Sat.’s Devo - The First Judges

Read: Judges 2:10-3:31; Luke 22:14-34; Psalms 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 14:1-2 Yesterday, we started reading Judges and today’s reading explains the whole period of the Judges. A new generation had grown up that didn’t see with their own eyes what the Lord had done. They had not experienced the Lord themselves. They abandoned God and went after the gods of Baal and Ashteroh. When this happened God no longer fought for them but he fought against them when they went to war. After they had lived in defeat for a while, they would cry out to the Lord to deliver them. God would raise up a judge who would rescue the people from their enemies but the revival would last as long as the judges lifetime, then the people would go back into a greater idolatrous state than they had been delivered out of. This happened over and over. There were 14 judges in all. There were six groups of people that lived in the land and were thorns in Israel’s side. They were the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perzzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. They intermarried with them and Israel served their gods. King Cushanrishathaim which means “their darkness was double wickedness ” ruled over them for 8 years. When the people cried out to the Lord, God raised up Othniel, the same man that was Caleb’s nephew who led the attack to defeat Debir and win Caleb’s daughter as a reward. He defeated the king and Israel lived in peace for 40 years which was when Othniel died. Israel went back into idolatry and were ruled by King Eglon of Moab. He allied with the Ammonites and the Amelekites against Israel and took Jericho. They served him for 18 years. God raised up Ehud when the people cried out for mercy. He used a two-edged sword against King Eglon and stabbed him in his bedroom. His bowels let loose which happens often when people die. The stench of it kept his guards from entering in because they thought he was relieving himself. They finally did break through the door, but by this time Ehud had had time to escape. He went to the land of Ephraim and sounded a call to arms. He led the army to the Jordan where they killed about 10,000 of Eglon’s strongest warriors. They won the battle and had peace for 80 years. In Luke, Jesus sat down to eat the Passover meal with his disciples. He told them that he would not eat this meal again until its meaning was fulfilled in the kingdom of God. When he took the cup he said that he would not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come. Then he took the bread and gave thanks breaking it and saying that they were to eat this to remember him but when he gave them the cup he said that it was the new testament (covenant) in his blood. He then put a curse on the one who would betray him. The disciples began arguing among themselves why it wasn’t them that would betray Jesus and explaining why they should be considered the best disciple. Jesus explained that in the world the greatest is the highest ruler but in the kingdom of God the least on the earth is the greatest in heaven. It is the one who serves that is exalted in heaven just like Jesus portrayed in his life. He poured out his life for the world that we might all have salvation and life. To his disciples he commended them for continuing with him in his experience of evil and death and because of that, they would enter into the kingdom of God and eat and drink with him at his table in his kingdom. They would sit upon thrones judging the people in the tribes of Israel. Jesus addressed Peter and told him that Satan wanted him but Jesus prayed for him that his faith would be strong and not fail. When he repented he would be able to strengthen his friends. When Peter objected, Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. I wonder if Peter took that to believe that he was the one who would betray Jesus. Either way, that had to have been humbling for Peter. Lord, it is comforting to know that Jesus prays for us and loves us through our weaknesses. Help us to be bold and courageous against sin and love the promises of the kingdom.