Him in the difficult times, and they proved that they did not.
As a result of their initial disobedience, God allowed the ruler of Mesopotamia to take over, and Israel served him for 8 years. Consider the cycle mentioned above. Israel recognized their mistakes, knew that they did not want to be under the control of Mesopotamia, and cried out to God. He supplied them with a judge, Othniel, and they experienced peace in the land for 40 years under his rule. He was chosen by God and obeyed God’s commands. He led the Israelites back to God, and they experienced God’s blessings once again, ultimately defeating the men from Mesopotamia.
But instead of learning from this experience, they fell back into the same trap and turned away from God again. So God allowed the Moabites to take over, and they reigned for 18 years. Israel cried out to God, and He chose Ehud as the next judge. Again, under his leadership, Israel was able to defeat their enemies and bring peace back to their land, this time for 80 years. Ehud’s story is a little longer, for Scripture explains exactly how Israel defeated the Moabites. It shows how Ehud snuck into the king’s house and single-handedly killed the king. Ehud knew that God had given them victory and did not let any obstacle get in his way.
One more judge is mentioned at the end of Judges 3, Shamgar. Only one verse is dedicated to him, but in it we can assume that Israel must have gone through the same cycle of disobedience and repentance. God once again delivered Israel, but one has to wonder why they never learned. Before we jump on Israel’s case, we must consider our own lives. It is easy to look at someone else’s actions and see where they messed up. It is easy to point out their mistakes and criticize them. But we must also think about how we act. How many times do we fall back into the same mistakes over and over again? Instead of reading these stories and criticizing Israel, we should read these stories and learn from Israel.
Matt
Friday, October 1, 2010
Judges 2:1-15
Judges 2:1-15
Although it seemed as if Israel was really going to make a turn around, their failure to drive out all the nations brought consequences. Joshua had warned them in his closing speech that if they did not do exactly as God had commanded them, then they would endure His punishment. God proved once again that He keeps His promises. Although it was not necessarily in Israel’s best interests, they saw again that God was faithful. He sent an angel to them to let them know what they had done and how they would pay for it. At that moment, God removed His hand of protection and power from them and declared that He would no longer give them victory over the other nations in the land. They would have to learn to live with these nations and suffer the possibilities of being attacked by them. They would also find it hard to worship God with all the other false religions in the land. Israel’s disobedience led to many severe consequences and should stand as a warning to us when we feel like disobeying Him. God’s word is still true today, and He has not changed. If this is how He punished Israel, then we can expect that He would do the same to us today. The good news is that we can always turn back to Him, and there is a sense of hope in Judges 2 when Israel cries out to God.
The end of Joshua praised the obedience of the people of Israel, contrasting them against their fathers who had lived in disobedience. Now, Judges 2 introduces the newest generation of Israelites. After Joshua’s death and the deaths of the elders that followed him, a new generation was born, and this generation had not seen God’s mighty works. They probably heard the stories of what God had done in Egypt, at the Jordan, and in the Promised Land, but they had not seen it. As a result, they turned away from God. Unlike their fathers, they chose not to follow His commands. The consequences of their fathers sin was becoming reality. Although their fathers had been quite obedient, they had made one large mistake, not conquering all of the land. When God told them that the other nations and false gods would cause problems for them in the future, He was serious. Now, their children had to deal with the struggle of who to follow. Sadly, they chose to abandon God and follow after the false gods of the land. Seeing this, God became angry with Israel and gave them over to their enemies. So the very groups of people that Israel chose not to battle (knowing that they would win) began to overtake them in battle (for God allowed them to win).
In many ways, we are like this newest generation of Israelites. We only hear the stories of the past, and we never actually saw all the great miracles that Scripture gives us. Now that does not mean that there are not miracles today, for I believe that God still works in miraculous ways. However, it would be easy for us to be like Israel and to abandon God because we cannot see Him. It would be easy to think that these amazing stories are just great stories from the past that do not mean anything. Yet, that is not what God has called us to do. He has provided a way for us through His Son, Jesus. Through faith in Him, we can come to God. Through Jesus we can live a life of obedience and learn what it means to follow God. The easy choice is to do nothing, disobey God’s commands, and just live life. That is what Israel chose. The problem is that there are consequences for those who take that easy route. So we must make sure that we place our faith in God, who has not changed, still works in mighty ways in our lives, and desires for us to be with Him. He wants us to come to Him, follow Him, and obey Him, and if we do that, then He will be able to use us in mighty ways.
Matt
Although it seemed as if Israel was really going to make a turn around, their failure to drive out all the nations brought consequences. Joshua had warned them in his closing speech that if they did not do exactly as God had commanded them, then they would endure His punishment. God proved once again that He keeps His promises. Although it was not necessarily in Israel’s best interests, they saw again that God was faithful. He sent an angel to them to let them know what they had done and how they would pay for it. At that moment, God removed His hand of protection and power from them and declared that He would no longer give them victory over the other nations in the land. They would have to learn to live with these nations and suffer the possibilities of being attacked by them. They would also find it hard to worship God with all the other false religions in the land. Israel’s disobedience led to many severe consequences and should stand as a warning to us when we feel like disobeying Him. God’s word is still true today, and He has not changed. If this is how He punished Israel, then we can expect that He would do the same to us today. The good news is that we can always turn back to Him, and there is a sense of hope in Judges 2 when Israel cries out to God.
The end of Joshua praised the obedience of the people of Israel, contrasting them against their fathers who had lived in disobedience. Now, Judges 2 introduces the newest generation of Israelites. After Joshua’s death and the deaths of the elders that followed him, a new generation was born, and this generation had not seen God’s mighty works. They probably heard the stories of what God had done in Egypt, at the Jordan, and in the Promised Land, but they had not seen it. As a result, they turned away from God. Unlike their fathers, they chose not to follow His commands. The consequences of their fathers sin was becoming reality. Although their fathers had been quite obedient, they had made one large mistake, not conquering all of the land. When God told them that the other nations and false gods would cause problems for them in the future, He was serious. Now, their children had to deal with the struggle of who to follow. Sadly, they chose to abandon God and follow after the false gods of the land. Seeing this, God became angry with Israel and gave them over to their enemies. So the very groups of people that Israel chose not to battle (knowing that they would win) began to overtake them in battle (for God allowed them to win).
In many ways, we are like this newest generation of Israelites. We only hear the stories of the past, and we never actually saw all the great miracles that Scripture gives us. Now that does not mean that there are not miracles today, for I believe that God still works in miraculous ways. However, it would be easy for us to be like Israel and to abandon God because we cannot see Him. It would be easy to think that these amazing stories are just great stories from the past that do not mean anything. Yet, that is not what God has called us to do. He has provided a way for us through His Son, Jesus. Through faith in Him, we can come to God. Through Jesus we can live a life of obedience and learn what it means to follow God. The easy choice is to do nothing, disobey God’s commands, and just live life. That is what Israel chose. The problem is that there are consequences for those who take that easy route. So we must make sure that we place our faith in God, who has not changed, still works in mighty ways in our lives, and desires for us to be with Him. He wants us to come to Him, follow Him, and obey Him, and if we do that, then He will be able to use us in mighty ways.
Matt
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