Tues.’s Devo - God Works Everything for Our Good

Read: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10
Gideon asked the two Midianite kings to describe the men they had killed in Tabor. They described them as the look of king’s sons which told Gideon that they were his own brothers that they had killed, so he killed them.
The people wanted to make Gideon their king but Gideon refused and replied that God would rule over them. That was a great answer but then he asked for earrings from every man’s plunder. They gladly gave it to him and he made a sacred ephod which became a snare to his family and all of Israel.
There was peace in Israel for another 40 years.
Gideon had 70 sons from his many wives in Ophrah and one son from a concubine in Shechem whose name was Abimelech. As soon as Gideon died, Israel abandoned God and worshipped images of Baal. Abimelech went to his father’s brothers in Shechem and asked them if they would want to be ruled by all 70 of Gideon’s sons or by just one of them. He reminded them that he was their flesh and blood and from their same city. They sided with him and gave him 70 silver coins from the temple of Baal to fund his campaign. He hired some reckless troublemakers to follow him and went to his father’s house in Ophrah. On one stone, he killed all of his half-brothers except the youngest, Jotham who escaped. Abimelech was made king.
Jotham heard about it and came back and gave the people a speech about different fruit trees that refused to become their king. But the one who agreed to be their king was the thornbush who consumed the other trees. He ended his speech with a curse. It was in essence: if they received Abimelech as their king, he would consume them and they would consume him. It was a double-edged sword.
In Luke, the sky went dark for three hours. If you want to know what happened in that three hours read Psalm 22. God came down and ministered to Jesus. God tore the curtain in the Temple that kept anyone from going into the Holy of Holies where the presence of the Lord was. He invited all to come in. Jesus gave up his spirit and the Roman officer who was on duty was converted.
Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus body from the cross, wrapped it in linen cloths and laid it in his own tomb. The next day was the Sabbath and all stayed in their homes celebrating in sorrow. But, the next day, the women went to the tomb with their spices. When they saw the stone rolled away and the body gone they were perplexed. Two angels appeared and told them he was risen just like he had told them would happen. The women ran to tell the disciples.
God always shows up at our darkest hour, because he had a plan the whole time.
Lord, thank you that you are dependable and always kind