Reading: Judges 20:1-21:25

Focus: Judges 21:25

These days, you tell people what to do and you’ll probably get the response, “Don’t tell me what to do, I’ll do whatever I like, thank you!” Nobody likes being told what to do, but a society without boundaries, structure, governance—essentially, without the laws of the land—leave you with anarchy. Each person does as they so desire and, in the end, nobody benefits…nobody.

The book of Judges has one line which it repeats throughout its pages, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” This is repeated over and over again, which begs an answer to the question, “Wasn’t God meant to be their king?” The build up from the Exodus to Joshua illustrated life directed and guided by God, yet here in Judges we find the lack of a leader causing anarchy rather than continued trust in God’s direction and guidance.

Second to that, the book of Judges also sets up the story of what follows in Israel’s history: the coming of Samuel and his later instalment of a king in Israel. It is only with the arrival of Samuel that there seems to be some restoration in the people’s faith in God. Yet, even then, it is not so much the people who seek God but the leaders who they follow. So, in the end, it’s still just as disconcerting that people follow what they see before them, rather than trusting in that which upholds them and gave them life.

What is it about us people that simply wants to break free? To rule in our own domain? To control the world that we live in? Well, personally, I don’t there’s anything wrong with any of those, it’s how we’ve been designed…however, that being said, what we lack is the responsibility, accountability, and integrity to do all those things with propriety. It is in our design to be rulers, but it was also in our design to do so within the proper constraints of sustainability and care for our world.

The book of Judges certainly highlights this nature within us, further still, it highlights what happens when it is allowed to run rampantly unchecked. Human nature has destroyed life, nature and itself in its pursuit of unwarranted pursuit of power. We see it today, not only in the war-torn countries of the world, but in our corporations, our media, even our own homes… Jesus came to bring in the age of the Kingdom of God, an age where God would reign sovereign once again. Only when our lives are submit to the rule of God, only then will our task to rule be fulfilled as it was intended…

Next Reading: Ruth 1:1-4:22

Reading: Judges 18:1-19:30

Focus: Judges 19:20-30

I’m speechless. To read about the depths humanity falls to truly renders me speechless. This past Tuesday night, a wheelchair bound man was beaten up by two teenagers at a Sydney railway station, robbed and left for dead. (Link) What thoughts would run through the head of two teenagers to even seriously consider destroying the life of a disabled person? Yet, it happened. Not in a game, not in a movie, but in real life… in our world… in our day…

My response is equally frightening when I look through the book of Judges. Israel has gone off the edge of the cliff, it is absolute anarchy. No longer do they have the figures of Moses or Joshua, their judges seem come and go…there is no leadership in the land and the people do as they so desire. Carved idols are installed within their own homes (cf. Judges 17), installing their own priests and idolatry runs rampant.

It is scary how quickly society degrades itself…the event recorded here hark back to the days of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Genesis 18-19). The hard reality hits when we realise that the world we live, though not a blatantly messed up as what we find in Scripture, is going down the same road. How much longer before the stories of events hidden in the alleys of rape, abuse, theft, crime start spilling out onto the streets? This might be an extreme pessimist view, but the reality is that these things are only getting worse and more daring as the days go by.

When I think about what is to come, I get worried. Worse, I get worried about the generation that grows up in this ever degrading world. I can only pray that we would continue to remain steadfast and firm, building ramparts, walls and towers that will stand against the perils of this world; not that we seek to shelter, but we seek to protect the future of our children and children’s children.

Next Reading: Judges 20:1-21:25

Reading: Judges 15:1-17:13

Focus: Judges 16:1-20

Let’s face it, men have a common weakness…women. For all we guys may try and ignore the issue, whether it be our mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends, or just female friends…they have a “special” part in our lives. It is the greatest of all love-hate relationships, that is, between man and woman. As the cliché goes, “You can’t live with ‘em, you can’t live without ‘em.” Yet, there are times when particular women become the bain of our existence and all hell breaks loose…in those times, you wonder why God made them in the first place (and women constantly wonder why God made men at all! hehe…)

One of the most well-known characters of Judges is Samson. He is known for his great strength and, known just as much, for his relationship with Delilah. The life of Samson is told in relation to the women of his life. First, his mother and his birth. Second, his wife and the subsequent massacre of 1000 Philistines, a prostitute and an anticipated ambush; and finally, Delilah and his subsequent fall and capture by the Philistines. Talk about bad luck with women… (that is, besides his mother.)

In the end, Samson’s weakness, his Achilles heel, cost him his eyes, his pride and his life. Sure, Samson destroyed the Philistines in the process, but at what cost… surely all of this could have been avoided and he could have been a great leader/judge among the people of Israel. Yet, such is the reality of temptation (particularly, adultery) and its consequences. God may have used Samson for His purposes, but it sets up a grim circumstance of the consequences of when we allow ourselves to fall into temptation and sin.

Paul made it clear to the Corinthians that temptation is not something you can avoid, however, what you can do is to choose how you will respond. Further, he made it clear that you would not face temptations that you could not deal with…it may stretch us, challenge us, belittle us, tear at our being, but God will not allow us to enter tempting circumstances that we are not be able to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13):

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Next Reading: Judges 18:1-19:30

Reading: Judges 12:1-14:20

Focus: Judges 13:8-14

We live in an age where parenting has become a business opportunity: there is a never-ending list of parenting seminars, books, how-tos, podcasts, etc. In a world where the definition of community is no longer easy to define, the community where parents and children alike would grow up has been lost. With so many differing parenting solutions, you wonder why there is so many different ideas and practices. Where can people turn? What can people rely upon? How did our parents survive without all these seminars, books, how-tos!

Enter the time of the Judges, the society is overrun with immoral practice and God has handed them over to the Philistines. How do parents raise their kids in such an environment of ungodliness, idolatry and oppression? An angel, appearing as a man, appeared to a barren woman, declaring that she would be with child and that child would free the people from their oppression. Her husband desired to meet this man which declared the coming of this child and the mandate which he was given by God. The truth was that this man, Manoah, wanted to ask how the child should be raised; and given the state of the society he lived in, who wouldn’t?

To their surprise, Manoah and his wife discover that this man was no less than an angel of the LORD. This dramatically changed everything for them. In stark contrast to their society, they would raise a child in the ways of God, so that he might fulfil the mandate given to him. We might be quick to realise that the world we live in today is not much different. The standards, values and principles of the world we live in give us reason for concern as we think about the future of our children.

As with Manoah and his wife, there is only one place to which we can come, one place to which we rely on for firm, solid foundations upon that we can build the lives of our children upon. In this unstable world we live in, where community is broken, values and principles compromised…we have solid ground upon which we stand—the Word of God. In this Word, we can have confidence and hope of a brighter future.

Next Reading: Judges 15:1-17:13

Reading: Judges 9:1-11:40

Focus: Judges 11:29-40

You know how kids just say the silliest thing sometimes… Bill Crosby made an entire TV series out of the things kids say. They are often come up with the most innocent of statements that are simply full of meaning and, at times, even profound. When they say silly things, we laugh and appreciate the innocence of a child and there is little consequence for even the silliest of comments. However, you have an adult repeat some of things kids say and you would look at them and wonder what planet they were from!

Enter Jephthah. Called upon by his people to take up sword against their oppressors. Coming before God he says probably one of the stupidest things recorded in the entire Bible… he makes a vow before God: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” It was an utterly unnecessary vow and there is no clear reason as to why Jephthah would need to make such a vow, nor such a stupid one at that!

Before even looking at what happened, just consider the vow itself… “whatever comes out of the door of my house…” What would you be thinking to say something like that? Even if he had a pet dog (or whatever they had those days) that ran out every time he came home, why would you even consider sacrificing it? What makes matters worse is that it is his only child, his virgin daughter who walks out the door to greet him.

Kids might say the darndest things, but us “adults” seriously need to think about what we say, even more so the vows and promises we make, greater still before God. Our words are no so flippant that they are easy swept under the carpet as it is with kids. In the words of the great Teacher, “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No’…” (Matthew 5:33-37) If we’re not careful, we may find ourselves putting that which is most important to us in the firing line… and no one will be laughing.

Next Reading: Judges 12:1-14:20

Reading: Judges 6:1-8:35

Focus: Judges 7:1-8

There is something about humble circumstances and beginnings which get people passionate about things in life. Take any major league sport, there always seems to rise up a crowd behind the newest team, or the team that has suffered a great deal—that is, the underdog team. In life, when those that are undervalued or underestimated achieve success that humanity cheers and celebrates. There is something about success in humility that stirs the passion of our hearts.

When Israel was once again oppressed, they cried out to God to save them. In answer, God rose up a man, Gideon, to lead an army against their oppressors, the Midianites. When Gideon gathered an army, he mustered a force of 32,000 men. God spoke to Gideon and said: it’s too big. So, Gideon allowed the men who feared the approaching battle to depart, 22,000 left leaving 10,000 men. But that was still too much, so by God’s direction, Gideon brought the remaining down to the stream for a drink. Typically, there are two ways which you drink from the stream, you scoop it up with your hands, or you just dunk your head in the water and drink! 300 men (that’s only 3%) scooped water with their hands to drink.

It was with 300 men (just under than 1% of the original army) which God would deliver Israel from her oppressors. And what did they do…? They surrounded the camp armed, not with sword and shield, but with trumpets, jars and lamps. A spirit of confusion descended upon the enemy camp when 300 trumpets were blown and torches lit up around the camp…in confusion, brother attacked brother and mayhem ensued. After the confusion, the army then took up their swords and pursued them.

This is the way God works. It is not in the strengths of people that He moves in this world, it is not in the heroes of this world which God will be known, it is not in the success of the gifted and talented which will testify most to the glory of God…it is the weakness of His people that will move the hearts of men and women, it is the humble servants through which God will be made known, it is in the utterly confounding successes of the underdogs that will cause people to wake up and pay attention, giving full glory to the Lord God Almighty.

It is in the small, humble, meek, weak, despised, neglected, rejected, undervalued, underestimated, forgotten of this world—the underdogs—through which God will be made known. For that I am grateful, because I’m one messed up person, yet even then God might use what little I have to offer for His sake and glory.

Next Reading: Judges

Reading: Judges 4:1-5:31

Focus: Judges 4:4-10, 17-24

We live in a world which is increasingly gender inclusive, on a path towards gender equality, where men and women are treated as equals, and so it should be. However, one of the dangers is that gender identity is being blurred more and more. In the move towards equality, gender definitions are being lost. What is a man? What is a woman? These definitions are slowly being by the gender equality movement. The reality is men must be men and women must be women (neither which promotes or denigrates one’s gender).

In the history of the Judges, most people will recognise the name, Deborah, but how many people remember Barak? I certainly don’t…well, not his name anyway. I remember that Deborah called upon a man to lead an army against Israel’s enemies, but asked Deborah to accompany him. As a result, the victory was won by the army of Israel, but the honour of killing the commander was given a woman… Jael.

Seriously…what the heck? Deborah called upon Barak assuring him that God had delivered the enemies into his hand, yet he doubted and for his doubt, honour was given to someone else, in this case, a woman. It is not a question of equality, but a question of roles. This guy was meant to be the commander of an army, but he’s a coward… Man up, Barak, man up! He gets a brief mention in this story, but he is far from being the main character. The main characters of this story are Deborah and Jael. In the song that follows, it is essentially a song praising the exploits of these faithful women.

Where are the men who will stand for God today? Where are the men who have the guts to stand under the banner of the Lord’s name? Where are the Joshuas, the Calebs, the Davids…? Likewise can be said of the women, where are those who will stand up for the Lord God Almighty? Where are the Deborahs, the Jaels, the Esthers…? Where are the godly who follow God’s narrow path with unfailing faithfulness? Where are they…? Man up, woman up, level up and stand boldly for the name of the Most High! John Piper: Where are the faithful young men?

Next Reading: Judges 6:1-8:35

Reading: Judges 1:1-3:31

Focus: Judges 2:1-19; 3:7-8, 12-14

Have you got a friend who is constantly repeating the same mistake over and over again? Every time it happens you hear the words, “I won’t do it again…” but it is only a short amount of time before it happens again. They suffer the same consequences and struggles each time, but they just don’t learn their lesson. You urge them, time and time over again, to look after themselves, to be careful that they don’t make the same mistake again…but they just don’t get it.

The story of the Israelites, particularly in the period of the Judges, is a overly repeated cycle of disobedience, cry for help, salvation… disobedience, cry, salvation… disobedience, cry, salvation… for God’s sake, figure it out already! In the time of Moses and Joshua, God had already made it extremely clear that they were to drive out the Canaanites from the land and if they did not do so and destroy their altars and sacred places, then they would become a snare to the Israelites.

Well, the Israelites didn’t listen and allowed the Canaanites to remain and did not destroy their sacred places. In turn, they started intermarrying with the Canaanites resulting in the Israelites joining in the worship of Baals and the evil practices which accompanied them. In their disobedience and idolatry, God would bring foreign powers against them to rule over them. In their oppression, they would cry out to God and God would bring them a deliverer, a judge. They would be delivered and during the lifetime of the judge, they would return to the ways of their forefathers… but when the judge died, the cycle began all over again.

Sounds awfully familiar to me. We go through life and we live life our way, our rules. Then trouble comes and we call out to God, “Help God, help me, and I’ll live my life for you, serve you, whatever, just get me out of this hole!” God brings us through the difficult times, and we ride on a wave of this spiritual high of experiencing God’s deliverance, then we start to get comfortable with life again, all is good and we no longer need God. We start living life our way, thinking that it’s all ok… and the cycle starts all over again.

Normally, I’d probably say “God help us,” but the irony of the matter is that He does and then we take for granted and repeat the cycle all over again. Wake up, people! Wake up! Why do we want to put ourselves through the same rubbish over and over again?! Oh would we please just get the point already!

Next Reading: Judges 4:1-5:31

Reading: Joshua 22:1-24:33

Focus: Joshua 24:14-27

As part of life, there are choices which need to be made. Some of no consequence, some with short-term consequence, some with continual life-changing consequences. These life choices should never be made without serious consideration as it is often hard to go back on them. Buying a house and locking yourself into a mortgage… proposing to the girl of your dreams (though people are failing to see the long-term consequences of this one)… migrating to another country… which God you will serve…

At the end of his life, Joshua stood before the people of Israel to recount what God had done for them (Joshua 24:1-13). After testifying to all that God had done, he exhorted the people of Israel to make their choice. Joshua even warned them of the consequences of their choices. Joshua made it clear that this would be a life-defining choice and that it was not one that they could back out of… the price was simply disastrous.

The choice and consequence is no different today. To choice to believe in God, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, is no small choice. It is a decision that has life-long consequence. The gospels are littered with the cost of following Jesus and it is by no means heavenly, well not yet anyway. The cost of following Jesus is often a sacrifice, for some parts of the world, even the sacrifice of life itself, yet this is the cost of discipleship… but why, why would anyone pay such a high price?

For the Israelites, it was a recognition that He had brought them through hardship and into the Promised Land (vv. 16-18). For the Christian, it is the recognition that God through the life, death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, has brought us through the enslavement to sin and into the freedom of life found in Him. The sacrifice of this temporal life now in exchange for a life eternal in paradise, our Promised Land, with our Creator—that is why anyone would pay such a high price. In the words of Joshua:

Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness… but if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

It’s your call…

Next Reading: Judges 1:1-3:31

Reading: Joshua 18:1-21:45

Focus: Joshua 18:43-45

It is almost an unwritten expectation these days that people will not keep their promises. The value of people’s words no longer carry much weight. With the ever-growing community of the Internet, it seems that everyone has a voice and an opinion. While an individual’s word now has an accessible medium for the freedom of expression, the value and weight of an individual’s word is no longer the same. The amount of slapstick mashups of popular media, such as the apology of Tiger Woods (just search “Tiger Woods apology remix” on YouTube), is a clear example of how the word is no longer valued.

A large portion of the book of Joshua details the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. Tribe by tribe, their boundaries are listed in proportion to the needs of the tribes. Let’s be honest, it is a laborious read which is made all the more easier by a simple map. However, after detailing all the divisions of the tribes, it closes with these words:

So the LORD gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

The promise, the Word, of God is as good as the day it was spoken. The Word of God—that is, the Bible—is as trustworthy as the One it speaks of. From cover to cover, page to page, chapter to chapter, verse to verse, it tells a story of God who desires to redeem a fallen and broken world from the words of those who seek to destroy it. It was with words that Satan tempted Adam and Eve and brought sin into the world, and it is with the Word—that is, Jesus Christ—that God will bring redemption and life back into the world.

God made His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the forefathers of Israel that He would bring their descendants into a land of their own… and He did not fail to keep it. He promised Moses and Joshua that He would deliver them from their enemies only if the people would trust Him… and He did not fail to keep it. Where God gave His word to the people of Israel, “not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed.” Where people make promises and fail to keep them, where people make empty promises they cannot keep, when everyone else fails, there is one who will not fail. Where God makes a promise, where He gives His word, He will not fail.

Next Reading: Joshua 22:1-24:33