Mon.’s Devo - Samson’s Finest Hour

Read: Judges 15:1-16:31; John 2:1-25; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 14:17-19 Samson got over his anger of what the Philistines did to him at his wedding party and went to sleep with his wife. When he found out she had married someone else, Samson took it out on the Philistines. He caught 300 foxes, tied their tails in pairs and lit their tails with fire and set them free in the wheat fields of the Philistines. It destroyed their grain harvest. He also destroyed their vineyards and olive groves. By doing this he was cutting off their food supply. When the Philistines found out who did it and why, they went and burned down the woman’s house with her family in it. Samson found out and promised revenge. He went and lived in a cave in the rock of Etam. It was a huge cleft in the land owned by Simeon. Simeon is surrounded by Judah’s land so the Philistines set up camp in Judah in wait for him. The men of Judah sent 3,000 men to get Samson and turn him over to the Philistines so they would leave their land. Samson allowed them to tie up his hands and take him to the Philistines. When they arrived at the Philistine camp and he heard their cries of victory, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He snapped the ropes off his hands and found a jawbone of a donkey that had been recently killed. With the jawbone, he killed 1,000 Philistines. After his victory, Samson was extremely thirsty and cried out to the Lord. God caused water to gush out of a hollow in the ground. Samson became their judge for 20 years. During that time he went to Gaza to spend the night with a prostitute. The people of Gaza found out he was there and locked the gates to keep him till the next day when they planned to capture him. He got up and midnight and left with their gate on his shoulder. He took it to the top of a hill and set it down there. Later he fell in love with Delilah, a Philistine prostitute. Since she would do anything for money, the Philistines bribed her with silver to find out the source of Samson’s strength. She tried three times and did what Samson said and each time it failed. She nagged Samson repeatedly until finally told her, if she cut his hair he would lose his strength. She put him to sleep and had the barber come in and cut his hair. When he awoke and the Philistines were there to take him, he found he had no strength. They bound him and poked out his eyes. Then he was put in prison where he was bound in chains and forced to grind grain. While he was in prison, his hair began to grow back. The Philistines had a festival to honor their god, Dagon. They brought out Samson to make fun of him. Blind Samson asked the guard to place his hands upon the lintels of the door and he did. Then Samson prayed that God would give him strength one more time to avenge the loss of his two eyes. God did and he pushed the pillars until the whole building collapsed killing more Philistines than he had during his entire lifetime. His relatives came and took Samson’s body back to his hometown and buried him with his father. In John, Jesus and his family were invited to a wedding in Cana. They ran out of wine in the middle of the week celebration. This was a huge embarrassment to the family so Mary went to Jesus to fix it. Jesus had not publicly shown his power but I’m sure he had done miracles at home, maybe even turned water to wine. Jesus was not sure he wanted to come out publicly but Mary knew this was the time. (Mother’s always know. Lol!) Reluctantly, but respectfully, Jesus told the servants to take the six huge jars used for purification and fill them with water. Then he told them to take some in a cup to the host of the party and give it to him. When he tasted the wine, he went to the groom and told him that most people served the best wine first, then when the people were drunk, he brought out the cheapest, but he had saved the best wine till last. Jesus was the best wine saved for that time in history. Everything God does gets better. We are bracing in anticipation of his greatest acts of power. When the time of Passover came, Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem. He saw the money changers and fashioned a whip from some ropes. He chased them out of the Temple and drove their sheep and cattle out also. He turned over their tables and told them to stop turning his Father’s house into a marketplace. The Jewish leaders were furious and asked who gave him the authority to do this. If it was God, then they wanted some miraculous sign to prove it. Jesus told them the sign would be the Temple. If they destroyed this Temple, he would raise it up in three days. They were dumbfounded by this statement. It took 46 years to build it so, of course they weren’t going to destroy it and how would he build it back in 3 days if they did. We know that he was referring to his body, but they had no idea. Jesus loved to keep them guessing. Jesus did do many miraculous signs at Passover and many did believe him, but Jesus knew the heart of man that he was easily deceived. He knew the heart of everyone which is how he knew to answer each one according to what was in their hearts. Lord, may our hearts be pure so that you can share your secrets with us. Rid us of selfishness and pride; we need you more than ever.

Sun.’s Devo - Samson

Read: Judges 13:1-14:20; John 1:29-51; Pslam 1-2:1-28; Proverbs 14:15-16 Israel went back into idolatry so God turned them over to the Philistines for 40 years. They oppressed them until they cried out to the Lord. The angel of the Lord visited the wife of Manoah from the tribe of Dan and told her that though she was barren, she would become pregnant and have a son. The boy would be dedicated to God as a Nazarite from birth and she was never to cut his hair. She was not to drink wine or any other alcohol or eat anything forbidden by the law. She told her husband and he prayed to the Lord that the angel would come back and tell them more about how to raise this son. God did come back and he told him the same thing he had told his wife. They made a sacrifice and the angel went up in the smoke of the burnt offering. Manoah and his wife were afraid they would die since they had seen the Lord but their words from him gave them peace that they would live to raise this promised child. When he was born, they named him Samson meaning “little sun”. Manoah means “rest” and God was sending Samson to bring rest from their oppression of the Philistines. One day as Samson was visiting Timnah a city of the Philistines, he saw a woman he fell instantly in love with and wanted to marry her. He went home and told his parents. They were upset that he would want to marry a heathen instead of someone from his own tribe but God was using this against the Philistines. His parents met the parents of the girl and set up the wedding arrangements. During the week long marriage party, Samson presented a riddle to his 30 Philistine groomsmen. He had killed a lion with his own hands one day on his way to visit his girlfriend and when he passed by it again, he noticed that bees had built a nest and produced honey. He scooped some up and ate it and took some to his parents but never told them where it came from. From this he proposed his riddle: “Out of the one who eats came something to eat: out of the strongwomen came something sweet.” Every day of the party the bride badgered Samson to tell her the answer. Her groomsmen told her that if she didn’t tell them the answer they would burn down her father’s house with her in it. If they did’t guess it they each had to give Samson a set of festive clothing. Finally on the seventh day, Samson told his bride and she quickly told her groomsmen. They answered his riddle and Samson knew they had gotten it from his bride. Samson went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty Philistines and brought back their clothing for the groomsmen. He left the party and went home without his bride. Her father thought the wedding was off between her and Samson and to keep from being humiliated, he gave his daughter to the best man to marry. In John, John saw Jesus from afar and pointed him out to his disciples calling Jesus, the Lamb of God. Little did they realize he would be God’s lamb he would bring to Passover to sacrifice. John didn’t know Jesus was the one until he baptized him and saw the Spirit ascend upon him like a dove. God had told John that when he saw this happen he would know this was the Messiah. John baptized with water but Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit. Andrew had been John’s disciple, but when he heard John say that Jesus was the Lamb of God, he started following Jesus. Andrew went home and told his brother Simon that he had found the Messiah. The next day Andrew took Simon to meet Jesus and Jesus told Simon that his name would now be ‘Peter.’ The next day, Jesus chose Phillip to be his disciple and Phillip went home and told his brother, Nathaniel that he had met the Messiah - he was from Nazareth. Nathaniel exclaimed, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Phillip told him to come see for himself. Nathaniel would have known that the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem but when he met Jesus and Jesus exposed his heart as being blameless and pure and mentioned that he saw him under the fig tree, he was convinced. Nathaniel probably went to pray under the fig tree so this would have been something no one knew but him. Nathaniel was so convinced that he proclaimed that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Kings. Jesus remarked that if he was turned at something so small, wait until he saw the great things he was going to do. He would see heaven open up and angels going up and down on the stairway between heaven and earth because he was the stairway. Thank you, Jesus for being our mediator between heaven and earth. Thank you for coming to earth to live amongst us so you can pray for us better.

Sat.’s Devo - Jephthah

Read: Judges 11:1-12:15; John 1:1-28; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 14:13-14 Israel needed a brave warrior to lead them into battle against the Ammonites. There was a man named Jephthah which means “he will open”. He was the son of a prostitute and his half brothers had run him out of town. Now they came looking for him to be their commander. They promised he would be the nation’s leader if he won. Jephthah agreed to help them if they would be faithful to their promise and sent a letter to the king of Ammon giving him their history with them. They had not let Israel pass through their land when they were coming out of Egypt into Canaan, so they had gone around. The king of Moab also refused to let them pass through their land. King Sihon of the Ammonites had attacked Israel and God had given them the victory and their land. They had now lived in that land for 300 years. He told them that God had given them their land; they could keep whatever their god Chemosh have them and they would keep whatever their God gave them. He reminded them what happened to Balak when he tried to take back their land. The king of Ammon ignored Jephthah’s message. Jephthah went throughout the land of Gilead and Manasseh and gathered an army to go against the Ammonites. Jephthah vowed to the Lord to sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house if He would give them the victory. God did give Jephthah a great victory and when he returned home, his daughter was the first thing that came out of his house. He was devastated because she was his only child. She told her father he had to fulfill his vow, she just wanted 2 months to go up in the mountains and mourn the fact that she would never love a man or have children. Then she came home and he fulfilled his vow. Child sacrifice was common among the heathen nations and even in Israel when they worshipped Molech and Baal. So as horrific as this practice is to us, it was not looked at it the same to them. The men of Ephraim got mad that Jephthah didn’t ask them to fight just like they got mad a Gideon for not inviting them. Jephthah responded that he did ask them to fight and they refused. They seemed to make excuses for not fighting often then acted offended later. Jephthah’s men attacked the Ephraimites and killed them then took command of the main crossing of the Jordan. They tested everyone who crossed by asking them to pronounce Shibboleth. The Ephramites had a speech impediment and couldn’t pronounce their “sh’s”. If they couldn’t pronounce it, they were killed. They killed 42,000 there. Jephthah judged Israel for six years, then Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel for seven. Elon was next from Zebulun and when he died Abdon from Ephraim judged Israel for eight years. John was the book to the Church and opens like Genesis. It takes us back to the beginning of time when Jesus and God created the world. Jesus is called The Word because everything was created with words. God created everything through Him. John the Baptist was sent to testify about the light of Jesus. He was the true light that when God spoke, ‘Let there be light’ it was Jesus he was referring to. Jesus came as a man into the world that he created to be a human and relate to his creatures. Sadly, the world didn’t recognize him and his own people rejected him, but anyone who did believe in had the privilege of becoming his child. Jesus was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. Moses brought us the law, but Jesus brought love and heart. When John was questioned by the priests and men from the Temple, he told them that he was not the Messiah, Elijah, or the Prophet, but he was to prepare the people’s heart for the Messiah. John was a voice. He baptized with water but there was one standing among them who that was preferred above him. The leaders of the law believed that Elijah would appear in bodily form before the Messiah came. They also believed that a prophet would come which was mentioned in De 18:15. They weren’t sure if the prophet was the Messiah or a separate person. John came in the spirit of Elijah and was a prophet. Jesus was Prophet, Priest and King. Lord, thank you for your loving kindness. Thank you for being a kind and loving creator and Father. Thank you that we are your children.

Fri.’s Devo - The Good News

Read: Judges 9:22-10:18; Luke 24:13-53; Psalm 100:1-5; Proverbs 14:11-12 Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years when God stirred up strife between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God wanted to judge them for assisting Abimelech in killing Gideon’s 70 sons. The citizens revolted against Abimelech and set up an ambush to catch him. but Abimelech was warned about it. Abimelech lived in Arumah but had left Zebul in charge of Shechem. A newcomer came to live in Shechem named Gaal which means “loathing servant”. He stirred up the city to rebel against Abimelech. Zebul sent word to Abimelech to come and attack the city before he lost it to Gaal. Abimelech led his men and arrived in Shechem at the early light. He divided his army into four groups. Gaal and Zebul were standing at the city gates when Abimelech’s army ascended on the city. Gaal saw them but Zebul tried to tell him he was only seeing shadows. By the time they were almost on the city Zebul asked him where his big mouth was now. Gaal had little time to rouse the men of Shechem to fight. As the men of Shechem ran out of the gates to fight, another group of Abimelech’s surrounded them and wouldn’t let them back into the gates. The other groups fought in the fields. Abimelech’s army fought all day and captured the city, killed the people and leveled Shechem and scattered it with salt so it couldn’t be planted again. Some of the leading citizens had hid in the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech locked them in and burned the temple killing 1,000 people who had lived in its tower. Abimelech also attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. They had a tower also that the people fled to. Abimelech prepared to burn it down also but a woman dropped a milestone out of the top of the tower on Abimelech’s head. He knew he was going to die so he told a soldier to kill him so it would’t be said of him that a woman killed him. Abimelech and the people of Shechem got exactly what they deserved and the curse of Jotham was fulfilled. The next two judges were Tola who ruled for 23 years and Jair who ruled for 22. Then Israel went back into idolatry and served Baal and Ashtoreth. God turned them over to the Philistines and the Amorites who oppressed them for 18 years. Finally, Israel cried out to the Lord and he sent them back to cry out to their gods. They got rid of their gods and continued to beg the Lord for help. The armies of Ammon came to Gilead and the people of Israel assembled at Mizpah. The leaders of Gilead announced that whoever would lead the attack against the Ammonites would be their ruler. In Luke, people were leaving the city after the Passover to go back to their home towns. Jesus disguised himself and walked up to two of his followers. Jesus asked them what they were talking about and they told him all that had happened in Jerusalem to the man they had hoped was the Messiah. They relaid the story of the women who found his tomb empty and were wondering if he was truly alive like some believed. Jesus then took them through scripture and showed them how the law and the prophets all pointed to what had just happened. Jesus had fulfilled the scriptures. When they got to Emmaus, their home town, they begged Jesus to stay with them. He went in to eat with him. When Jesus took the bread in his hands and blessed it and broke it, their eyes were opened and they realized who he was. He then vanished. They were so excited they went back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. As they were telling their story, Jesus appeared among them. He explained to his disciples the things he had told the two on the road. He had fulfilled his mission to start in Jerusalem and with the help of the Holy Spirit, they would carry his testimony to the ends of the earth. He led them to Bethany and as they watched, he was taken up to heaven. Lord, may we continue your commission to tell the world about you. May we do that in everything we do.

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.

Wed.’s Devo - Signs

Read: Judges 7:1-8:17; Luke 23:13-43; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 14:7-8 Gideon and his army came to the spring of Herod which means “trembling”. There God told him to send home all who were trembling with fear, and 22,000 left. There were 10,000 still there and God said it was too many because he didn’t want them to be able to boast that they brought their victory. He wanted them to know that it was Him who gave them victory. So he too them down to the brook and told them to drink. Only 300 men drank with their hands and God chose them. Gideon sent the others home and they went to where he could see the Midianite camp in the valley below. God told Gideon that if he was still afraid he should go down into the camp at night and listen. He took Purah and did that. When they got there two men were talking and one was telling the dream he had just had. He dreamed a cake of barley rolled down and knocked over one of their tents. The other interpreted it as Gideon’s army completely defeating them. Gideon was ready to fight. He went back up and woke up his army and told them that God had given them the victory. He divided them into three groups and gave them all a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. They reached the camp just after midnight at the changing of the guards and surrounded the camp. They blew their horns, broke their clay jars exposing the fire and shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.” They just stood and watched as the Midianites panicked and killed each other. Some escaped and fled. Gideon called for the armies of Naphtali, Asher, and Manasseh to chase them. He called for the Ephraimites of the hill country to help them also. They captured Oreb and Zeeb the two Midianite commanders. Oreb means “a raven” and Zeeb means “a wolf”. The people of Ephraim were mad that they weren’t called to help till now. Gideon told them how important what they had done by capturing Oreb and Zeeb and they were contented. Gideon and his men continued chasing the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunah. THey stopped in Succoth for some food for his army but they wouldn’t give them any until they had captured the kings. Gideon told them that when he returned he would take down their tower. Towers were occultist structures like obelisks. God gave Gideon success and he captured the kings and their armies. Returning he ran into a man from Succoth and made him write down the names of the 77 officials of Succoth. When he came to the town he took the men whose names where on the lists out to the wilderness and whipped them with thorns and briars He also tore down the tower and killed all the men in the town. In Luke, Herod and Pilate examined the lamb of God and found him innocent and not worthy of death. Pilate said he was going to flog him and then release him. The crowd went wild and called for him to release Barabbas instead and crucify Jesus. Pilate finally released Barabbas and turned Jesus over to the people to do what they wanted to do. They led Jesus away to be crucified and grabbed Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross for him. A mob of angry people followed Jesus along with greif-stricken women. Jesus turned and spoke to them. He spoke of a day that would be worse than this one. Jesus was led to a place called “the Skull” and there was nailed to the cross. Other criminals were dying that day. One was placed on his left and one on his right. Jesus prayed that God would forgive them for they didn’t understand what they were doing. They mocked him and put up a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals beside him mocked him but the other honored him and prayed that Jesus would remember him when he came to his Kingdom. Jesus assured him that he would be with him in Paradise. Thank you Lord for all the encouragement and signs you gave to Gideon. It gives us courage to ask for signs for ourselves. You never get mad when we ask for signs along the way…signs are your language. Lead us in the way we should go today. Let us see your signs and follow them.

Tues.’s Devo - God Delivers

Read: Judges 6:1-40; Luke 22:54-23:12; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 14:5-6 The Israelites went into idolatry so God turned them over to the Midianites who were so cruel that the Israelites had to hide in the rocks for safety. Whenever they would plant their crops, the raiders from Midian, Amalek and the people of the east would attack and steal their harvest. They stripped the land bare like locusts. When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, he sent a prophet to tell them why all this was happening to them. Then God sent an angel to Gideon and told him he would be the one to lead the Israelites against the Midianites. Gideon objected to being the leader since he saw himself as poor and the least in his family. The Lord didn’t care about any of that, Gideon had found grace in God’s eyes. Gideon wanted to see a sign that this conversation was real and not just a dream or crazy vision. He went and brought a kid goat, unleavened bread and broth. (He had no wine.) The angel told him to lay it on a rock and then consumed it with fire. The angel then disappeared. Then the Lord talked to Gideon and he was listening. He told him to offer one of his father’s bulls on the altar, then offer his father’s bull that was seven years old (the same number of years they had been attacked by the Midianites). But, first he was to break apart the altar his father had to Baal and the Ashterah pole beside it. He was to use the wood of the pole for the sacrifice. The next morning, the people of the town realized what had happened and went to Gideon’s house to kill Gideon. Gideon’s father said to let Baal defend his own altar and kill Gideon himself. He saved Gideon’s life. Soon, the armies of Midian and Amalek returned to fight against Israel. The Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power and he blew the ram’s horn to call the people to arms. He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali to send warriors. They all responded. Gideon went to the Lord for another sign that he was going to help them defeat the Midianites. God gave him two signs. In Luke, Jesus was arrested and sent to the home of the high priest where he was given a mock trial. Peter had followed and was sitting outside in the courtyard by the fire. He was asked by three people if he knew Jesus and denied it all three times. When the rooster crowed he remembered the words of Jesus and wept bitterly. Inside the house, Jesus was beat and mocked. He was led before the Jewish council to give an answer for himself. They asked him if he was the Messiah and he told them that if he told them he was, they wouldn’t believe him. Then he told them that from now on the Son of Man would be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand. They got all upset that he was referring to himself as God’s son. They then took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They accused Jesus of leading the Jewish people to not pay their taxes to Rome and claimed he was the Messiah and king. Pilate asked Jesus if this was true. Jesus said that he had said that. Pilate proclaimed that Jesus was innocent but the Jews became insistent. They claimed that Jesus caused riots wherever he went - all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem. When Pilate realized he could get out of this since those places were not in his jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod Antipas who was over Galilee. Herod had heard of Jesus and was glad to finally meet him. He had hoped to see a miracle. Herod was the one who had killed John the Baptist. Jesus refused to answer any of his questions. Herod’s soldiers joined the Jewish leaders in mocking Jesus. They put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. Herod and Pilate who had been enemies, became friends that day. (A picture of Satan’s demons joining together against Jesus.) Lord, help us to be courageous in our own battles against the enemy and his plans. Thank you that you are our strength and our redeemer.