Judges Chapter 6
At the start of this chapter time has passed and we find Israel again under subjection to yet a different set of people that were not supposed to be in the land of Canaan if they had obeyed God. All of these different nations rose up from time to time to be thorn in there side, to make them subjects to an ungodly king. This time it is the Midians.The Midians drove the Israelites to hide their valuables and in some cases to hide themselves in the mountains and in caves.
The Midianites would wait for the Jews to sow their crops, and then at harvest time they would come and take anything they wanted, and it appears that they wanted and took everything that they possibly could. They didn't come alone either, but when they were left, there was nothing but a desolate country. Not surprisingly this caused the children of Israel to cry out to God for deliverance. Not all of them, as we'll soon learn, but many of them cried unto God for deliverance.
As always, God hears the cries of his people even if they have a broken heart and a contrite spirit that David mentions in Psalm 51. So God sends a prophet to remind them of what he has done for them in the past, reminding them why they are in their present situation, and telling them he will deliver them.
The Lord sends and angel to sit by a tree for Gideon, the son of Joash to find. Gideon was threshing wheat by the wine press to hide it from the Midianites. You notice here that he is a man of action, and he is doing all he can do for his family to survive. Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Before you can lead the whole nation of Israel, you must first be willing to lead what is currently in your life. It doesn't work the other way around.
This angel comes to talk to Gideon, and even calls him good man. Gideon is quick to ask where the God that delivered all Israel in the past is. He wants to know why they are suffering so. Gideon is aware the sins of Israel, but in his heart he has been pleading to God that he would deliver Israel. This is not uncommon to what we see today. You might pray and cry out to God on a regular basis to save lost souls, and to show himself strong in a sinful world. You are more than aware of the sin in this country and others, but you plead that he might show himself to a world that desperately needs him; and so does Gideon.
The angel quickly tells Gideon that he will deliver Israel. Gideon not surprisingly doubts the angel telling the angel that he is the least in his family, and that they are very poor. Gideon is right, he is insufficient for the job at hand, and so are we as Christians if we are not led by God and his Holy Spirit. By the hand of God though, they will have deliverance from the Midianites. Gideon goes to prepare a sacrifice. He get the sense over and over that Gideon is a man of action. He doesn't wait around and think too much on things, but does was the Spirit calls him to do. He makes the sacrifice and in the process realizes that this 'angel' is not an ordinary person.
Now Gideon makes an altar for the Lord and receives the word to tear down his fathers altar to Baal. He gathers 10 servants, and goes down at night to tear the altar that never should have been built, down. When you do something for the Lord, it doesn't take long for people to notice, especially when it gets on their territory and convicts their heart. The people, Hebrew people, decide they are going to find out who did this and take care of the problem. They go and find Joash and ask him to hand over his son. Here we find that blood is thicker than water from a false god. Joash says let Baal avenge himself and that he will not give up Gideon. Odd that the altar is called Joash's, and he seems fit to worship it, but knows deep inside that the God of Heaven is the only true God and Baal wouldn't be able to even revenge himself. Why did he have it in the first place? The same question can be asked about the gods in our lives; those masters that we put in front of our service to Jesus Christ.
Here come the Midianites one more time with their allies to lay waste to the land of Israel. Gideon takes his appointment seriously and blows a trumpet and gathers the as many Hebrew Children as he can. Gideon wants reassurance of what God has told him, and here we have the cloth and the dew. God gave Gideon what he asked both times, two nights in a row. With this final assurance, Gideon sets out. If you're not sure about something in our life, pray to God till you are satisfied with the answer, don't go blindly into this world thinking it will all work out in the end. God will give us direction in our lives, and show us if we are on the right path.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
4th Week of May 2012 Adult Sunday School Lesson
Judges 5th Chapter
This whole chapter is a song or psalm dedicated to Jael. It says in the first verse that it is sung by Deborah and Barak. Deborah prophesied that a woman would get the praise for this victory because of the lack of faith on Barak's part.
When Deborah starts the song, she not only sings about the current victory, but of past victories, that some feel mimicked, or favored this same victory. She talks about victory over Edom years ago, and it is interesting to note that she is recalling things that Judges records the children of Israel forgot. God wants us to search him out, search his word, so that we know him, and the past victories he's given his people. They are for our encouragement, edification, education, and exhortation.
She sings that there seems to be no end to what God will do for his people, including moving mountains and the flow of oceans and rivers. Shamgar is mentioned here, even though he is only mentioned a in a small space earlier. She mentions how Israel has suffered at the hands of others, but she does not keep back the fact that these cases, it was Israel's disobedience that let to there troubles.
Later in the chapter, she mentions the tribes of Israel individually, including the tribes that helped, and the tribes that left Barak and his army to their own devices. When you help another individual, or when you help God's saints, God will recognize your efforts; he will also remember when you didn't obey and did nothing to help.
Finally Deborah mentions the craftiness, boldness, and courage of Jael. Jael help put a tired Sisera asleep even though he was prettified with fear. She then boldly took his life and sought out Barak to give him the news. She was a bold woman who was recognized by God, Deborah, Barak, and all Israel.
Since the sacrifice of Jael, Barak, Deborah, and the obeying tribes, Israel had rest for forty years.
This whole chapter is a song or psalm dedicated to Jael. It says in the first verse that it is sung by Deborah and Barak. Deborah prophesied that a woman would get the praise for this victory because of the lack of faith on Barak's part.
When Deborah starts the song, she not only sings about the current victory, but of past victories, that some feel mimicked, or favored this same victory. She talks about victory over Edom years ago, and it is interesting to note that she is recalling things that Judges records the children of Israel forgot. God wants us to search him out, search his word, so that we know him, and the past victories he's given his people. They are for our encouragement, edification, education, and exhortation.
She sings that there seems to be no end to what God will do for his people, including moving mountains and the flow of oceans and rivers. Shamgar is mentioned here, even though he is only mentioned a in a small space earlier. She mentions how Israel has suffered at the hands of others, but she does not keep back the fact that these cases, it was Israel's disobedience that let to there troubles.
Later in the chapter, she mentions the tribes of Israel individually, including the tribes that helped, and the tribes that left Barak and his army to their own devices. When you help another individual, or when you help God's saints, God will recognize your efforts; he will also remember when you didn't obey and did nothing to help.
Finally Deborah mentions the craftiness, boldness, and courage of Jael. Jael help put a tired Sisera asleep even though he was prettified with fear. She then boldly took his life and sought out Barak to give him the news. She was a bold woman who was recognized by God, Deborah, Barak, and all Israel.
Since the sacrifice of Jael, Barak, Deborah, and the obeying tribes, Israel had rest for forty years.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
3rd Week of May 2012 Adult Sunday School Lesson
Judges 4th Chapter
After Ehud the latest savior and judge over Israel dies, the book records that they 'did evil in the sight of the Lord'. Now it will be a different king and a different set of people that will reign over them. Notice that in the first few chapters of Judges, it is always a different king and different people that conquers them. It shows the point that their enemies are many, and they are still suffering from not ridding the land of all theirs' and God's enemies like he commanded.
Jabin was able to enforce his will on the Israelites with his 900 chariots of iron. It seems odd that such a thing would hold down the Jews when they had such great victories in their history over great walled cities, and saw the entire army of Egypt swallowed up by the Red Sea. Regardless, because of their sin and sad situation, you understand that just the people needed to support 900 chariots would in itself be an army. After twenty years, the Israelites cried out enough that God hear them.
Now enters Deborah; she is not only a prophetess but also judges Israel. It seems odd that when Israel wants a king over them, they never really get a queen, but God allows a female judge. It just seems that sin is never a way to get something great from God. That is an obvious statement, but seems to be ignored by many of us in our quest to live for God. Deborah has a favorite palm tree she is known to sit under and it records all of Israel go to her for judgments. From this position she sends for Barak so that he might deliver Israel.Barak likes the news but seems to want assurances from Deborah that they will win. Wanting her presence there shows several things, namely he doubts God, doubts his messenger, and doubts himself even when God has given him the victory. I could go on and on about doubts, lack of faith, and not having enough self confidence to go out boldly for God, but I will not spend the the time here to go thoroughly over that topic. It is as simple as this, when God says go, go, and never doubt or the victory God wants you to have won't be as full as he originally intended.
For doubting, Barak's glory will go to a women, and rightfully so after her courageous effort. Barak is given direct enough instructions, and a person that should be an ally (Heber) of the Israelites gives Sisera a heads up as to what is about to happen. We should note here, that if God is in it, it doesn't matter that Satan is trying to stop your good work for God. He is always trying to do so, but when God is in charge of your life and service, he has already worked it out ahead of time.
Deborah gives the order for Barak to go out against the enemy. Even though Sisera has had advanced notice, Barak and his army have victory and start chasing the Sisera away. He seeks refuge in the tent of a woman Jael, Heber's wife ironically enough. Powerful decisive woman are all over this chapter, and don't let Satan tell you that if you are a woman, you don't have a great work to do for God, because God uses male and female for his work. From what I have read, shepherds had separate tents for men and women; so I suppose Sisera was hoping this fact would further mislead anyone pursuing him. What he didn't count on though was that this cunning Jael knew to give him milk instead of water. This wouldn't quench his thirst as good as water as anyone that has exercised or worked vigorously knows. It also would slow Sisera and his metabolism down. He is already tired, and now thinking he might have escaped, he falls asleep. Jael seizes this moment (unlike Barak earlier in the chapter) and literally nails Sisera's head to the floor of the tent.
This victory not only knocks off Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, but finally leads to the downfall of Jabin, his power over the Israelites and his reign. Barak won, but the glory we'll see in the next chapter, goes to Jael in a song and praise by Deborah.
After Ehud the latest savior and judge over Israel dies, the book records that they 'did evil in the sight of the Lord'. Now it will be a different king and a different set of people that will reign over them. Notice that in the first few chapters of Judges, it is always a different king and different people that conquers them. It shows the point that their enemies are many, and they are still suffering from not ridding the land of all theirs' and God's enemies like he commanded.
Jabin was able to enforce his will on the Israelites with his 900 chariots of iron. It seems odd that such a thing would hold down the Jews when they had such great victories in their history over great walled cities, and saw the entire army of Egypt swallowed up by the Red Sea. Regardless, because of their sin and sad situation, you understand that just the people needed to support 900 chariots would in itself be an army. After twenty years, the Israelites cried out enough that God hear them.
Now enters Deborah; she is not only a prophetess but also judges Israel. It seems odd that when Israel wants a king over them, they never really get a queen, but God allows a female judge. It just seems that sin is never a way to get something great from God. That is an obvious statement, but seems to be ignored by many of us in our quest to live for God. Deborah has a favorite palm tree she is known to sit under and it records all of Israel go to her for judgments. From this position she sends for Barak so that he might deliver Israel.Barak likes the news but seems to want assurances from Deborah that they will win. Wanting her presence there shows several things, namely he doubts God, doubts his messenger, and doubts himself even when God has given him the victory. I could go on and on about doubts, lack of faith, and not having enough self confidence to go out boldly for God, but I will not spend the the time here to go thoroughly over that topic. It is as simple as this, when God says go, go, and never doubt or the victory God wants you to have won't be as full as he originally intended.
For doubting, Barak's glory will go to a women, and rightfully so after her courageous effort. Barak is given direct enough instructions, and a person that should be an ally (Heber) of the Israelites gives Sisera a heads up as to what is about to happen. We should note here, that if God is in it, it doesn't matter that Satan is trying to stop your good work for God. He is always trying to do so, but when God is in charge of your life and service, he has already worked it out ahead of time.
Deborah gives the order for Barak to go out against the enemy. Even though Sisera has had advanced notice, Barak and his army have victory and start chasing the Sisera away. He seeks refuge in the tent of a woman Jael, Heber's wife ironically enough. Powerful decisive woman are all over this chapter, and don't let Satan tell you that if you are a woman, you don't have a great work to do for God, because God uses male and female for his work. From what I have read, shepherds had separate tents for men and women; so I suppose Sisera was hoping this fact would further mislead anyone pursuing him. What he didn't count on though was that this cunning Jael knew to give him milk instead of water. This wouldn't quench his thirst as good as water as anyone that has exercised or worked vigorously knows. It also would slow Sisera and his metabolism down. He is already tired, and now thinking he might have escaped, he falls asleep. Jael seizes this moment (unlike Barak earlier in the chapter) and literally nails Sisera's head to the floor of the tent.
This victory not only knocks off Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army, but finally leads to the downfall of Jabin, his power over the Israelites and his reign. Barak won, but the glory we'll see in the next chapter, goes to Jael in a song and praise by Deborah.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
2nd Week of May 2012 Adult Sunday School Lesson
Judges 3rd Chapter verses 12 -
Othniel dies, and Israel disobeys God again. It is easy to look down our noses at the children of Israel and view ourselves as better servants of God, but I believe God has blessed America far better than he did Canaan, and we are guilty of the same things if not worse.
This time God allows Moab to join forces with Ammon and Amalek to conquer Israel. This went on for 18 years until Israel prayed for God's deliverance and he sent Ehud to deliver them. Ehud decides to give a present to Eglon king of the Moabites in the form of a swift dagger into his ribs. By all accounts it appears as if Ehud was cunny, and with the blessing of God, fooled Eglon into trusting him. He stabs him, and Eglon is so fat that Ehud cannot retrieve the daggar from Eglon after he plunges it in. Ehud leaves, locking the doors behind him and is gone before anyone is the wiser.
After Ehud escapes the palace, he blows the trumpet and raises a quick army to go after the Moabites and an enormous victory. For 40 years Ehud was Judge and Israel had peace. Not only this but Ehud, rose up Shamgar who had victory over the Philistines. God hears his peoples' cry and has mercy on them. He will still hear our cries today if we will call on him.
Othniel dies, and Israel disobeys God again. It is easy to look down our noses at the children of Israel and view ourselves as better servants of God, but I believe God has blessed America far better than he did Canaan, and we are guilty of the same things if not worse.
This time God allows Moab to join forces with Ammon and Amalek to conquer Israel. This went on for 18 years until Israel prayed for God's deliverance and he sent Ehud to deliver them. Ehud decides to give a present to Eglon king of the Moabites in the form of a swift dagger into his ribs. By all accounts it appears as if Ehud was cunny, and with the blessing of God, fooled Eglon into trusting him. He stabs him, and Eglon is so fat that Ehud cannot retrieve the daggar from Eglon after he plunges it in. Ehud leaves, locking the doors behind him and is gone before anyone is the wiser.
After Ehud escapes the palace, he blows the trumpet and raises a quick army to go after the Moabites and an enormous victory. For 40 years Ehud was Judge and Israel had peace. Not only this but Ehud, rose up Shamgar who had victory over the Philistines. God hears his peoples' cry and has mercy on them. He will still hear our cries today if we will call on him.
Revival Thought for week 20 of 2012
John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
God must first knock at the heart, beckon a sinner to come, burden the heart of the lost that he is so, and needs a savior.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
God must first knock at the heart, beckon a sinner to come, burden the heart of the lost that he is so, and needs a savior.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
1st Week of May 2012 Adult Sunday School Lesson
Judges 2nd Chapter verses 6 - 10
Last week in class we went on and covered these verses. Even thought the last chapter of Joshua speaks of Joshua's death, this part of the 2nd chapter covers it as well. Notice that in the 7th verse it mentions the elders that outlived Joshua and had also seen the great wonders God had performed for the children of Israel as he brought them out of Egypt. There were some after Joshua's death that knew of the great things God had done and by their presence or the retelling of the times God had delivered them, it seems to keep them out of trouble. They still honor God while these elders are alive. In the tenth verse it is plain that the next generation did not honor the Lord.
Judges 2nd Chapter verses 11 - 15
Now in the 11th verse we quickly see that it doesn't take Israel long after death of the elders to go in the wrong way. They served Baalim. They were not supposed to dwell and intermingle with the people of Canaan. They were not supposed to marry into those tribes, but they did anyway. We can see similar things like this in today's church. We are not supposed to be wedded with the world. We are not supposed to let the world and the activities of this world rule in our lives. We take on relationships with the activities, interests, and going on of this world. We are to be a separated and peculiar people. We not supposed to hide from the world, but we are to change the world, not the other way around.
It doesn't take god long to be angered, and to let the Israelites know that when he said the dwellers in Canaan would be a thorn in their side, he meant it. He let the Israelites serve other people as their masters since they decided to serve other gods.
Judges 2nd Chapter verses 16 - 23
God's anger is never as fierce as it could be, and he always hears the cries of his people. He starts to give them judges to be over them. Not kings, like the other kingdoms and people had, but judges who were leaders in both a spiritual and military sense. A king, as Israel later found out, takes up great resources out hands of the people to support himself. The very fact that a king and his family doesn't support themselves seems to make it so that they expect servitude, gratitude and everything else from the backs of those that serve him. Judges were different though, and they were leaders who supported themselves or were supported by their own families. Israel had good judges and bad judges, but the things he did by their hands were wonderful and nothing short of miracles.
Since Israel was rebellious, God let them deal with the dwellers of the land that they failed to drive out. The end of the second chapter is a brief overview of what the next chapters will be like. The start of the third chapter starts the story about a particular judge named Othniel.
Judges 3rd Chapter verses 1 - 7
Here we have a listing of the nations that are to be a thorn in the side of the children of Israel for thousands of years. The Philistines, Canaanites and so on, are among the offenders. We are know that the Philistines will be thorn in their side till after Davids time. Some of the people are descendants of Ishmael, Esau and other people that were part of a people that fulfill God's promise of the evil that would befall them for not obeying. So in the sixth verse they intermingle with these people, and in the seventh verse they do all manner of evil before God including serving other gods.
Judges 3rd Chapter verses 8 - 11
Here comes a ruler named Chushan-rishathaim out of Mesopotamia. He attacks Israel and puts them under his thumb for eight years. Finally Othniel, Caleb's younger brother and probably a well known Israelite, fought against Chushan-rishathaim and delivered Israel and they had rest for 40 years.
Last week in class we went on and covered these verses. Even thought the last chapter of Joshua speaks of Joshua's death, this part of the 2nd chapter covers it as well. Notice that in the 7th verse it mentions the elders that outlived Joshua and had also seen the great wonders God had performed for the children of Israel as he brought them out of Egypt. There were some after Joshua's death that knew of the great things God had done and by their presence or the retelling of the times God had delivered them, it seems to keep them out of trouble. They still honor God while these elders are alive. In the tenth verse it is plain that the next generation did not honor the Lord.
Judges 2nd Chapter verses 11 - 15
Now in the 11th verse we quickly see that it doesn't take Israel long after death of the elders to go in the wrong way. They served Baalim. They were not supposed to dwell and intermingle with the people of Canaan. They were not supposed to marry into those tribes, but they did anyway. We can see similar things like this in today's church. We are not supposed to be wedded with the world. We are not supposed to let the world and the activities of this world rule in our lives. We take on relationships with the activities, interests, and going on of this world. We are to be a separated and peculiar people. We not supposed to hide from the world, but we are to change the world, not the other way around.
It doesn't take god long to be angered, and to let the Israelites know that when he said the dwellers in Canaan would be a thorn in their side, he meant it. He let the Israelites serve other people as their masters since they decided to serve other gods.
Judges 2nd Chapter verses 16 - 23
God's anger is never as fierce as it could be, and he always hears the cries of his people. He starts to give them judges to be over them. Not kings, like the other kingdoms and people had, but judges who were leaders in both a spiritual and military sense. A king, as Israel later found out, takes up great resources out hands of the people to support himself. The very fact that a king and his family doesn't support themselves seems to make it so that they expect servitude, gratitude and everything else from the backs of those that serve him. Judges were different though, and they were leaders who supported themselves or were supported by their own families. Israel had good judges and bad judges, but the things he did by their hands were wonderful and nothing short of miracles.
Since Israel was rebellious, God let them deal with the dwellers of the land that they failed to drive out. The end of the second chapter is a brief overview of what the next chapters will be like. The start of the third chapter starts the story about a particular judge named Othniel.
Judges 3rd Chapter verses 1 - 7
Here we have a listing of the nations that are to be a thorn in the side of the children of Israel for thousands of years. The Philistines, Canaanites and so on, are among the offenders. We are know that the Philistines will be thorn in their side till after Davids time. Some of the people are descendants of Ishmael, Esau and other people that were part of a people that fulfill God's promise of the evil that would befall them for not obeying. So in the sixth verse they intermingle with these people, and in the seventh verse they do all manner of evil before God including serving other gods.
Judges 3rd Chapter verses 8 - 11
Here comes a ruler named Chushan-rishathaim out of Mesopotamia. He attacks Israel and puts them under his thumb for eight years. Finally Othniel, Caleb's younger brother and probably a well known Israelite, fought against Chushan-rishathaim and delivered Israel and they had rest for 40 years.
Revival thought for week 19 of 2012
Psalm 85
1 LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
God is more merciful to us than we deserve or can ask for. He has made a way of escape from sin and this world. Just as in Psalm 51, we need a broken heart and a contrite spirit when we call out to him for mercy. If we ask in faith believing, he will revive us, restore us, heal us. He will offer his salvation and happiness, joy everlasting.
We humble ourselves, cry out to him in much prayer, be obeisant, and he will take revive us in our need.
1 LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.
2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.
3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.
4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.
5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.
God is more merciful to us than we deserve or can ask for. He has made a way of escape from sin and this world. Just as in Psalm 51, we need a broken heart and a contrite spirit when we call out to him for mercy. If we ask in faith believing, he will revive us, restore us, heal us. He will offer his salvation and happiness, joy everlasting.
We humble ourselves, cry out to him in much prayer, be obeisant, and he will take revive us in our need.
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