Fri.’s Devo - Jesus’ Last Days

Read: Judges 1:1-2:9; Luke 21:29-22:13; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 13:24-25 After Joshua died, they asked the Lord which tribe should go first in attacking the Canaanites and the answer was Judah. Since Simeon’s land was in the center of Judah’s land, Judah asked Simeon if they didn’t want to join forces and help each other get their land. They agreed and had victory in the town of Bezek which means “lightning”. Bezek’s king was Adoni-bezek which means “king of lightning”. They captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. He had done that very thing to 70 kings he had captured. They took him to Jerusalem where he died. They attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all the people and setting the city on fire. They took Hebron and moved on to Debir. Caleb offered his daughter in marriage to anyone who attacked and captured Debir. Caleb’s nephew, Othniel did and married Acsah. She asked her father for a field and then land with springs and her father gave it to her. Then Judah helped Simeon take their land. Judah took all their own land except for the land of the plains because the people had iron chariots. We are given a list of the tribes and the land they couldn’t take because the Canaanites were stronger even though God had promised to help them. They gave up too soon. Some of them made the Canaanites their slaves and others just let them live. The angel of the Lord met with them at Bokim which means “weeping” and reprimanded them for making covenants with the people living in the land. Since they did this, God would no longer drive them out for them; they would become thorns in their sides and their gods would be constant temptations to them. The people wept loudly when they heard this and offered sacrifices to the Lord. They followed the Lord untill that generation died. In Luke, Jesus explained that when they see all the things he told them that must happened (we read yesterday) they would know that the time was near. He related it to how we know summer is coming just by looking at the tree and seeing its leaves coming out. He warned us of being so busy about our lives that we don’t notice the signs of his coming. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was approaching and the leading priests were plotting how to kill Jesus. They wanted his death to be public for everyone to see, so at the feast would be perfect. All the men of Israel were to appear in Jerusalem for Passover. Judas had gone to the priests to help them in their plot. They promised him money for helping them arrest Jesus when the crowds were not around. Jesus sent his disciples to prepare for the Passover dinner. He told them exactly who they would see and what would happen. It happened just as he said. Lord, thank you for your many signs and confirmations of what you are doing. Thank you that you lead us by your Spirit and we are never alone.