Thurs.’s Devo - Resurrection

Read: Judges 8:18-9:21; Luke 23:44-24:12; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 14:9-10 Before Gideon killed the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, he asked them to describe the people he killed at Tabor. The described them as looking like the sons of a king. According to my commentator, this would be the characteristics of great beauty, majesty of appearance, uncommon strength, and grandeur of form. Gideon then knew that his relatives had been killed. Gideon announced the death sentence for them and wanted his son to kill them. He was too young to want to kill them so Gideon did it himself. The Israelites wanted to make Gideon their ruler but he refused to become their king. He did ask that they give up one golden earring a piece of the plunder. They gladly did and he made an ephod which he would wear as their judge. It was not meant to be worshipped but eventually was used for idol worship. Gideon returned home and with his many wives and concubines, had 70 sons. One of his concubines lived in Shechem and they had a son named Abimelech. Gideon died and the people had experienced 40 years of peace because of him. When he died, the people went into idolatry and worshipped Baal-berith, “the lord of the covenant.” They forgot the Lord and Gideon. Abimelech aroused the men of Shechem and led a revolt against his brothers, the sons of Gideon and had them all killed but one. Jotham, the youngest son escaped and came back to give a speech that was more of a parable. In it he described different trees that were asked to be king and refused. He was referring to Abimelech as the thornbush. He asked them if they believed they were honoring Gideon and all he did for them by killing his sons and exalting one of his concubine’s sons to be their leader. He pronounced a curse of fire on them if they had not acted honorably. Then he escaped to Beer. In Luke, as Jesus hung on the cross the sun dial struck noon and darkness fell upon the earth for three hours. The curtain in the sanctuary in the Temple separating the people from the Holy of Holies, the presence of God, was torn from top to bottom. No longer could a curtain keep the people from God’s presence; it was know available to all. When the light came back on, Jesus gave up his spirit and died. The Roman officer in charge of the crucifixion exclaimed that surely Jesus was an innocent man. The people observing the crucifixion went home grieved. Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Jewish council who did not approve of killing Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He wrapped his body in linen and laid him in his own tomb that had been carved out of rock. The women who had been observing from afar followed to see where Jesus would lay. The next day was the Sabbath so they stayed home and observed it. Early the next day, the women told spices to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away. The tomb was empty and as they stood looking into he tomb, an angel appeared to them. He asked them why they were looking among the dead from someone who was alive. Then he told them the same thing Jesus had told them. He had to be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified so he could rise again on the third day. They remembered what Jesus had said and ran to tell the disciples. When Peter heard, he ran to the tomb to see for himself. He was filled with wonder and amazement. Lord, thank you for the empty tomb. Thank you for resurrection and life.