Category: Judges

Inquiring of the Lord – Judges 1 – 2025 Day 266

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 54, Judges 1

After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the LORD,
“Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

Judges 1:1 ESV

It is hard for me to go to God when I need direction. I’m much more likely to go to Google or a friend for guidance. I’m trying to learn to ask the Lord and then listen carefully for His answer. He has given me His Holy Spirit to be my counselor and guide. I want to trust, obey, and follow Him … but sometimes I’m running so fast that I’ve already made the decision before I’ve even inquired. Am I the only one? Do you struggle with this, too? 🙋‍♀️

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”

James 1:5 ESV

Heavenly Father, I want to follow You, but it’s hard because I’m moving too fast. I’m running out front, asking for Your wisdom after I’ve already started the race. Please forgive me, Father. Help me to inquire of You first and to wait for Your wisdom before I start running. Thank You for Your mercy. In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

The Tribe of Benjamin. 1 Samuel meets Judges.

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: 1 Samuel 9-10.

Reading through the Bible book by book has helped me make connections that I’d missed before. The book of Judges ended with the terrible story about the Levite whose concubine was raped and murdered in the land of Benjamin. (Read Judges 19-21). Next, all the tribes of Israel went up against the Benjaminites. Thousands were killed on both sides and the tribe of Benjamin was defeated. In the end, though, Israel decided they didn’t want the tribe of Benjamin to be wiped out, so they devised a plan to repopulate the land of Benjamin by providing the few remaining men with virgin young women from Jabesh-Gilead plus those captured from Shiloh.

Now reading 1 Samuel, Israel demanded a king and God chose a man of Benjamin. Benjamin. And the Lord confirmed this in front of all the people, choosing the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, and Saul, the son of Kish, by lots.

Such a powerful example of God’s ways being higher than ours.

Lord, I often don’t understand what You’re doing, why You lead the way You do. Help me to trust You, to believe that You are at work even in the craziness of daily life in this crazy world. Help me to trust You and walk by faith day by day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Shane and Shane – Psalm 90

When People Do Whatever is Right in Their Own Eyes: Lessons from Judges

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Read through the Bible in 2 years: Judges 21

People always joke about Leviticus being the hardest book in the Bible, with maybe Numbers and Job being close runners up. Well, so far this year I’ve read all three of those, and none of them light a candle to how hard Judges has been for me. To see again and again the depravity of man, even so called “good men” like Gideon and Samson, has broken my heart time after time.

Judges ends with these words,

“In those days there was no king in Israel.
Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

Judges 21:25 ESV

Whether people obey Him or not, Almighty Jehovah God is the Supreme, Sovereign Ruler. He is the King over Heaven and Earth. He rules over all creation, though mankind chooses to disobey Him, doing whatever seems right in their own eyes. All too often man follows his own deceitful, corrupted heart rather than following the Lord.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

As an atheist, I saw helping others as a way I could make my mark in the world. I wanted people to think well of me.  I wanted to be a good person. I made up all kinds of rules for myself and tried my best to keep them, but I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have any motivation higher than my own pride and I didn’t have any strength higher than my own will power. Like these men in Judges, I was doing whatever seemed right to me, whatever was right in my own eyes, and that way led me straight to the center of the City of Destruction via the Slough of Despond. (Have you ever read “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan? Might I suggest listening to an audio version of it. I’ve been listening to this version on Christian Audio and love it.)

But the Bible reveals another path. A better path. A path of humility and power, God’s power.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV

Heavenly Father, Your Way is right. All Your ways are good. Help us to know You, rightly discerning the path of life. May Your Word be a light to our feet and a lamp to our path. May Your goodness be a fetter, binding our wandering hearts to Thee. Lead us straight to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Are we Protecting the Perpetrators or Helping the Hurting? Thoughts from Judges 20

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 20

And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, “What evil is this that has taken place among you? Now therefore give up the men, the worthless fellows in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and purge evil from Israel.”

But the Benjaminites would not listen to the voice of their brothers, the people of Israel.

Judges 20:12-13 ESV

You have to read Judges 19 in order to understand Judges 20, so please start there. I wrote some thoughts on Judges 19 here. Now considering Judges 20, I’m thinking about how often people protect the perpetrators while turning their backs to the needy. Unfortunately it’s often the criminals with a good reputation who the community rallies to support while the lesser-known victims are left with no one to defend them. May it never be.

Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah 11 and Isaiah 61.

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Isaiah 11:1-4 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3 ESV

May we be vessels of His mercy and justice, of His grace and truth. May we be impartial as He is. May we help the poor and broken, remembering that we are poor and broken recipients of God’s amazing grace.

Where Can the Needy Find Shelter? Thoughts from Judges 19

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 19

I think Judges might be my least favorite book of the Bible. 🥺 Chapter after chapter we read how vile, wicked, foolish, and inhumane people can be. This chapter must be the worst of all!

First off, why does the Levite have a concubine in the first place? Then, why was the concubine unfaithful to him and why would she leave him to live with her father? And then, why does her father keep insisting on keeping the Levite so late into the evening? But it gets much worse from there … You’ll have to read it for yourself.

This morning, though, what I’m still thinking about for myself, is that this Levite didn’t want to stay the night in Jebus because it was a city controlled by heathens. He insisted that they keep traveling to the town of Gibeah, an Israelite town, where he expected to find safety and hospitality. And yet, Gibeah is the very city where his concubine was violated and abused all night, to her death. 😫

I find myself asking questions like these:

Are Christians today so perpetually angry, bitter, and selfish that we, likewise, are unable to be places of mercy for the wounded traveler looking for help?

Are Christians today safe spaces for our brothers and sisters in Christ to get a few moments of peace in the midst of the storms of life?

Are Christians today hospitable and generous to the stranger in our midst?

Are Christians today committed to protecting the hurting and needy, or do we send them on down the street to be devoured by wolves and taken in by frauds?

Are Christians today humble and kind to the broken, or are we so busy feeding our own flesh that we can’t be bothered to take care of others who need someone to throw them a lifeline?

Let’s be faithful to inspect our own eyes for the logs that are lodged there, instead of just pointing fingers at lost people doing what lost people do

Oh, Heavenly Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. Thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You for pursuing me and bringing me into the safety of Your fold, for hiding me under the shelter of Your wings. Help me to do likewise. Give me eyes for the needy, the helpless, the hurting. Burden my heart for them. Set the captives free, Lord! Free those chained to addictions of all kinds, pornography and gambling, alcohol and drugs, selfishness and greed, laziness and gluttony. We need Your grace, Lord. Help us, Father, by Your steadfast, powerful mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we pray. Amen.

Using God … Or Worshipping God?

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 17-18

It seems that Micah is about using God rather than serving Him. He wants a priest and an ephod and carved images, not so he can rightly know and love God but so that he can get them to do what he wants.

God isn’t a genie in a lamp that we can rub when we want our wishes granted. God doesn’t live to do our bidding. We need to know God rightly so we can worship Him rightly. Wrong beliefs lead to wrong actions. Every. Time.

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your immense mercy and grace. You didn’t have to love me. You didn’t have to save me. But You did. Thank You. I want to serve You for You are worthy. Give me discernment to recognize what is good and what is evil and give me the power to choose good. For the Glory of Your Name and Your Kingdom. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

God Speaks to Women, Too: A Lesson from Judges 13 in the Life of Samson

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 13

An angel appeared to Hagar in the desert (Genesis 16) and to Mary, the mother of our Savior Jesus (Luke 1). The Lord answered the prayers of Hannah when she asked for a son (1 Samuel 1). Abigail’s discernment and quick actions spared David from having revenge on foolish Nabal (1 Samuel 25).

Here, in Judges 13, the Lord has chosen Manoah’s unnamed wife, a barren, childless woman, to be His messenger to her husband.

Sisters, God wants to use you as a blessing to your husband, your children, your church, and your community. He has a purpose for you.

Whether you’re married or not, whether you have a house full of kids or not, if God has chosen you as His child, then He has chosen you to be His ambassador, a messenger of the most high God.

Heavenly Father, I pray that I would call out to You, seeking You, morning by morning and evening by evening and that I would hear Your voice as You answer me. You have chosen me to be a vessel of Your grace. May that grace overflow to my husband and my children and their children. May that grace bring glory to Your Name. Give my husband and I discernment as we listen for Your voice. Help us to know when You are speaking and grant us unity in Your Holy Spirit. Help us both to be humble toward each other and to You. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.

Making and Keeping our Vows: A Lesson from Judges 11

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 11-12

On December 23, 1994, I vowed before God and 150 some witnesses, to love and cherish my husband until parted by death. With our 30th wedding anniversary quickly approaching, I’m so thankful that the Lord has given us both the strength to keep that vow.

Entering into the covenant of marriage is not something to be done lightly. If you are considering marriage yourself, please think seriously before vowing yourself to be faithful to another until death. Like Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth.”

  • Pray and seek wisdom from the Lord.
  • Seek counsel from believing friends.
  • Ask deep questions of your future spouse, making certain that they are committed followers of Jesus Christ before you enter into such a covenant with them.

When I started pondering this topic of keeping a difficult wedding vow, I started thinking about tough questions like these:

But, what if a husband is abusing his wife or his children? Or what if he is actively involved in an adulterous relationship and refuses to cut it off despite his wife’s pleas? Or what if he is destroying his family, squandering his health and his money on drugs or gambling? Would the Lord want a woman to remain with that kind of man in order to keep her marriage vows?

Charles Spurgeon said in his sermon titled, Retreat Impossible, “In Jephthah’s case there were good reasons for going back. He had made a rash vow, and such things are much better broken than kept…. If you have come under a rash vow, you must not dare to keep it. You ought to go before God and repent that you have made a vow which involves sin; but as to keeping the sinful vow, that were to add sin to sin.”

Do Spurgeon’s words apply to the marriage vows? Is it adding sin to sin to stay with an abusive spouse in order to keep your wedding vows or is it not? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but I’m sure thinking about them. I want my thoughts to be God’s thoughts, rooted in the character of God and the Holy Scriptures.

Heavenly Father, I lift up my sisters who find themselves in an abusive marriage. Please protect them and guide them. Protect their children. Protect their minds, hearts, and bodies. Help them to love their neighbor as themselves and do good to their enemies. Show them the way of escape that You have for them. I don’t have all the answers, but You do. Show us the way, Lord. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Lamb, we pray. Amen.

Serving our Enemies’ Gods: A Lesson from Judges 10

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 10

Have you ever thought about this – God brought His people into the Promised Land, an abundant land flowing with milk and honey, yet the Israelites ended up worshipping the gods of the very people God sent them to conquer?

God wanted the Israelites to drive out those idol-worshipping nations, but instead the Israelites joined in worshipping those idols themselves.

How often are we guilty of these very same things? How often are we Christians bowing to the idols of our culture – the idols of sports and wealth and comfort and fame? How often do we give Jesus our leftovers – after giving the world our time, talents, and treasures – rather than seeking Him first and giving Him our best?

Repent and return to Him today.

He who did not spare his own Son
but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also with him
graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 ESV

Heavenly Father, Forgive us for presuming on Your kindness. Your kindness is to lead us to repentance. Forgive us for our whoring and adultery. We have chased after idols, false gods that can never deliver what they promise. We have turned to the world that You created, and turned our backs on You, our Creator. Forgive us. Cleanse our hearts and hands and renew a right spirit in us. In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Sinless Lamb who was slain for our sins, we pray. Amen.

Sowing and Reaping: A Lesson from the Life of Abimelech, Judges 9

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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Judges 9

Sometimes it takes years for the seeds you sow to bear fruit, but I promise you, they will. If you plant pumpkin seeds, you’ll harvest pumpkins. If you plant radish seeds, you’ll harvest radishes. Things always grow according to their kinds. God designed it that way.

The fruit might be glorious – a bountiful harvest of melons and tomatoes and berries – or the fruit might be disastrous – rotten and shriveled and spare – but like Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”

If you don’t want radishes,
don’t plant radish seeds.

The Lord is a good, holy, just judge and ruler. Whether in this life or in eternity, He will repay each one according to his deeds. If you sow thoughts of bitterness and jealousy, you will become bitter and jealous, and your relationships will flounder. If you sow thoughts of humility and forgiveness, you will become increasingly humble and forgiving, and your relationships will grow.

Gideon’s son, Abimelech, allowed selfish ambition to take control of his life, and he and the men who helped him, paid the price for it.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, I trust You. You are good. You are the Almighty Sovereign Ruler over all things. Let me not grow weary of doing good, knowing that at the right time I will reap a bountiful harvest. Help me to overcome evil with good and to trust You to work justice in those situations that seem unjust in my eyes. Grow my faith, Father, and make me more like You. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.