Today's Reading: Judges 3

 

A Deliverer Rescues Israel

The new generation of Israelites did not know the LORD and ended up doing evil in His sight. They forgot their God and worshiped the Baal-gods and Asherah-goddesses of the societies around them.  The LORD was provoked to anger by their corruption...

and allowed them to be defeated by an enemy nation and taken into servitude.  The people of Israel were in servitude to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.

Then, the people of Israel cried out to the LORD and He raised up a deliverer who rescued them, Caleb’s nephew Othniel, son of his younger brother Kenaz. The name “Othniel” means lion of God.  We don’t know much about Othniel, except that “the Spirit of God came upon him” and he rallied the nation.  They went to war and the LORD delivered Cushan-Rishathaim into their hand and they were freed from servitude. This was God’s doing.  "The Spirit of Yahweh" came upon Othniel’s human spirit, enabling him to accomplish what his natural strength could not. After that, the Nation had peace for the next forty years.

It was in answer to Israel's cry that the LORD raised up Othniel as their "savior."  Not only did Othniel lead the people to military victory, he led them back into a right relationship with God. They once again honored the LORD.  The corruption of the people had led to their oppression, and now their repentance leads to their rescue. 

Othniel became the first of some fifteen “Judges” that would govern the Nation over the next 400 years.  These were not judges in the sense of a magistrate or one who presides over courtroom judicial proceedings.  These judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors.  Each time the Israelites came to the “end of themselves” and turned back to God for deliverance and called upon Him, He sent a rescuer to deliver them. 

There are two lessons we can learn from this.  The first is that even the most corrupt nation is eligible for God’s mighty deliverance.  If any society will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, the Almighty Deliverer will send deliverance and victory to that society.  As God promised, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." Psalm 50:15  

The second lesson is that God can do mighty things through only one person upon whom is His Spirit.  Jesus said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5) but when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you can do “all things through Him who strengthens us.” (Philippians 4:13)

If you are open to it and allow God’s Spirit to take control, you too can do mighty works – perhaps even deliver a nation!