February 2019 – Page 2

89. No sooner had Gideon died……

Judges 8:33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them. Abimelek son of Jerub-Baal 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 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 Abimelek, for they said, “He is related to us.” They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelek used it to hire reckless scoundrels, who became his followers. He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal.

There were forty years of peace from the time God used Gideon to defeat the Midianites and Gideon’s death. The people followed Gideons lead in worship and service to God. But, look, no sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites stopped worshiping and serving God after forty years of doing it. You have to wonder what kind of commitment the people had toward honoring and worshiping God. Did they just gradually lose sight of God and try to start down other paths but were held onto the path by the leadership of Gideon? Do you ever wonder if we are any different and our commitment to God is one built on convenience to how it fits into our lives? When we are very busy with life our commitment is almost non-existent. If this lax commitment is during the formative years of our children it is no wonder they can so easily have no foundation to stand on and have no want or need for God.

We do well to make our commitment firm and our foundation known to our family and friends so that we are influencing them toward a relationship with Jesus Christ rather than them influencing us toward worldly wants and desires.

88. Due to their hardness of heart.

Judges 8:22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Exodus 23:33     They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

Psalms 106:39    Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.

Hosea 4:12-14     My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.  They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the whore, and your brides commit adultery.  I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes and sacrifice with cult prostitutes, and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.

Isaiah 56:11     The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

John 8:43     Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

Romans 3:11     no one understands; no one seeks for God.

Ephesians 4:18     They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

What is it in your life that is a snare to you and possibly your family? What occupies your thoughts and time? What sacrifices do you make so that you have time for whatever it is that occupies your thoughts and actions? The list of what can snare us is limitless for we are very good at seeking our own interests and wants. We are very good at giving our time and energy to that which pleases our eyes, heart, and mind.

We have been given free will to choose whom we will honor and serve. Unfortunately many times the choice is made for self and self-interest and self-satisfaction. The snare for each of us is different but it is rooted in the same self-interest choices that leave no place for honoring, serving, following, and obeying Jesus Christ.

Leave no room for a snare in your heart and mind. Set your heart to humbly serve Him. Intentionally seek to understand and know Him more and more. Make decisions for eternity in line with that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ.

87. The haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low,

1 Samuel 14:6     Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.”

2 Chronicles 14:11    And Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”

Zechariah 4:6    Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29    But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,

Isaiah 2:17     And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of men shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

We would do well to stay in God’s word learning more and more about Him and how to humbly serve and honor Him. We don’t need to look very far in the news to see those with prideful, boastful, and non-God honoring comments. You don’t have to read or watch much TV to find those who would knowingly deny God, deny His sovereignty, His son, His Holy Spirit, His warnings and His promises. These people know deep down what they are doing.

I am more worried about those who claim to know and serve God but deny His power, sovereignty, and Holy Spirit. These people live a watered down and diluted christian existence. There is no intentional and active humble service, reliance, or obedience in their superficial walk. This lifestyle knowingly says in their heart, I only need God when I am in trouble, I don’t need Him for everyday stuff, I know enough of His word, I am good enough, I do more than others, …..etc. These people covertly live in the pride of their own power, strength, and doing what seems right in their own eyes. They have become lukewarm in their walk with God because they chose a path of neglect and complacency for His word.

86. “You have too many men.”

Judges 7:1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.”

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.”

His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.”

When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”

Can you imagine the thoughts going through Gideon’s mind? He has an army of around 32,000 to go up against an army to numerous to count and God says “you have too many men.” So 22,000 are allowed to leave. God says “still too many.” In the end, God uses 300 men so that Israel will not boast in their own strength but in the sovereign power, might, and awesome strength of God alone.

How many times do we face that which is overwhelming to us in our own strength and wisdom rather than seeking Jesus and laying our burden at His feet and trusting Him in total reliance? Far too many times I am sure. It is never too late to confess we were trusting in our selves. It is never too late to repent from thinking we can do it on our own. It is never too late to give it fully into the hands of Jesus.

85. Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?

Judges 6:36 Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Hosea 6:3-4     Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Isaiah 43:19-20     Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 50:2    Why, when I came, was there no man; why, when I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver?

I read this article in Share Faith Magazine and thought it had a very interesting view on Gideon’s fleece.

Gideon did not put out the fleece to figure out God’s will. He already knew God’s will. That was plain within the first thirty seconds of his meeting with the angel. He put out the fleece even though he already knew what he was supposed to do.

Gideon put out the fleece because he was faithless and unbelieving. Gideon had already seen miracles. Why did he need a wet fleece and dry ground? He laid out the fleece because He did not trust God to fulfill His promises. He knew God’s will but refused to go and do it.

Do you sometimes try to lay out the fleece before God?

Think about what you’re doing. Whether it’s figuring out if you should take the job offer, move to another area of the country, have children, buy the car, take the vacation, or start the new ministry, you don’t need fleece. You simply need faith.

God still performs miracles. God still shows His power. God still provides direction, but He doesn’t need your fleece to do it. When you think that maybe you should lay out the fleece, instead surrender in faith. God does not reveal His will by having us devise little tricks and tests to see what He will do. He is gracious and kind, but He doesn’t do stunts on demand. He guides in His own ways, on His own terms, in His own timing. That’s what sovereignty is. That’s why we can submit to God’s gracious and loving sovereignty.

Discerning God’s will isn’t voodoo or divination. We don’t need fleece, or any other techniques to figure it out. It is a matter of simple obedience and submitting to His leading, step-by-step. God is big enough to carry through without fleece, tests, or other tricks. Your “fleece” may simply be confusing you or getting in the way.

Instead of laying out the fleece or trying other techniques to figure out God’s will, merely trust and obey.

84. We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself

Judges 2:22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!”

But the Lord said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”

So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace.

Genesis 22:14    So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

Deuteronomy 32:36     For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone and there is none remaining, bond or free.

Exodus 17:15    And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner,

Jeremiah 23:6     In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

John 1:14    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Psalms 22:4-5     In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.  To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

2 Corinthians 1:8-10    For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

I am not sure who wrote this but there is truth in it; “God, in the greatest difficulties, when all human assistance is vain, will make a suitable provision for the deliverance of those who trust in Him.”

Many times we need to be at the end of ourselves before we turn it over to Jesus – before we fully trust in His sovereign power and control. I wonder if we are just wired to go in our own strength fighting the burden and clawing trying to get over the hurdle until we realize it is futile and not within our strength, power, or wisdom to succeed. We try and try and try but until we get to the place (sooner is better) where we place it in the hands of Jesus with full reliance and trust in Him will we see a peaceful end to it.

Recognize early, what burden it is that you are fighting in and on your own power and turn it over to Jesus. Learn to wait on the Lord and in all things honor and glorify Him.

83. They cried out to the Lord for help.

Judges 6:1 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count them or their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.

When the Israelites cried out to the Lord because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

The Israelites were told not to do something, specifically not to turn from God and become like the people in the land they were living in. God gave them promises of blessings and warnings. Blessings if they gave their whole heart to humbly serve, rely on, and obey Him. Warnings/curses if they did not. We can see what happens when God’s word is neglected and complacency is the norm. Drifting, sliding, and falling away from the truth of God’s word occurs when our heart and mind are filled with more and more of cultural norms than God’s word.

Why is it that we must fall away and find ourselves in trouble before we realize how far we have drifted from God. It is so easy to set aside His word and commitment to rely on Him and to obey Him. At first, His word is set aside for just one day and then one day becomes a week, and soon neglect is the norm. Reliance and obedience so easily fall in line with self-interests, wants and satisfaction. We find ourselves in a trial or troubling circumstance and wonder where God is, only to be reminded that we had left Him to go our own way.

Intentionally stay in His word. Covet it. Desire it, Learn from it. Cling to it. Seek to understand it. Learn to humbly serve, honor, follow and obey Him.

82. The anger of the Lord burned

Judges 3:7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years.

But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Judges 3:12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.

Judges 3:28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.

Judges 4:1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, now that Ehud was dead. So the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. Sisera, the commander of his army, was based in Harosheth Haggoyim. Because he had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, they cried to the Lord for help.

Judges 4:31 Then the land had peace forty years.

Can you see the theme here? There was a falling away from God, punishment, calling out to God, and peace restored. In the cases above punishment was for 8 years, a cry to the Lord, and then peace for 40 years. Punishment for 18 years, a cry to the Lord, and peace for 80 years. Punishment for 20 years, a cry to the Lord, and peace for 40 years.

Why is there a falling away from serving and living for Jesus? What causes or leads us down paths that are not God-honoring, God serving, obedient to God, following God, God-reliant, or God trusting. We have been given examples of what others did but if we were to look deep into our heart and mind we might see, self-centered indulgence, pride, complacency, neglect, worldly wants, and a lack of hunger and thirst for God’s word in our life. When His word is set aside because of the busyness of life, your path is already set on a course away from needing Him. This path is very well worn and seems to be the same path that others are on. Following others down this path does not end well.

Do you want power, peace, and purpose in your life? Stay in His word. Cherish it every day. Seek to hear His quiet small voice of leading. Obediently follow Him. Humbly serve Him.

81. That he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart,

Judges 2:20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.”

Exodus 24:3-8     Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

Deuteronomy 29:10-13    “You are standing today, all of you, before the LORD your God: the heads of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, all the men of Israel,  your little ones, your wives, and the sojourner who is in your camp, from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water,  so that you may enter into the sworn covenant of the LORD your God, which the LORD your God is making with you today,  that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you, and as he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Deuteronomy 8:2    And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.

What is it that would test your heart, mind, and soul for God? What is it that you keep or allow time in your heart that is not in line with honoring God? How is a person to know if what is in their heart is pure and not just head nod words without commitment, fruit, action? Serving God, living for Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Spirit comes from a heart and soul that has been opened to the word of God and has intentionally chosen a life of obedience and reliance. Staying in His word each day gives our heart and mind foundational reinforcement (everlasting food) and confidence in Jesus today with hope for tomorrow. When our heart, mind, and soul are not nourished with the word of God what is it that fills that void? Could it be job recognition, coveted lifestyle and all that goes with it, more money, more stuff, busyness, sports, work, family, friends, and anything else that can occupy time alone with God’s word (commitment), being attentive to what it is saying to your heart (seeking/listening), and being willing to humbly act in line with His word (obedience). Time away from His word allows our heart, mind, and soul to be filled with that which does not honor and glorify God.

80. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Judges 2:6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

In one generation God was forgotten and what He had commanded was discarded. How can this happen? How can a generation of believers and followers be succeeded by a generation that does not know God or what He had done for them? If you laid out a plan for this to happen what would absolutely need to happen to be successful.

Get people comfortable with life by giving them prosperity and ease of life. Introduce some other thoughts and religions into their culture so that they question what and who to worship. Erode away the truth of God by tolerating complacency and neglect in your life. Do not think or speak of what God has done in the past, nor look for His hand in your life today. Do not speak of God’s warnings. Do not speak of sin. Do not speak of God’s promises.

There is a reason we are told to faithfully walk with Jesus Christ. There is a reason we are to meditate on His word when we wake, throughout the day, and when we lie down at night. There is a reason we are to speak of His awesome deeds and wonders. There is a reason we are to place His word around out neck and over our doorposts. There is a reason we are to seek and desire to know Him more and more each day. There is a reason we are to be faithful in humble service, reliance, and obedience to Him.