Intro to Judges
18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for the Israelites, the LORD was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The LORD was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. 19 Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate ways.
Judges 2:18–19
In the 1992 Summer Olympics, Great Britain placed 13th in the country medal count which was right around where they normally placed going back to 1936. Four years later, they finished 36th overall, only able to secure a single gold medal (15 total medals). This team was dubbed “The Team of Shame”. It is a wonder how such a great nation, with an elite pool of athletes, would turn around four years later with the worst showing in the nation’s history. You would think that the talent and abilities would have been taught to the following generation to either surpass or retain the same level of excellence and yet history tells a much different story.
After conquering the land of Canaan and possessing the land of Promise, you would think that the Israelites would have drawn nearer to God and rejoiced in the salvation He gave in bringing them out of Egypt, in the immanence they enjoyed with Him dwelling with them, and sing about His protection against their enemies and power in conquering the Canaanites. However, just one generation after Joshua we read that the Israelites no longer knew the Lord and all that He had done for them (Judges 2:10)! Because of this rebellion, we read in Judges of the people becoming oppressed by their enemies and still God. in His infinite love and mercy, raises up judges to liberate them from captivity and to draw the people back to Himself.
You would think that the people would remember the Lord and return to His ways and obey His commands making this book a very joyful one; tragically, the opposite is true. What we read in the book of Judges is how the people reject God and turn to idols. And we may judge, pun intended, Israel as being ridiculously foolish as we watch how quickly they descend into idolatry, slavery and oppression until we take look in the mirror. We too are like the Israelites, incapable of serving the Lord perfectly and doing right in the eyes of God (Joshua 24:19).
The solution is quite clear when we come to the end of the book when we read these ominous, yet hopeful words, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted” (Judges 21:25). The solution to their problem is very much the solution for the church’s problem today. It is to follow our King and to serve Him faithfully. The Israelites did whatever they wanted and they did whatever was right in their own eyes just like we do so often (Judges 17:6). The solution is to not walk by sight, but by spirit in faith. To not practice and fulfill the desires of our own heart, but the will of the Father. When we read the book of Judges, we are also reading about ourselves and are forced to ask the simple question “Am I so easily swayed towards the lust of my own eyes, the lust of my own flesh, and the pride in my life?” Or to put it another way, “Do I desire to have something, do something, or be someone outside of the will of God?” Or am I one who walks by faith and lives by His Word? The generation who understands this truth will be one who will know the Lord, turning from evil practices and obstinate ways. That generation will be one that pleases God.
Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez
In case you were wondering, Great Britain turned it all around in the 2000 games, capturing 11 gold medals to place 10th in the total medal count with 28.
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To subscribe to the blog to never miss an article, click on the "Subscribe" button at the top of the blog page (https://aogalvez.blogspot.com/)
****************************************************
These articles follow the current Bible Reading plan for Overflow Ministries. If you would like to join the reading plan, simply download the plan here: Overflow Reading Plan
After conquering the land of Canaan and possessing the land of Promise, you would think that the Israelites would have drawn nearer to God and rejoiced in the salvation He gave in bringing them out of Egypt, in the immanence they enjoyed with Him dwelling with them, and sing about His protection against their enemies and power in conquering the Canaanites. However, just one generation after Joshua we read that the Israelites no longer knew the Lord and all that He had done for them (Judges 2:10)! Because of this rebellion, we read in Judges of the people becoming oppressed by their enemies and still God. in His infinite love and mercy, raises up judges to liberate them from captivity and to draw the people back to Himself.
You would think that the people would remember the Lord and return to His ways and obey His commands making this book a very joyful one; tragically, the opposite is true. What we read in the book of Judges is how the people reject God and turn to idols. And we may judge, pun intended, Israel as being ridiculously foolish as we watch how quickly they descend into idolatry, slavery and oppression until we take look in the mirror. We too are like the Israelites, incapable of serving the Lord perfectly and doing right in the eyes of God (Joshua 24:19).
The solution is quite clear when we come to the end of the book when we read these ominous, yet hopeful words, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted” (Judges 21:25). The solution to their problem is very much the solution for the church’s problem today. It is to follow our King and to serve Him faithfully. The Israelites did whatever they wanted and they did whatever was right in their own eyes just like we do so often (Judges 17:6). The solution is to not walk by sight, but by spirit in faith. To not practice and fulfill the desires of our own heart, but the will of the Father. When we read the book of Judges, we are also reading about ourselves and are forced to ask the simple question “Am I so easily swayed towards the lust of my own eyes, the lust of my own flesh, and the pride in my life?” Or to put it another way, “Do I desire to have something, do something, or be someone outside of the will of God?” Or am I one who walks by faith and lives by His Word? The generation who understands this truth will be one who will know the Lord, turning from evil practices and obstinate ways. That generation will be one that pleases God.
Grace and Peace,
Alex Galvez
In case you were wondering, Great Britain turned it all around in the 2000 games, capturing 11 gold medals to place 10th in the total medal count with 28.
Don't forget to subscribe and share this article.
To subscribe to the blog to never miss an article, click on the "Subscribe" button at the top of the blog page (https://aogalvez.blogspot.com/)
****************************************************
These articles follow the current Bible Reading plan for Overflow Ministries. If you would like to join the reading plan, simply download the plan here: Overflow Reading Plan
You may follow Overflow Church @ https://faithlife.com/overflowtx/activity
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