Today’s Reading: Judges 3
The Lord allowed Israel 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, they
called upon Him and – consistent with His character and promise - 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!
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