INTERESTING FACTS : "MOST PEOPLE ARE BOTHERED BY THOSE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND, BUT THE PASSAGES THAT BOTHER ME ARE THOSE I DO UNDERSTAND." -- MARK TWAIN

 

DAILY READING : JUDGES 1 - 2; 3 - 5

 

TEXT : Jdg 2:12  And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. Jdg 2:13  And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.  Jdg 2:14  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Jdg 2:15  Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed. Jdg 2:16  Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. Jdg 2:17  And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so. Jdg 2:18  And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. Jdg 2:19  And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. Jdg 2:20  And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; Jdg 2:21  I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: Jdg 2:22  That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Jdg 2:23  Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. 

 

THEME : APOSTASY

 

The Book of Judges is an account of the prophecy given by God through Moses and Joshua. Namely, the day would come the people of Israel would forget the One True God, worship other gods, and bring judgment on themselves. In all 21 chapters of Judges, we will see a falling away, a judgment, and then a return to God. This is the theme of the Book. Unfortunately, the day will come when Israel will fully follow the gods of the nations around them and lose the land and their inheritance altogether.

 

For the time in the Book of Judges, will we only see the start of the eventual complete apostasy. Again, we will read of Israel denying God, their experience of His wrath, then call on Him for help as He sends judges to deliver them and rule them. John Darby in his introduction to the Book of Judges explains.

 

"The Book of Judges is the history of the failure of Israel. Joshua sets before us the energy of God acting in the midst of the people, though there may be failure. In Judges we see the miserable state of the nation, now become unfaithful; and, at the same time, the intervention of the God of mercy in the circumstances into which their unfaithfulness had brought them. These interventions correspond with what are called revivals in the history of the church of God. In this book we no longer see blessing and power marking the establishment of the people of God. Neither does it contain the fulfilment of God's purposes, after the people had manifested their inability to retain the blessing they had received, that indeed is yet to come for them, and for the assembly; nor the forms and government which, in spite of the evil and internal unfaithfulness of the people, could maintain their external unity, until God judged them in their leaders. God was still the only leader acknowledged in Israel; so that the people themselves always bore the penalty of their sin.

 

The misery into which their unfaithfulness brought them moving the compassion of God, His mighty grace raised up deliverers by His Spirit in the midst of the fallen and wretched people. "For his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." "And Jehovah raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them." "And when Jehovah raised them up judges, then Jehovah was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, all the days of the judge; for it repented Jehovah because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them." But Israel was unchanged. "And yet they would not hearken unto their judges." "And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn ways." This is the sorrowful history of the people of God; but it is also the history of the grace of God, and of His compassions towards His people."

 

We find the summation of the Book of Judges in one statement used twice in the Book. "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."[Jdg 17:6; 21:25] The people of Israel went from having God as Ruler to doing whatever they wanted. This is somewhat what we have today in our nation. From a nation whose money states - "In God We Trust," we have degenerated to a country of radical individualism. Israel did the same. As a result, we see Israel continually judged with despotic government. Further, we will see the same if we do not have God back in our nation again. Aristotle said - "Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms." History proves him right.

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : WE MUST OBEY GOD - TODAY!

 

As Christians, an exhortation put forth in the Book of Hebrew is apropos for the days we live in. It says in essence - if you hear God's voice today, obey Him.

 

Heb 3:7  Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Heb 3:8  Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: Heb 3:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Heb 3:10  Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. Heb 3:11  So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Heb 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; Heb 3:15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

 

In these verses from Hebrews, we read how we must persevere to the end. The best way to do this is to obey God - now! We have a way of putting off our duty before God to a day - unnamed and without a date - that never comes. Yet, the Scripture says obey Him today! Again, the best method when we realize we are drifting from God is to go back to Him today, immediately. Otherwise, God has to initiate a discipline to buffet our flesh or hearts that causes pain, to motivate our return to Him. This is what we observe in the Book of Judges. Further, it is a lesson we want to avoid.

 

Almost every sincere Christian says they will never be the one to deny Christ. However, we need to proceed with much caution when we think this way. Peter believed he could never deny Christ and he was the first to do so! Peter did not have a good handle of the condition of the human heart, that is, how thoroughly sin has permeated it. We must learn from the examples of those we read about in the Bible, and petition God for grace to be faithful to the end.

 

There will be a great falling away from the Christian faith before the rise of the Antichrist as the Scripture declares. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; [2 Th 2: 1 - 3] Many Bible teachers believe we are seeing the falling away [Greek - "apostasia," or "apostasy"] from the Faith now. I agree with this position.

 

The Church is much like Israel in the Book of Judges. Everyone is doing what is right in his or her own eyes rather than the eyes of the Lord. Further, many Churches and teachers [that is, false teachers] are making up their own doctrines and theology so that "...judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. [Isa 59:14] We do not want to be part of this apostasy that will bring the judgment of God. No, we want to found by Christ when He returns - on duty and at our appointed post. We want to hear Him say - "...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. [Mat 25:21]

 

Therefore, let us learn from Israel as we read the Book of Judges. Let us serve Him faithfully - today, now. Let us not turn away from Him who has done us so much good. We must never forget the love of God or His goodness. He will never forsake us. Let us have the same heart, asking for grace never to forsake Him.