Today's Reading: Judges 19

When Atrocities Lead To Action

There is really no way to soften the hard ugliness of this chapter.  The Bible is not a book of “fairy tales” and “unicorns.”  It tells of real human struggles and tragedies.  And it never hides the truth about sin.  Judges 19 describes clearly and graphically the horrible atrocities and violent consequences of human behavior when “everybody does what is right in their own eyes.”  We don’t like reading of such things, but the reality is that human nature is corrupt and perverted. Left to our own impulses, human beings are capable of the lowest forms of evil and violence.

As followers of Christ, we look around at a human race which is not following after God and we are sometimes shocked and dismayed at the atrocities we see.  Murder. Terrorist beheadings. Mass shootings. Suicide bombings. Murder of innocent babies. Genocide. Political corruption. Rape and sexual abuse. Drug trafficking. Homosexual perversion. Human trafficking. Racial hate crimes.  Abuses of human rights. Ethnic cleansing. All of this is real, and the list goes on.

What should be our response to such horrendous things?  Should we simply shrug our shoulders and say, “O well. There’s no way to fight such things”?  Or, should we do something to curtail such atrocities?  In verse 30 of Judges 19, the people who saw the atrocities of rape and murder in Israel came to the consensus that something must be done.  Collectively, the people concluded that the Nation must “consider it” and “take counsel” and “speak.”

To “consider it” means to deeply contemplate the evil in our society.  Don’t ignore it or pretend it isn’t there. Think about it!  Pray about it.  Seek God’s wisdom about it.  To “take counsel” means to consult with others about what to do. Ask one another, what should we do about this?  And to “speak” means to stop your silence and speak up and fight against such horrible behavior. Think about it! Talk it over. And do something!

The global fight against atrocities is long and hard. Fighting it requires courageous engagement by God’s children who believe that genocides and crimes against humanity are not behaviors that should be tolerated and allowed to pass unchallenged.  While it is true that evil will never be fully eradicated from our world until the Son of God comes and establishes His kingdom, it is also true that we should not tolerate such horrible atrocities without speaking out against them.  God knows that standing for truth is not easy.  But He promises to stand with His people. So, Think about it! Talk it over with others. And speak out!

Today's Reading - Judges 18

 

Israel: The Land of No Lack

Today’s Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs. The country has a strong economy, vibrant farming, and is still known to this day as a land of plenty.  It truly has “no lack” of anything that is in the earth.  This is no mistake or chance happenstance.  This is by the design and hand of God. God has blessed this Nation above all others – just as He said He would.

Israel is the only country in the world that has succeeded in reviving a dead language (Hebrew) and using it as a national language. Because their land produces so bountifully, Israelis consume more fruits and vegetables relative to the population than any other nation in the world.  Israel is the only country in the world that has more trees today than it had 50 years ago.  Life expectancy in Israel is among the highest in the world at 82 years.  Coffee and cafés are so good in Israel that it’s the only country where Starbucks failed trying to break into the local market.

Despite the tough neighborhood they live in, numerous studies rank Israelis among the happiest people among the nations of the world. If you mail a letter addressed to “God”, it will be forwarded to Israel and placed in the Western Wall where over one million notes are placed every year.

Israel is also a fertile place for human achievement.  Cell phone technology was invented in Israel.  So was voice mail. The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has the most sophisticated technology in the world and is a leader in saving people trapped by natural and man-made disasters including earthquakes, train wrecks, collapsed buildings, and terrorist attacks. Israel’s “Iron Dome” air defense system is the most advanced military defense system in the world.

This amazing country has something for everyone.  Israel offers scenic desert landscapes, lush forests, breathtaking beaches, majestic rivers, and some of the most important Biblical and historic sites in the world.  Travelers from around the world visit Israel every year, visiting such places as Old Town Jerusalem, Via Dolorosa, Bethlehem, Masada, Caesarea, the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, The Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, and the Sea of Galilee.

Today’s Israel is confirmation of the words in Judge 18:10, that it is a place where there is “no lack of anything that is in the earth.”  It was a place of plenty back in the times of the Judges, and it is a place of plenty still today.  Another assurance that God’s word is truth and can be trusted.  God does not change, and His word does not change. Because it comes from God, who Himself is Truth, His word is true.

Today's Reading: Judges 17

 Right In Their Own Eyes

The ways of the LORD are right.  When we follow His ways, we are right and we are doing rightly.  The prophet Hosea told us, “Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them” (Hosea 14:9).  Psalm 19:8 says, “The precepts of the Lord are right.”  And Psalm 33:4 says, “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. ... the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just.”

Those who follow the word of the LORD are right.  Inversely, those who follow the ways of man or humanity are not always right.  Even when those ways may “seem” right in their own eyes.  Tragically, the Israelites had forsaken the word of the Lord and everyone began doing what was right in their own eyes.  And, tragically today, this is the story of so many who choose the ways of humanity rather than the ways of God.  Our society has brainwashed millions/billions of people into thinking that everyone has “their own truth” and can decide for themselves what is “right for them.”  They teach that there is no real objective standard of right and wrong.  There is not a single “right way.” 

Jesus vigorously disagreed with this “existential” philosophy when He said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  Judges 17:6 is an insightful verse, giving us a look behind the scenes of Israel’s failure as a nation.  This verse is an insight into the moral degeneracy of a Nation. They had lost the fact that God was to be their king. They had lost the consciousness of that fact that God’s ways were the right ways. And everyone, rather than being ruled by God, was doing that which was right in their own eyes. It was a period of anarchy. And this was what led to Israel’s downfall and defeat at the hands of their enemies. And, if our society doesn’t reverse course, it will lead to the same for us. 

How about you?  Is there an area of your life where you have let humanity set the standard of “right” rather than letting God’s word prescribe the true standard.  Is there some attitude in your heart or action in your life that is “right in your own eyes” but truth be told, God is not on board?  Take some time today and seek God on this matter. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any area of your heart or life that needs to be brought under His rulership.  Give that area to Him.  Turn from it.  Always keep in mind that God’s ways are not man’s ways.  “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12) Be sure to rid yourself of any such way. 

Today's Reading: Judges 16

When The Spirit Departs

In yesterday’s reading, we read about the Spirit of the LORD rushing upon Samson.  It was a phenomenal and powerful move of God’s Spirit upon Samson granting him astounding physical strength.

In today’s reading, we read that, in spite of Samson’s amazing gift from God, he had little respect for either his Nazirite vow or the Israelite law. He handled a dead lion, married a Philistine woman and joined in the customary wine-drinking feasts of the Philistines. As a result of his carelessness with the things of God, the Spirit’s power was removed from him.  “But he did not know that the LORD had left him.”  He was blind to the departure of God’s Spirit.  And it ended tragically for him.

This presents us with a powerful life lesson about presumption - a self-confidence that can cause a person to presume that God is still with them when, in fact, He has departed. There is a spiritual kind of a blindness that afflicts people especially if they are fooling around in the enemy's territory, trying to play around with sin, playing games on the enemy's field. It is possible for you to stray from God and to get out and isolated, away from God. You can get so caught up in your activities that you're not really aware of the fact that the anointing, the power of God is no longer upon your life.

One point to remember is that God continued to use Samson for a period of time before his carelessness with the things of God finally resulted in the pulling away of God’s anointing. There are many people who assume because the anointing God is still upon their life that He must be pleased with all that they are doing. That is a wrong conclusion. God does not immediately lift his anointing from a person's life because they have failed or have faults. Many people use the rationale "but God still uses me" and thus, they take the fact that God is still using them as a sign of God’s approval of what they are doing. “If God didn’t approve of what I was doing then He would take his anointing and take His power from my life.” That isn't always true. It's a wrong rationale.  If they continue in that path they’re going to arrive one day at the place were God's Spirit is removed from their life. And they won't even know it for a period of time.

Samson was blind to his own spiritual state. It is possible to be self-deceived about your own spiritual state. Samson had the potential of going down in the history books as one of the mightiest and most glorious of all the deliverers of Israel. His name could've been alongside of Joshua's and David's and Samuel's, the marvelous deliverers of Israel. But he could not conquer his own passions, his own lust.  And it led to the LORD removing His anointing.

This is why we are exhorted repeatedly in Scripture to humble ourselves before God and constantly be on the lookout for pride and presumption creeping into our lives. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Never presume upon God.  And never handle the gifts and callings of God carelessly.

 

Today's Reading: Judges 15

When The Spirit Rushes In

Verse 14 says, “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him.”  In other translations, this phrase “rushed upon” is translated as “came powerfully upon” (NIV); “came mightily upon” (KJV); “took control of” (HOL); “came over” (GW).  No matter how you say it, this was a phenomenal and powerful move of God’s Spirit upon Samson granting him astounding physical strength.

When the Spirit of the Lord rushes upon someone, some pretty amazing things begin to happen.  Here in Judges 15, the Spirit enabled Samson to break the ropes off his hands like they were powder and strike down an army of Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone.  Elsewhere in Scripture, we see the Spirit’s rushing power enabling people to do amazing supernatural feats: Saul mustered three hundred thousand Israelites for battle (1 Samuel 11:6-8); David was anointed as Israel’s king (1 Samuel 16:13); Azariah preached a powerful sermon (2 Chronicles 15:1); Balaam prophesied (Numbers 24:2); Jahaziel pronounced great words of encouragement (2 Chronicles 20:14). Every one of these actions were beyond the “natural” abilities of the person. Every one of these actions were enacted by a supernatural power that can come only from God.

Everywhere in Scripture where we read of the Holy Spirit coming upon people, we see unusual and unexplainable events take place.  In the New Testament we read, “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:2-4)  Unusual and unexplainable - the sound of rushing wind, wildfire, speaking in tongues. All followed by an unexpectedly bold Gospel presentation by a coward, the Apostle Peter.  Wow! What unusual and unexplainable phenomenon. 

That’s what happens when God’s Spirit comes upon a person.  They are enabled to do things that they could not do in their human strength.  This is how God enables people to accomplish His great purposes. And when His Spirit rushes in – watch out!  Unusual and unexplainable events will arise.

What is that “thing” that God has put on your heart to accomplish for His kingdom? What ministry is calling you? Don’t attempt that thing on your own or in your own strength.  Instead, listen to what Jesus told you to do, “wait for the promise of the Father.”  Wait upon Him and in His perfect timing “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). You, too can experience the Spirit rushing upon you resulting in unusual and unexplainable power happening in your life.

 

Today's Reading: Judges 14

 

When Parents Have No Clue

His father and mother had no idea that God was behind Samson’s attraction to a young Philistine girl.  His parents very “properly” opposed Samson’s marriage to this Pagan woman. "Aw come on, Samson, there are plenty of beautiful Israeli girls around here, why do you have to go down and fall in love with a Philistine?"  But the Scriptures tell us that God was in it and Samson’s parents had...

Today's Reading: Judges 12 & 13

 

The Stirring of God

What a blessing this must have been for Samson’s mom and dad!  They had sacrificed for him, and prayed for him before he was born and as he grew up.  And now, they could see the blessing of the LORD begin to come upon him.  The Spirit of the LORD began to...