Judges
10:17-18 (NIV) When the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, the
Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah. 18 The leaders of the people of
Gilead said to each other, "Whoever will launch the attack against the
Ammonites will be the head of all those living in Gilead."
NOTE: This was the
wrong way to do it on two accounts. One, it was not up to Israel to pick their
deliver nor to offer rulership as a prize. Secondly, the judge was not to be
the head but rather God was the head. The judge ruled in disputes but was not a
king. The people were required to walk with God individually, but for some
reason, they fail every time. In fact, without a ruler or example, the people
choose paths in direct opposition to God. There seems to be one major problem
(the teaching of truth). The people are making more and poorer choices. None of
them seem to know God or his word. The benefit of the Judge is to remind and
teach the people of God's word. Why can't they do that on their own? I don't
know, they just don't. They need to commit themselves to a group of other
believers who are also committed to living life for God, or ultimately they
will fall back into the world. I think the same thing holds today. We need the
spiritual fellowship of other believers. And this cannot just be companionship
or church or church friends. The fellowship must be deeply spiritual, where the
things of God are discussed with passion. Otherwise, it is just religion and it
has no useful impact upon the people. We need spiritual Christian fellowship to
survive as believers in an ungodly world.
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