NO OTHER GODS
Today’s Reading: Judges 17-18
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Dan is a city mentioned in the Bible, described as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel, belonging to the Tribe of Dan. The city is identified with the tel known as Tel Dan, or Tel el-Qadi in Israel. Following the division of the kingdom of Solomon in 930 BC, Jeroboam established a cult at Dan as an alternative to the Temple in Jerusalem. He placed a golden calf in the city and built a house of high places and an altar. The metal frame pictured here has been recently set up to help visitors imagine how Jeroboam’s altar might have looked.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Judges 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
The book of Judges was probably edited from manuscripts written during the years when the Children of Israel still held to the belief that the God of Abraham was their King. It would appear that there was a godly king in Israel at the time this record was finalized. There was no revision of history which might have made the people look better. The good, the bad and the ugly are all here. These last five chapters of Judges are the most depressing in the entire Bible. This was because, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” When the human family turns away from an objective standard of moral behaviour, disaster always follows. How often do we hear, in our time, statements such as, “If it feels good, do it” or, “I have my own beliefs,” etc. If we read these stories with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, one cannot help but notice a similarity in human behaviour.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I realize more than ever that I need to follow Your unchanging standards for my behaviour if I am to truly live my life pleasing to You and as a good influence on others. I know that I need the prayer of the man of whom Jesus spoke who prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” It’s so very true that, “All [including me] have sinned and come short…” Please lift me up higher in my conduct so that I may glorify You. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’ve just read a great book which shows the amazing benefits which have come to the human family as a result of having firm objective standards as opposed to “everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.” The book I highly recommend to all my blog readers is “How Christianity Changed The World” by a Lutheran pastor and scholar named Alvin Schmidt. The forward is by Dr. Paul Maier, a man well known to long-time 100 Huntley Street viewers. It shows us what the world might be like if Jesus had not come. It deals with the value of human life, sexual morality, the freedom and dignity of women, charity and compassion, hospitals and health care, education, labour and economic freedom, science, liberty and justice for all, and other areas of life in which, as I’ve often said, “Jesus changed everything.” It’s published by Zondervan and has 442 pages. Are you ready to tackle reading a book which will show to the world that “YOU NEED JESUS!!!” I’m not sure what it costs, as I borrowed my son-in-law, Bruce Stacey’s copy. I intend to buy my own copy no matter how much it costs. It’s just that important a book (click here to order through Amazon).
Yours to take a stand for God’s standards and for life,
David
Stairs to what was the Bema – the High Place – in the ancient city of Dan.
Father, this world is so messed up. As we see the drift away from Your dominion, from recognizing the supremacy of God, we see our own country becoming unhinged from anything resembling Truth, righteousness and honesty. Have mercy on us, Lord; do not give up on us; help us truly repent of our sins and turn to You, in Jesus’s name, amen
Agreeing totally with your comments, Rob. The world is changing so quickly (& not for the better). May we be prepared to stand up to God’s standards. Amen. Blessings all
Amen,Rob,so true and deeply disturbing.Where have the morals gone.We need to do a ‘factory reset’ or at least go back to what morals we had and lived by in the 50’s after,WWII when life was simple,before television spread bad ideas.This poem reflects those ideas too.God bless
Back To The Garden
I want to go back to the garden,
Back to before sin knew it’s name;
Before hearts of stone would harden,
For then,Lord,our hearts were the same.
Father take me back,if only in dreams,
To Your world where love was to blossom,
Where birds sang beside mountain streams,
And the beauty that grew was so awesome.
Show me this secret garden of Yours,
Where I can be free from my sin,
Where the angels keep open doors
And time was not free to begin.
Show me the way to the garden path,
For too long my garden sprouts sin,
So let Your fire burn free your wrath
To make a new heart from within.
G W(Bill) Marshall / 21 Feb, 2014
Very nice prayer poem William!
Agree re. Poem, William.
In agreement with Rob’s Prayer, too!
Thank YOU GOD for YOUR Eternal Presence…. For bringing ‘beauty from the ashes.’
Amen William. I loved this poem thank you for posting it.
Hope all are feeling well today, Blessings Eleanor M.
Please pray urgently for J (the young man who attempted suicide recently) has attempted again. His family is asking for prayer. Lord, have mercy and take over. Rescue him & show him Your Love. Please open doors of Your choosing to give him strength & healing. Thank You Lord.
Dear Heavenly Father, my heart goes out to that young man and his family. Please Lord have mercy on his soul, make a way for him to draw near to you , in this his time of desperate need.
Eleanor M.🙏🙏