Sun.’s Devo - God’s Maze

Read: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10
Gideon caught up with Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian and asked them to describe the men they had killed. When they described them, Gideon knew they were his brothers. He commanded his son to kill them but he was afraid to being so young, so Gideon stepped in and killed them.
The people of Israel wanted to make Gideon their ruler but he refused saying the Lord would rule over them. That was a good answer although his next act led them to idolatry. He asked for the gold earrings from the spoils and made an ephod (a golden vest) as a memorial. The people took it and made an idol of it. While Gideon was alive, the people of Israel had 40 years of peace. When he died, they went back to idolatry and sin. They also forgot what Gideon and his family had done for them.
Gideon had 70 sons from his wives and one son, Abimelech, from a concubine who lived in Shechem. Abimelech gathered all the people of his hometown, Shechem, together to rally behind him. He wanted to be the ruler and not his brothers. They joined Abimelech in his insurrection and went to Ophrah and killed all of Gideon’s sons on one stone. They crowned him king.
One of Gideon’s sons had hidden and escaped being killed. He climbed up on Mt. Gerizim and shouted a curse on Abimelech and his followers, them ran for his life. Mt. Gerizim was the mountain that the tribes stood and read the blessings from, where Mt. Ebal was the one they read the curses from (Deuteronomy 11:29). He was making the point that he was on the blessings of God and they were on the other. The blessings of God proclaim a curse on those who refuse to walk in them.
In Luke, Jesus was on the cross and there was darkness over all the earth! I wonder what people thought in other parts of the earth. If you want to know what went on during that time it is found in 2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18. They are the same word for word. It says that God wrapped himself in darkness and came down. He thundered from heaven and sent lightning and hail. It was like he was fighting off the enemy who had brought Jesus to the court of God. He was justified for his life and God delivered him from Satans’ accusations. He was deemed the spotless lamb that was worthy to take the sins from the earth. It was then that the veil was split in the temple and the invitation was open for all to come into God’s presence.
Joseph, of Arimathea, came and took Jesus’ body and placed him in his tomb. Joseph was a member of the council who did not approve of what they did to Jesus and earnestly sought the kingdom of God. His tomb was emptied just as Joseph’s tomb was emptied in the Old Testament to take his bones to the promised land and placed in a tomb in Shechem, which became a city of refuge. Both of Joseph’s tombs had to be emptied to go to the Promised land. Also, interesting…Shechem was in the valley between the two mountains: Gerazim and Ebal, the blessings and the curses.
Lord, your Word is truly a maze of your awesome genius! You are an amazing God and we are so grateful that you are our loving Father.