Archive for the ‘Judges’ Category

Spiritual Training 26 July 2012

Posted: July 26, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jephthah

 Jephthah’s rash vow brought him unspeakable grief in the heat of emotion or personal turmoil it is easy to make foolish promises to God.  These promises may sound very spiritual when we make them, but they may produce only guilt and frustration when we are forced to fulfill them.  Making spiritual “deals” only brings disappointment.  God does not want promises for the future, but obedience for today.

Judges 11:30-31, 34-35 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, what ever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.”

34-35 Then Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines!  She was an only child.  Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.  When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried.  “Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break. 

Spiritual Training 24 July 2012

Posted: July 25, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

Judges 11:1-3 Jephthah the Giledite was a might warrior.  His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.  Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”

 3. So Jephthah fled from his brothers and settled in the land of Tob, where a group of adventures gathered around him and followed him. 

Circumstances beyond his control forced Jephthah away from his people and into life as an outcast.  Today, both believers and nonbelievers may drive away those who do not fit the norms dictated by our society, neighborhoods, or churches.  Often, as in Jephtah’s case, great potential is wasted because of prejudice a refusal to look beyond ill-conceived stereotypes.

Lets Bring it home: Look around you to see if there are potential Jephtah’s being kept out due to factors beyond their control.  As a Christian you know that everyone can have a place in God’s family.  Can you do anything to help these people gain acceptance for their character and abilities?

Spiritual Training 23 July 2012

Posted: July 23, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command 

Judges 11:1-2 Jephthah the Giledite was a mighty warrior.  His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute.  Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they were grown up, they drove Jephthah away. “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,” they said, “because you are the son of another woman.”

Jephthah, an illegitimate son of Gilead, was chased out of the country by his half brothers.  He suffered as a result of another’s decision and not for any wrong he had done.  Yet in spite of his brother’s rejection, God used him.  If you are suffering from unfair rejection, don’t blame others and become discouraged.  Remember how God used Jephthah despite his unjust circumstances, and realize that he is able to use you even if you feel rejected by some.

Spiritual Training 20 July 2012

Posted: July 20, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Book of Judges 

Judges 10:10-16 Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”  The LORD replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands?  But you have forsaken me and served other gods, did I not save you from their hands?  But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will not longer save you.  Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen.  Let them save you when you are in trouble!”  But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned.  Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD.  And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer. 

These verses show how difficult it can be to follow God over the long haul.  The Israelites always seemed to forget God when all was well.  But despite being rejected by his own people, God never failed to rescue them when they called out to him in repentance.

Lets bring it home: God never fails to rescue us either.  We act just like the Israelites when we put God outside our daily events instead of at the center of them.  Just as a loving parent feels rejected when a child rebels, so God feels great rejection when we ignore or neglect him.  We should strive to stay close to God rather then see how far we can go before judgment comes.

Spiritual Training 19 July 2012

Posted: July 19, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Jephithah

Judges 10:6-9 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD.  They served the Baal and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines.  And because the Israelites forsook the LORD and on longer served him, he became angry with them.  He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shatter and crushed them.  For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.  The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and the house of Ephraim; and Israel was in great distress.  Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.” 

Once again the Israelites suffered for many years before they gave up their sinful ways and called out to God for help.  Notice that when the Israelites were at the end of their rope they did not look to their pagan gods for help, but to the only One was really able to help.

Lets bring it home: In your last resort? So much unnecessary suffering takes place because we don’t call on God until we’ve used up all other resources.  Rather than waiting until the situation becomes desperate, turn to God first.  He has the necessary resources to meet every kind of problem.

Spiritual Training 18 July 2012

Posted: July 18, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Tola and Puah

Judges 10:1-5 After the time of Abimelech and man of Issachar, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to save Israel.  He lived in Shamir, in the hill country of Ephraim.  He led Israel twenty-three years; then he died and was buried in Shamir. 
     He was followed by Jair of Gilead, who led Israel twenty-two years.  He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys.  They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havoth Jair.  When Jair died, he was buried in Kamon. 

In five verses we read about two men who judged Israel for a total of 45 years, yet all we know about them besides the length of their rules is that one had 30 sons who rode around on 30 donkeys.

Lets Bring it Home: What are we doing for God that is worth nothing?  When your life is over, will people remember more than just what was in your bank account or the number of years you lived.

Spiritual Training 17 July 2012

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Abimelech

People who desire power always outnumber those who are able to use power wisely once they have it.  Perhaps this is because power has a way of taking over controlling the person using it.  This is especially true in cases of inherited but unmerited power.  Abimelech’s life shows us what happens when hunger for power corrupts judgment.

Abimelech’s position in Gideon’s family as the son of a concubine must have created great tension between him and Gideon’s many other sons.  One against 70: such odds can either crush a person or make him ruthless; it is obvious which direction Abimelech chose.  Gideon’s position as warrior and judge had placed Abimelech in an environment of power Gideon’s death provided an opportunity for this son to seize power.  Once the process began, the disastrous results were inevitable.  A person’s thirst for power is not satisfied when he gets power-it only becomes more intense.  Abimelech’s life was consumed by the thirst.   Eventually, he could not tolerate any threat to his power.

But this time, ownership had change: Abimelech no longer had power-power had him.  One lesson we can learn form his life is that our goals control our actions.  The amount of control is related to the importance of the goal.  Abimelech’s most important goal was to have power.  His lust for power led him to wipe out not only his brothers, but also whole cities that refused to submit to him.  Nothing but death could stop his bloodthirsty drive to conquer.  How ironic that he was fatally injured by a woman with a farm implement! The contrast between Abimelech and the great people of the Bible is great.  He wanted to control the nation; they were willing to be controlled by God.

Spiritual Training 16 July 2012

Posted: July 16, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
The Death of Abimelech

Judges 9:56-57 Thus God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done to his father by murdering his seventy brothers.  God also made the men of Shechem pay for all their wickedness.  The curse of Jotham son of Jerub-Baal came on them.

Gideon, Abimelech’s father, succeeded in military battles, but sometimes failed in his personal struggles.  Gideon was not condemned for taking a concubine (8:31), but the family problems that resulted from this relationship are clearly stated.  In the end, Abimelech killed 69 of his 70 half brothers, tore apart a nation, and then was killed himself.

Lets Bring it home: From Gideon’s life we learn that no matter how much good we do for God’s kingdom, sin in our lives will still produce powerful, damaging consequences.

Spiritual Training 09 July 2012

Posted: July 9, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Abimelech

Judges 9:4-6 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Ball-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventures, who became the followers.  He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Ball, But Jotham the youngest of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding.  Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech King. 

Politics played a major part in pagan religions such as the worship of Baal-Berith.  Governments often went so far as to hire temple prostitutes to bring in additional money.  In many cases a religious system was set up and supported by the government so the offerings could fund community projects.  Religion became a profit-making business.  In Israel’s religion, this was strictly forbidden.  God’s system of religion was designed to come from an attitude of the heart, not from calculated plans and business opportunities.  It was also designed to serve people and help those in need, not to oppress the needy.

Lets bring it home: Is your faith genuine and sincere or is it based on convenience, comfort, and availability?


Spiritual Training 06 July 2012

Posted: July 6, 2012 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Judges, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
Abimelech

Judges 9:1-5 Abimelech son of Jerub-Ball (Gideon) went to his mother’s brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother’s clan, “Ask all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal’s (Gideon) sons rule over you, or just one man?  Remember, I am your flesh and blood.” When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow “Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Ball-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventures, who became the followers.  He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Ball, But Jotham the youngest of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. 

With Gideon dead, Abimelech wanted to take his father’s place. (Jerub-Baal is another name for Gideon; see 6:32.)  To set his plan in motion he went to the city of Shechem, his mother’s hometown, to drum up support.  Here he felt kinship with the residents.  These relatives were Canaanites and would be glad to unit against Israel.

Israel’s King was to be the Lord and not a man.  But Abimelech wanted to usurp the position reserved for God alone.  In his selfish quest, he killed all but one of his 70 half brothers.  People with selfish desires often seek to fulfill them in ruthless ways.

Lets bring it home: Examine your ambitions to see if they are self-centered or God-centered, Be sure you always fulfill your desires in ways that God would approve.

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