Judges 7 - 300 Men to War

The art of intimidation.... With Gideon at the head of merely 300 men, who lap like dogs, the LORD is able to send the Midianites running.  God doesn't need a huge army to send them packing.  The army is about thirty-two thousand, but God will only use three hundred of them.  The rest are sent home. He pares the army down to a few and then....  the rest is history...

It's not just about the art of intimidation though.  It's really about the fact that God is with Gideon and the Israelites and God wants them to know, to realize, that He is their deliverer.  He wants the men to be of good courage.  He wants men who will trust Him in that He will be with them, that He will give them victory.  God will give the Midianites over to them.  It is God who will deliver them and He wants them to know this.  He doesn't want them taking credit for themselves, because then they will start trusting in theirselves and in the end they will fail.  It is God who does these things for us.  Without Him, we can do nothing.

Fear is a great obstacle to success.  It will subdue our faith.  Ego can be just as devasting to our lives.  It will subdue our trust in God.  Their is only one God.  Listen to Him!  Trust Him!  Follow Him!

Judges 6 - Remember God and Rest; Forget and Run (for the mountains)

The land had rest for forty years and then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.  Again...  Seems like they will never learn.  Will we?  Will we quit following after other gods so that we might have rest in the land? 

So, they've forgotten the LORD again and they are in trouble again.  They end up living in caves and strongholds in the mountains as the Midianites and Amalekites as well as others from the east come against them, destroying their harvests.  And of course, God who loves His children of  Israel sends to them another prophet to remind them to remember and reverence the God who delivered the God who delivered them from Egypt.

But, it seems they paid no heed to the prophet.  (Surprise anyone?)  The LORD calls to Gideon to be their deliverer.  Gideon is the least of the least.  According to Gideon, his clan is the weakest in Manasseh and he is the least in his family.  The first act of this weak man commissioned by God to deliver the Israelites is to destroy the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole.  The Israelites are a little upset about their god being torn down. They are angry enough to want to kill Gideon, but they get over it.  And... as the Midianites and Amalekites gather to come across them, Gideon blows his trumpter and gathers an army to come up against the destroyers. 

As Gideon calls up the army, it is important, I think, to note that the first and foremost destroyer has already been broken down.  That happened when the altar of Baal and the Asherah pole were destroyed.  There is no minimizing how dangerous false gods can be to our welfare and the abundant life that God would have us live.  As we turn away from the one who gives us life, we turn to those things that steal the abundant life God has given us.  There is no life in false gods!  If their were Gideon would not have been able to tear down the altar of Baal. 

It does not matter how lowly we think we are, God calls whom He will call to be His prophet.  He calls whom He will call to remind the people of who it is who saves them.  He calls whom He will call to lead His children to freedom. 

Forty years of rest as they remember the LORD and then seven in the hands of Midian, hiding out in fear, as they worship a false god. In whose hand will you place your trust?  Your life?  As for me and my house we will worship the LORD.  (Joshua 24:15)  

Judges 5 - Song of Deborah and Barak

Deborah and Barak triumphantly sing the story of victory over King Jabin.  What glorious words as they describe how victory was accomplished by God through Deborah, Barak, the army that was with them, and Jael.  They tell the story, giving God the glory:  "LORD, when you went out from Seir... the earth trembled, and the heavens poured, the clouds indeed poured water.  The mountains quaked before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel."

How often do we tell of God's might deeds worked for us and in us and through us?  We share the story of God with us and for us with as much enthusiasm as Deborah and Barak did after this victory.  The LORD saved the people who had turned away from them.  They had turned their backs on them.  They called on Him for help.  Once again, he saved them and they rejoiced!  The story is told!

Tell the story of your salvation today...  I will keep challenging you to do this, so may as well start.  We don't need training on how to do this.  We need practice.   We just need to start telling the story of how God impacts our lives on our daily basis.  We need to share with others the importance of having Jesus in our lives.  We need to let others know how Jesus saved us. 

The chapter ends with a prayer:  "So perish all your enemies, O LORD!  But may your friends be like the sun as it rises in its might."  May your light so shine as the rising of the sun... 

And the land had rest forty years.  Amen!

Judges 4 - Women As Leaders And Conquerers Of Men

Oops... So busy getting income tax stuff organized for the last 6 hours, I totally forgot about Bible Study!!

We are studying Judge Deborah today.  Remember:  that judges in Judges were more leaders and prophets (prophetesses) than judges.  They helped deliver the people after they lapsed into disobeying God.  In this case it was Deborah - yes - a woman.  Yes, one of those of the gender that some today say that God does not give leadership to.  Barak, a commander of Israel's army would not go to war against the general Sisera without this woman by his side.  And in the end, the enemy, General Sisera was put down, not by the hand of Barak, but by another woman, Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. 

God has called women throughout history to lead His people.  He calls whom He calls. 

Back to taxes.... Pay to Caesar what is Caesar's...

Judges 3 - Deliverance

Joshua is gone.  Their leader is gone and the Israelites do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.  How quickly we forget what it is that the LORD desires of us. Seems to me that this is a prime example why we need to attend worship regularly - regularly like every Sunday.  We need to hear the word, the will of God, given to us in the scriptures, lest we forget what He calls us to, lest we forget the good things He desires for us and turn our backs on Him.

The Israelites turn their backs on God.  They suffer.  They call to Him for help.  He raises up a deliverer for them.  They are delivered.  They are saved.  They turn their backs on God.  They call to Him for help.  The cyle repeats itself.  Even to this day, it repeats itself.  We turn our backs on God 'till we can no longer stand the heat we've gotten ourselves in, then we call to Him for help. 

In these latter days, God has sent one deliverer - one for all time.  God has sent His only begotten Son to deliver from our own sinful ways, to deliver us from our propensity to turn our backs on Him.  He is with us always.  We should not wait until we are wallowing in the consequences of our negative attitudes and behaviors.  We should not wait until we are dying to call upon the LORD for help.  We need His help every minute of every day to walk in the good way that He has prepared for us. 

Joshua is gone.  Those judges (leaders and deliverers) of Israel are gone.  Jesus is not!  He is with you even now.  Follow Him as he leads you through the valley of the shadow of death. 

Judges 2 - The People Bow To False Gods

Now we find out why the LORD told Joshua they didn't have to drive out all the people who inhabited Israel before them.  The LORD had left them there to test the people of Israel - to see if they would remain faithful toHim or turn to false gods.  The Israelites failed miserably.  When Joshua died, they turned away from the LORD to seek other gods. 

Remind you of anything here on earth today?  How about some churches of today?  When there is a strong leader, the people seem revived.  There is an upsurge in attendance.  There is an upsurge in activity within the congregation and community.  Unfortunately, I am not so sure that all of this (some of it is - but - not all) is faithfulness to God.  We, as Christians, have to be very cautious that we are not cultivating a personality cult within our congregations - a group of people with allegiance to the human leader or group of leaders (false gods) rather than the LORD God.  This leader does not have to be the Pastor, either.  It could be any strong member or clique in the congregation or even an entire denomination who directs (manipulates) the activities in the fore or background. 

If by some chance this leader leaves or is removed from power, the congregation has no one to follow, for in fact they have been following a false god and not the God who saved them and gives them the promised kingdom.  They have nothing and often they will leave and the church begins to die.  Only one of two things can revive this congregation:  1.  the Holy Spirit  2.  another false god steps in.   Be aware that this false god is not necessarily a false teacher.  Joshua was not a false teacher.  He was called by God.  The judges were called by God.  The leader may not even realize that the people are flocking to hear him because of his/her personality rather than their love of God.  In fact, they usually are pretty excited to see so many flock to hear the Word of God - to bow down and worship the one true God.  Hopefully, even in this, God will open the people's hearts and they will hear and believe and follow.

Anyone or anything can be a false god.  False gods don't always set themselves up to be that - people set them up to be false gods - people in search of something greater than themselves.  Money, for example, can be a powerful false god, dragging us down to some of the deepest depths that we can imagine.  However, money does not have the power to make of itself a god.  People do that - people who have strayed from serving the LORD God, who created and who sustains them. 

Will this generation follow the LORD or another god that will destroy them?  What about the next generations?  Whom will they serve?  Back to Joshua.... "....as for me and my household we will serve the LORD."  Joshua 24:15

Judges 1 - Not Judges

Another book under our belts as we begin "Judges" today...

We begin with the reminder that when Israel took possession of the land, not all of the old inhabitants were overthrown or driven out.  I believe we will begin to see this as a problem.  There will also be disobedience as the children of God begin to turn their backs on the LORD God who brought them out of Egypt.  They will worship false gods.  They will suffer the consequences. 

Another thing to watch for as we traverse "Judges" is that the judges are not actually judges as we consider judges, but leaders among the people - leaders who were to deliver Israel once again!  As I watched the State of the Union Address by President Obama last night, I observed the crowd of politicians.  So many dressed in black for this austere occasion.  I had to switch the channel every once in a while as a real scary thought kept coming to my mind:  these are the people who are suppose to lead this country, to deliver us from ourselves!  Scary thought - that we should depend on politicians and judges to deliver us.  Black, as a symbol of death, is probably a most appropriate color to wear at one of these gatherings where self-motivated leaders gather.  I believe it is time now to turn to the LORD for our salvation before we cross a line from which there is no return.  There will be negative consequences.  As someone mentioned on the news yesterday regarding the cussing on television: we have passed through a gate and cannot go back (not exact quote).  Then again, there is no place that that we cannot enter that the LORD cannot bring us back from. Repent, and receive the Kingdom of God. 

Humankind cannot be saved by the world.  The only true salvation is found in Jesus the Christ, the only genuine servant leader...

Joshua 24 - Choose Ye This Day

The journey is over.  The Israelites have been promised the land for generations.  They have been led through some hard times.  They have been blessed by the LORD.  Joshua's days are almost over.  He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them: 

     "Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness;   put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Rive and in Egypt, and    serve the LORD.  Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, shoose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."  (Josh 24:14-15)

Who indeed will you serve?  Which gods?  Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness?   As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, I encourage you to do the same.  Who brought you out of bondage?  Did any of your false gods really help you?  You cannot serve two gods.  Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve.  And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you.  Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you?  Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you?  Or will you choose a lesser god, a god that does not love you, will only take from you, a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless?  Choose ye this day...  And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you.  Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom - in His very presence.  Do not choose to receive a lesser gift than this.  Do not turn your back on the LORD who gives you life.

Joshua 23 - Worship the God Who Blesses You

It is almost time for Joshua's journey on this earth to be completely over.  His own eyes have seen how the LORD God has delivered the people and has given to them to good land that He had promised.  But, not it is time for his life to be over and he warns the people not to be straying and following after other Gods.  Joshua warns them not to be unfaithful to the one who has been so good to them.

A good warning to all of us.  There are days I want to just to say:  "Would you cut it out, already!  There is one God.  Quit following after false gods - gods that are leading you astray - gods that will take the land from you - gods that will take everything you have and keep you from prospering, keep you from knowing peace.  Please, cut it out for your sake - for all of our sakes - for the sake of the land.  Cut it out!  There is only one God.  Worship Him.  Seek first His Kingdom and then you will know peace - then you will know joy.  Repent already, turn around, for the kingdom of God is at hand!