JUDGING JUDGES
Today’s Reading: Judges 1 & 2
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
The Roman Cardo at Beit She’an National Park, Israel. Around 1100 BC, Canaanite Beit She’an was conquered by the Philistines, who used it as a base of operations for further penetrations into Israel proper (Judges 1:27). During a subsequent battle against the Jewish King Saul at nearby Mount Gilboa in 1004 BC, the Philistines prevailed. 1 Samuel 31 states that the victorious Philistines hung the body of King Saul on the walls of Beit She’an. Portions of these walls were excavated on Tel Beit She’an recently. King David was able to capture Beit Shea’an in a series of brilliant military campaigns that expelled the Philistines from the area, pushing them back to their coastal strongholds of Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath, Gaza, and Ashdod. During the Iron Age II period, the town became a part of the larger Israelite kingdom under the rule of the Biblical kings David and Solomon (1 Kings 4:12 refers to Beit She’an as a part of the district of Solomon).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Judges 2:10
When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.
This is one of the saddest verses in the Bible. It should be a warning to us that our faith in God is only one generation away from near extinction. We must invest heavily in the supreme task of communicating the Word of God to future generations.
These two chapters are an overview of what is to come for Israel. Judges tells us of seven cycles of moral corruption from within and subjugation from without by the nations around them. After 40 years of victories under Joshua, Israel now suffers defeat after defeat, also deliverance after deliverance. The very last verse of Judges provides the answer to this inconsistency of serving the God of their fathers. Judges 21:25 tells us that “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” At first glance it sounds good, but this is spiritual anarchy. This is a recipe for disaster. We must do what is right in God’s eyes according to His Word to us.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, You’ve given me the desire to read Your Word daily so that I may know what is right in Your eyes. Again and again I pray for the grace to hear Your voice as I read, and then walk in the light that You provide for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen! (as I pray this, I’m thinking of 1 John, chapter 1. Click here).
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I confess that I felt somewhat discouraged in reading today’s chapters. So I thought, “I’ll turn to the next book in our readings, which is 1 Corinthians.” In chapter one there is much to encourage me, but I also read of divisions in the church. In chapter two, there was encouragement, but chapter three tells me that people are people. There was envy, strife, and they were behaving “like mere men.” God’s mercy and forgiveness was given over and over to Israel when they repented and cried out to Him. I’ve cried out to the Lord again and again since I first decided to follow Jesus 64 years ago as a 16-year-old. He’s forgiven me and restored me. I’ve done an overview of Judges, and I discovered that the people were living right before God most of the time. That gives me reason to be hopeful. Again, the first chapter of 1 John is my “go to” chapter for my life. Here it is again (click here), and then I’ve taken the time this morning to read 1 John chapter two (click here). I’m greatly encouraged now. Judges 2:22 gives the reason God placed Israel in the midst of the ungodly world. It was a test! I pray for grace to pass any test that comes my way. I can testify to the power of Christ, that while I may not be graded at 100%, I definitely am passing my exams, because of Jesus.
Yours for a passing grade, perhaps even honours (I study God’s notes – His Word – daily, and there I find the right answers),
David
Beit She’an theatre.
Blessings and encouragement today (this very cold day in S Ontario)! Looking forward to Spring!! God is Great. Amen.
Amen!…Spring is just around the corner (Garden supplies are in the stores now.)It was minus 27 at 8 AM,plus wind chill,brrr,in northern NS.I hope you are doing well,Doreen.My ‘dopted sister has been in the hospital and her room mate had to be isolated because she,and others,has Covid but is doing well.
Today’s lesson reminds us how we can shut God out (government,schools , businesses,personal lives) and even some churches especially some mega churches in less than a generation.This blog is like holding God’s hand;don’t let go.
God bless
So glad to see you back William. My observation is that Sunday Schools have been greatly affected by the Covid restrictions and have not recovered from that. We need to pray for them, and for Christian summer Camps to be greatly anointed, drawing kids & young people to sincerely embrace Jesus – healing them and drawing them close to Himself. May God send staff of His choosing to make this happen. Amen
Amen to all above. Went to the new “Left Behind” movie last night at the theatre. I urge you to go and see it in a theatre near you – we need to support Christian culture rather than the worldliness of the culture we are in.
From Judges 2:20-22 (but applying it to [us] rather than to just Israel):
“Because [you] have violated my covenant, which I made with [your] ancestors, and have ignored my commands, I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. I did this to test [you]—to see whether or not [you] would follow the ways of the Lord as [your] ancestors did.”
Help us, Lord, to acknowledge and turn from our sin. Help us to cherish You and Your Word, and strive to live in Your ways, as Your faithful followers have done through the ages. Thank You for all Your faithful ones – bless each one mightily, in Jesus’ great name, amen