We are heading into Judges! Judges reminds me of today. The theme is "everyone did what was right in their own eyes"; if it doesn't bother you, why should you care; you do your thing, I'll do mine; no absolute truth; your truth is the only truth that matters. The only problem with all of that is that your actions do affect me and others and sometimes a whole nation. We get to watch Israel go right down the tubes! After all the work it took to get to the Promise Land, right down the tubes. They have a short memory. They forget where they came from and what God told them. You are fixin to reap what you sowed. Just like us. History does repeat itself, over and over. Let's learn from their mistakes. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Here is the reading schedule until next Saturday:
Friday, July 18 - Judges 1
Saturday, July 19 - Judges 2
Sunday, July 20 - Judges 3
Monday, July 21 - Judges 4
Tuesday, July 22 - Judges 5
Wednesday, July 23 - Judges 6
Thursday, July 24 - Judges 7
Friday, July 25 - Judges 8
Don't forget to leave your comments with your chapter! Comment, comment, comment!!!!
Judges 1
ReplyDeleteJudah took over the conquest after Joshua died, but they still failed to run out the bad guys. The ones they did conquer they just forced into slavery.
Judges 2
ReplyDeleteSince they didn't run out everyone, and angel came and told them that those people will become a thorn in their side and their gods will be a snare to them. That is a total understatement!!! Just watch the news and there will be something about the middle east on there.
The people continued to disobey God and follow the false gods, so he allowed them to fall. He put in place Judges for the people to follow and they would do good for a time, but would fall quickly again. We, as a people, are like this. As long as we have someone to follow, we do good.
I liked v. 10 - another generation grew up who hadn't seen the miracles, who didn't know the Lord and what He had done. That's why God told the Israelites to always talk to your children, remember, tell them.
DeleteI find this is true. I now have a grandson who doesn't know our history with the Lord. We assume he knows some things but he doesn't, hasn't seen what we have seen and hasn't experienced what we have experienced. It is our job to make God alive in his little life, to model relationship and to show him what it looks like to walk with God.
They quit remembering, quit talking and quit being thankful. They gradually blended and compromised to those around them. So God handed them over to their enemies.
I love v. 18 too - the Lord had compassion on them and saved them as long as judges were alive.
People don't want to change or even like change. Even though they reap the consequences, please still in general won't change. They become stubborn and stuck in their ways. They lack motivation to change. Why? Is it too much work, too hard, theyre too lazy, don't think they need to or don't care. I don't know but as I get older I see it more and more, and sometimes in me. Holy dynamite is what I need sometime!
Judges 3
ReplyDeleteSo, the people would do what was evil in the sight of the Lord and he would allow them to be overthrown. Then someone would step up and save them and they would be free again for a time. Then the whole process would start again. They had very short memories. Just like us. We need to learn from our mistakes.
And how gross was it when he stuck he fat king with the sword that his fat rolled over the hilt and dung came out! OMG!!! How gross!
DeleteThat was extremely gross!!!!!
DeleteI thought about God left enemies in the land so they could learn warfare. What does warfare teach us? It tests what we believe. Is that why God has us do spiritual warfare? There is no other way to test your faith other than trials (warfare), suffering, and life interruptions.
I never saw that one of the judges raised uip was Caleb's (the spy) younger brother. That was neat
True on the warfare...never thought about it...We don't do physical battle anymore, but we do mental or spiritual battle. We must be tested somehow.
DeleteJudges 4
ReplyDeleteOne of the judges was a woman! Very interesting!! And then then the person that kills the bad guy is a woman, a wife of an opposing king. She tricks him and stakes him in the head Lol!
Don't know why Jael would kill her husband's ally but oh well, her and Deborah got the credit!
DeleteJudges 5
ReplyDeleteA song of Deborah and Barack. Then they had peace for 40 years....its always 40 years...
That's all I had too!
DeleteJudges 6
ReplyDeleteI loved this chapter! The thing that stood out the most was when Gideon asked the angel why God forsaked them when they had an alter to another god in their back yard!! We are so like that, we want to live the way we want then holler fowl when God allows us to fall.
Another thing I noticed was the amount of times he asks God to prove it was him. And God did it every time. And wasn't upset and still used Gideon for his purposes. Kind of makes me feel that it is OK to ask God to answer me again and again to make sure I understand him correctly.
Funny he was threshing wheat in a winepress! I remembered that the scriptures said that whole generation hadn't heard or seen the miracles that God had done for Egypt. But Gideon had, he said if God had done all that why didn't he help them now?
DeleteI love that God called him in his present state, a mighty warrior. God sees those things that aren't as though they were. The other thing I loved was that God told him to go in the strength he had. Sometimes that is all you can muster up, a little bit of strength. If you step out in that faith, God takes you from there.
I loved what you said that Gideon really tried God's patience a little, but God didn't flinch. Sign after sign. God knows our weak faith and wasn't condemning but understood.
Judges 7&8
ReplyDeleteThe story of Gideon continues. He defeated a lot of people and kings and gave God the glory. He had 70 sons with his many wives and a few with concubines. If he had many wives, why have concubines? And as soon as he died, Israel fell and started whoring after Baal again. It is amazing how quickly they fall. Usually in one generation (or 40 years). So it is very important to raise your kids and grandkids right.
I loved that God, once again, bolstered Gideon's faith by letting him overhear a conversation from the enemy. That is what he needed to leap into action.
DeleteI was irritated in Chapter 8 that Gideon didn't tell the Ephramites that God was the one who whittled down the army. I think he was a little "hangry". For the king to be killed by a child would have been very disgraceful.
I thought it was weird too that they worshipped the ephod. That's just a little desperate!