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.
Praying David’s prayer, this morning. God be merciful to me, the sinner. Quite the dumping of snow out there, and it’s still falling. Stay safe and warm, fellow saints in the Lord. His favour, protection and blessings be upon you, today.
P.S. Ger, do not go out there, today, on your own. Praying for sister Irene Ochotta, that she has the blog read to her. We love and miss you, Irene. ❤️
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 ESV
Great Things – Phil Wickham (Lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-jzDP7qUcA
Lovely praise & worship. Thanks Beverlee. This particular Bible story leaves me wondering. What kind of father would offer up his daughter to a mob of evil men? I know these type of situations will be readily understood when we get to Heaven. Lots of snow and very cold temp here in Hamilton today. Blessings all.
Are you referring to tomorrow’s scripture in Judges 19, Doreen?
I believe it was from a church service I was at recently and I didn’t get that out of my mind. I know I will understand things clearly when we get to Heaven. God’s ways & thoughts are above our understanding but His Ways are always right. Sorry for thinking in print!
It was a good question and fits with tomorrow.
Here is a great article; Doreen. I suggest you read the entire piece as there are many aspects to consider, including cultural context, which often gets lost in translation.
“The host was willing to sacrifice the dignity of the two women for the protection of a male guest. Stone sheds light on why the host chooses to do this by saying, “apparently the sexual violation of women was considered less shameful than that of men, at least in the eyes of other men. Such an attitude reflects both the social subordination of women and the fact that homosexual rape was viewed as particularly severe attack on male honor.”[11] It saddens me to think a man would offer his own daughter before putting a male stranger into harm’s way. This is a great example of the misogynistic culture and the mistreatment of women in that particular time.
“In Judges and Method, Gale Yee more elaborately explains the inconsistency in translation, in which the relationship between the concubine and the man changes from that of a “husband” to a “master”. As we already know concubines are associated with being secondary or lower status wives. Yee explains how this secondary status can result in a more inferior relationship to a husband than if she were a wife. Even though wives have to be in subordination to their husbands, “the pileghesh endures a double subordination in her position as secondary wife. The inferior status of the woman in our story is particularly foregrounded after the rape, when the text describes her husband as “master”.”[12]
“Yee then goes on to discuss how the concubine brought dishonor on her husband by leaving. The concubine’s decision to leave shows a lack of control from her husband that would indicate in an honor and shame society of ancient Mediterranea public humiliation. The humiliation is even greater felt because of the status of the woman as Yee notes; “moreover, the extent of a man’s disgrace correlates inversely with the status of the one who shames him: the lower the status, the greater the shame.”[13]Having been humiliated once, the Levite would not have been humiliated again by being taken by men for sex. The act of being raped by men would show submission a state that is associated with the feminine. Feeling “shamed and feminized by his secondary wife and her father, the Levite is in danger of becoming even more humiliated and emasculated by the degenerate men.[14] This could give insight into why he does not stand up and protest the giving away of his wife to the strange men. In a selfish act he was trying to keep his own dignity.”
Judges 19: The Story of the Unnamed Woman
by Christine Mafana
\https://sites.stedwards.edu/pangaea/judges-19-the-story-of-the-unnamed-woman/
Dear Lord God, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your faithful ones in this world. Help all Your church follow You, adore You, exalt You and magnify You today. Bless all Your work today, Father, in Jesus’s name, amen
Amen, Rob.
Amen
Amen to your prayer, Rob.
I just called the Crossroads Prayer Lines and had a lovely saint named Nancy, pray over the phone with me. Such a powerful healing convicting prayer that I am ever grateful for. And I call God’s continued blessings upon this woman, Nancy. In Jesus
precious Name. Amen. 1-866-273-4444
Thank you for your concern Beverlee; however I have already gone out before I read this blog and got the snow off the shed roof front and back to reduce the weight as I knew we were only half way through the storm and rain might be coming which hasn’t happened yet. My help with the tractor and snow blower came but I see more snow down now which i will leave until tomorrow. Praise God I felt better today and so appreciate this support team to help each other get through the winter. Thank you and God bless you. PS. I see this link is related to tomorrow’s read and is informative as have wondered that myself Doreen. This shows the moral and religious state of Israel at this time of the Judges.
Glad to hear you have help, Ger, and are in good shape. God bless you.