Mon.’s Devo - The First Judges

Read: Judges 2:10-3:31; Luke 22:14-34; Psalms 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 14:1-2
After the generation that had seen the acts of God all died, a new generation rose up that only knew God through stories. They had not experienced him for themselves. Yesterday, we read a list of tribes that were not able to drive out the enemies from their land. These foreign people did exactly what Moses warned them they would do. They became a snare and a trap to the Israelites. They introduced them to their gods and vile idolatrous worship. They made the Lord so angry that he fought against them. When they became so distressed because of their enemies they would call out to the Lord and he would raise up judges. Judges were men who governed with passion and either vindicated the people or punished them. Once they were delivered, they would turn on the judges and fall back into their old practices of idolatry and sin greater than the generation before. Because of their rebellion, God told them he would no longer drive out the nations before them but leave them to test the people. God sold them over to the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim for eight years. Cushan-Rishathaim means double wickedness and darkness.
When the people cried out for deliverance, God sent them Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother to be their judge. Through the power of God, Caleb freed Israel and they experienced peace for 40 years. When Othniel died, Israel went back to their sinning so God raised up an enemy to judge them - Eglon, king of Moab. Israel served him for 18 years. God raised up Ehud to deliver them. He delivered them with a two-edge sword - a picture of the Word which is how we fight the enemy. Ehud means “united”. Jesus said that if two of you shall agree as touching any thing they shall have what they ask.
In Luke, Jesus was eating the Passover supper with his disciples. He told them that he wouldn’t eat with them again until the kingdom of God came. They didn’t understand what he meant. He told them that the one who was going to betray him was at the table with them. They didn’t understand that either. Instead, they went to the topic of who was going to be greatest in God’s kingdom. Jesus explained, it wasn’t the greatest that would be exalted in his kingdom but the least - the one who served. Jesus did promise them that they would sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes. Then he spoke personal words to Peter. I wonder if the disciples thought Peter would be the one who would betray him.
Our Psalm is a song they sang on the Sabbath. It is a good thing to give praise to the Lord!