QT 31 Dec 12, Evil is not from God but is used by God to accomplish his will

Judg 9:22-24 (NIV) After Abimelech had governed Israel three years, 23 God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, who acted treacherously against Abimelech. 24 God did this in order that the crime against Jerub-Baal's seventy sons, the shedding of their blood, might be avenged on their brother Abimelech and on the citizens of Shechem, who had helped him murder his brothers.

NOTE: Abimelech is not a judge. The word used here is suwr (pronounced soor) and means to vanquish; to rule. The normal word used for the judges in the book is shaphat (pronounced shaw-fat'), meaning to judge or pronounce a sentence. In essence, Abimelech has set himself up as ruler. Whether the other tribes completely submit to his rule or not is questionable, but Shechem is under his rule. The other interesting question regards the evil spirit sent by God. In Job 2:3b, God says "And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason." God takes responsibility for an action that is clearly done and suggested by Satan (Job 1:9-12). God says that ("me against him") because God gave permission for the event. I think this is a similar case. God cannot do evil, but God can allow it when he sees the greater good that he can accomplish through it. In this case, God intends to judge Abimelech and the people of Shechem's sin, and remove Abimelech from his position of authority. The people of Shechem were fully aware of what Abimelech did to his innocent brothers, and yet they made Abimelech their king. Therefore God allows or sends (it doesn't really matter since allowing is the same as sending) the evil spirit. In many ways, God could have done absolutely nothing. Just removing his presence and allowing people to act as their sinful nature desires would have ultimately had the same result. It's possible, God's action only speeds up the result. There is a major truth in scripture. God is in control. He does not do evil. He allows it for many purposes. For the believer, we know that in all things (including evil), God works for the good of those who love him (Rom 8:28).

QT 26 Dec 12, Speaking out against evil in the world

Judges 9:1-2, 5b-21 (NIV) Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother's clan, 2 "Ask all the citizens of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?' Remember, I am your flesh and blood."

 . . . But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.

7 When Jotham was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted to them, "Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, 'Be our king.'

9 "But the olive tree answered, 'Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and men are honored, to hold sway over the trees?'

10 "Next, the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come and be our king.'

11 "But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'

12 "Then the trees said to the vine, 'Come and be our king.'

13 "But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?'

14 "Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'

15 "The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'

16 "Now if you have acted honorably and in good faith when you made Abimelech king, and if you have been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family, and if you have treated him as he deserves— 17 and to think that my father fought for you, risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian 18 (but today you have revolted against my father's family, murdered his seventy sons on a single stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave girl, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is your brother)— 19 if then you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today, may Abimelech be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out from Abimelech and consume you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and let fire come out from you, citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelech!"

21 Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.

NOTE: Jotham's concern over  how Gideon's (Jerub-Baal's) family is treated is repeated earlier in the story by the author (8:35). The people are complicit in Abimelech's treachery in a number of ways. The first is  they encourage Abimelech in his sin instead of confronting his proposed wicked action. It was not just talk of a hot-head, and it was evil. We too should remind people of sin and confront the proposed action even if it is only words. Because words often lead to actions. Secondly, the people ignore the action after it is accomplished. They seem to take the attitude that what is done is done, and they can't change anything, so they will ignore it. But this is also evil. We have a responsibility to stand up against evil and lawlessness. We cannot ignore evil and hope it goes away or doesn't affect our lives. Jotham calls out for justice and no one responds.

This story, like many in Judges, reflects poor decisions all around. For instance, we do not see Jotham do the right thing either. For instance, he does not give credit to God for Gideon's actions, but sees Gideon as the one who saved them. Also, Jotham does not pray for God's assistance, although we will clearly see God work and use Jotham's word to accomplish his judgment. So, being in the right and being the person who was abused, doesn't mean that our follow-on actions are pure either. Jotham does do one thing right that the people do not. He speaks out loud and rebukes the actions of his sinful brother.  He should have also taken it to God as a matter of prayer.

The Day After Christmas

For the last few weeks, I have been having my quiet time devotionals in an Advent e-book by Piper. One of the neat things about reading another person's thoughts is the different perspectives to common stories. I suppose that is one reason I share some of my thoughts on this blog. It is my hope and prayer that God would use these thoughts to encourage others in their walk with God, or to even seek God if they don't really know him. May this new year be the most special of years and may we all seek God with all of our hearts! Amen!

QT 5 Dec 12, Don't lift up your own head, let God

Judges 8:33-9:6 (NIV) No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and 34 did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show kindness to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) for all the good things he had done for them.

9:1 Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to his mother's brothers in Shechem and said to them and to all his mother's clan, 2 "Ask all the citizens of Shechem, 'Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?' Remember, I am your flesh and blood."

3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother." 4 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventurers, who became his followers. 5 He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.

NOTE: Abimelech is an interesting story. I do not believe he is a judge. He is never raised up by God. He seizes power on his own initiative. His story follows the comment of Israel prostituting themselves and not remembering the Lord their God, therefore he is in the role of the oppressor. He claims kingship in Shechem and he kills his 70 innocent brothers, descendants of Gideon. The story is about oppression that rises from within the land instead of external to the land. Therefore, our enemy is not always those external to us but sometimes the very person who is one of us. Also, Abimelech rises to his position on his own initiative rather than waiting upon God. He acts deceitfully in stirring up the crowd. He sins in his steps to hold onto the power.

What are the lessons? Let God raise you up, not yourself. If a change in position requires you to act immorally, then it is not from God. There is no reason to lie or act wrongfully when God is involved. Wait upon God and he will raise you up in His time, not yours.

Recently, I was offered a position I have desired for over a year. I did not seek it or act to get it, and the offer was truly out of the blue. As I approach the decision of whether this is from God or not, I must watch my motives and my actions. My desire is to serve, not to exalt myself.

QT 4 Dec 12, When our words and actions differ, we create an inconsistency that can ruin our ministry

Judg 8:23-35 (NIV) But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you." 24 And he said, "I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder." (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.)

25 They answered, "We'll be glad to give them." So they spread out a garment, and each man threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels' necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

28 Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon's lifetime, the land enjoyed peace forty years.

29 Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelech. 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and 34 did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show kindness to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) for all the good things he had done for them.

NOTES: A few things stand out to me from this passage. One, culture is dictated by customs of the time and not by long-standing norms or rules. Gold earrings on men were the custom of the time and not an indication of sexual orientation or a sin. Secondly, Gideon requests for a share of the plunder was not wrong, nor was what he did with it wrong if we view it in the context of a symbol of civilian magisterial rule. On the other hand, Gideon had just said he would not rule over the people (8:22--God would rule), and now he takes on the role of a ruler. And what he creates, then becomes a snare, an idol. Our actions need to be in accord with our words. If you say you are not going to rule, and then choose to rule, there is an inconsistency and an insincerity in your life. In the next passage, Abimelech, his son, clearly thinks that the family of Gideon are rulers of the land. This error is facilitated in some way by the ephod. And also, the ephod goes from being a civilian symbol to a religious symbol, in direct contrast to the ephod worn by the high priest. What was Gideon thinking or was he thinking?

Where do my words and my actions cross? What are my true interests? Do I say one thing about my ministry and purpose, and then do another thing? Lord, help me to know your purpose, to say the right things, and to follow through with the right actions.

QT 3 Dec 12, If God is really our ruler, why do we only pretend He rules?

Judges 8:4, 10-12, 22, 23 (NIV) Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the pursuit, came to the Jordan and crossed it.

. . .

10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with a force of about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of the armies of the eastern peoples; a hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had fallen. 11 Gideon went up by the route of the nomads east of Nobah and Jogbehah and fell upon the unsuspecting army. 12 Zebah and Zalmunna, the two kings of Midian, fled, but he pursued them and captured them, routing their entire army.

. . .

22 The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us — you, your son and your grandson — because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian."

23 But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you."

NOTE: The Midanites numbered 120,000 and now were down to 15,000. Gideon is still chasing them with his 300. Now, the Ephraimites had joined later and defeated two other kings, so some of the losses were caused by other tribes. And of course, the Midianites probably don't realize that only 300 men are chasing them at that moment. They are scared to death, and the first sign of any troops would probably cause them to run. As Gideon's small forces chase them down, outlying towns along the way refused to feed them, probably waiting to see who the victor is and not thinking 300 men are a threat. But Gideon routs the final 15,000, killing the last two kings and taking revenge on the cities who did not support him when requested. Is that moral? I don't know and God is silent, but it is what Gideon does. To Gideon's credit, when offered a rulership or kingship he turns it down. And he gives the correct biblical answer, "The Lord will rule over you." Already, Israel is starting to look for a human king, a physical presence to rely on. The problem is that they cannot see God and therefore can't trust God. But the problem is not that God is untrustworthy as shown with 300 men routing a force 400 times larger. The real problem is that the people do not allow God to rule in their lives (see Judges 6:1-6). And we are like that too. When we call God, Lord, we need to obey his teaching. We need to serve others. We need to treat all people with respect (that includes the person behind the counter at the fast food place, the janitor, the homeless, the child, the person who is most unlike me). We really don't live as Christ has called us to live. And as a result, we don't really let God rule in our lives.

QT 28 Nov 12, Miracles have a purpose, but long-term faith is not one of them

Judg 7:15-18 (NIV) When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands." 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the Lord and for Gideon.'"

NOTE: So, in this case we see that a miracle gives temporary faith and courage. I say temporary because it seems as if Midian has needed repeated miracles--this is the third. The miracle in this case is the dream to the Midian soldier, and the fear within the Midian soldiers--for really no reason. Consequently, Gideon is quite bold as he charges forward (or should I say sneaks forward) with his 300 men. The basic message is still the same. Miracles have a purpose but they are short lived. To walk by faith requires much more, it requires a relationship with God. And a relationship is built through shared experiences and time together. This means that a Christian who does not want to live from Christian high to high, must have a regular devotional time with God, also called a quiet time. When we meet with God regularly, we get to know him, and as we get to know him, we trust him, and as we trust him, we act in a manner worthy of him and then see him work in our life experiences.

QT 16 Nov 12, God understands our fear

Judges 7:8-15 (NIV) So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9 During that night the Lord said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."

14 His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."

15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands."

NOTE: So Gideon is down from 32,000 troops to 300, and God knows that is scared. I think I would be too. I'm not sure if a miracle or two would remove that fear either. It's not what was behind but what is in front that worries me. But God is gracious and recognizes a very real fear in Gideon. He gives Gideon the opportunity to hear what the Midianites are saying, but he does not require him to go down and listen. Gideon does and of course God provides for him a sign through a dream given to one of the pagan soldiers. I think he also realizes that as much as he was afraid of the Midianites (especially with only 300 troops), they are afraid of him (although they don't know about the 300). Gideon correctly worships God and is obedient. It is not a complete slam dunk and he has to pass his new courage onto his troops but it is an amazing story of what God can do when we are obedient to him. We can still see the wonders of old if we are willing to obey his leading.

QT 14 Nov 12, God is the one who brings about the results

Judges 7:1-8 (NIV) Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3 announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.'" So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

4 But the Lord said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."

5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink." 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

7 The Lord said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

NOTE: Another way to look at Gideon's question of where are all the wonders (Judges 6:13) is that Gideon's comment reflected the feeling of the people and not just one individual. When Gideon questions the wonders, he is merely repeating the common discussion among the people. That would fit better with verse 7:2 where God explains his reasoning for reducing the 32,000 men down to 300 men--so that Israel would not think that her great strength saved her. God wants the people to realize that the God of wonders is still with them. Gideon, is also guilty since his actions up to this point have shown a lack of faith. I wonder what the 300 men thought at that point. I wonder how many wished they had joined the original 32,000. I wonder what Gideon thought or if the fleece test was sufficient to calm his worried nerves. A lot of people try to make sense out of the lapping, as if a person is better suited for war. Really, an argument can be made both ways. I don't think God was looking for the best warriors so much as he was just reducing the numbers. Whatever the real answer for why God used the methods he did, the point remains is that he reduced the size from 32,000 to 300 so that Israel would realize that it was not her strength but rather God's power which saved her. What is the application? Well, you can do everything right and you might be the best person for the job, but if it is a spiritual task and you are not seeking God or honoring God, then the probability of a disaster or no real value is high.

QT 12 Nov 12, Sometimes we need to take less time seeking direction and more time acting

Judges 6:33-40 (NIV) Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew — a bowlful of water. 

39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

NOTE: The Spirit of the Lord comes upon Gideon which stirs him to call up the Israelites for battle. But the filling of the Holy Spirit does not prevent him from doubting, and there is no indication that the Spirit left him. So after striking out bravely in the Spirit's power, Gideon tests God twice for assurance that it really is God and that God has the power to do the impossible. The problem with Gideon's testing of God is that God adds in a completely different test. Gideon twice puts a fleece down with different conditions, and God, twice, will whittle down Gideon's army. After the two fleece-tests, Gideon is ready to go. After the two whittle-down tests, God is ready to work. Again I have to wonder, if Gideon had not tested God (which is wrong) would God have tested Gideon? I don't know, but it does make one wonder. Gideon is the one whose first comment to God was, "where is the God of wonders our Fathers told us about." Well, God is there with Gideon and about to do a wonder again.

Gideon is both a story about faith and non-faith. God does not get angry at his questions, tests, or even lack of faith. Although, there are stories where a lack of faith does anger God. Maybe the application is that we take too long to act in an area where God has revealed his will. Certainly, there is a need for confirmation and we don't want to act on an "emotional" event. But maybe we take too long to move out. I can think of a few things that I've felt I've needed to do but have failed to act. I suppose now is the time to act.

A few post-election thoughts ...

First of all, and this goes back to my entry on 29 June (http://qt-notes.blogspot.com/2012/06/qt-29-jun-12-its-not-politics-that-has.html), the problems in our country will not be solved by new elected officials of either party. It is possible that a change in the political order may slow the decay of our culture, but I doubt it would be noticeable. Our problems require inward change. And I would offer as proof the incivility of the entire political discourse. Name-calling, vulgarity, profanity, rudeness -- when did these attributes become part of our political discourse? Yes, they have been around awhile, but the degree to which they have been used has changed for the worst. There used to be an art to language which never required the vulgarity of today. And so we will continue on our path. Paul, nearly 2000 years ago said it best: 

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32)

The good news is that it has never been easier to be a witness for Jesus Christ. If we live in the power of the Holy Spirit and are growing in our relationship with Christ, we will be different. People will come up to us and ask us if we are religious. My response is usually, "no, been there, done that, and I'm not a big fan of religion and rules, but I have found that a relationship with Jesus Christ has completely changed my life." That's it! That is all we have to say, because it's true. Paul also wrote:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

So where do we go from here? We need to go back to the basics, which is almost always something that Jesus said for us to do. I can think of two things that we need to give ourselves to if we really want to see change and hope blossom. The first thing is Jesus' response to the disciples' question about changing the political landscape.

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8)

The second thing is our mission and it is summarized in the last two verses of the first book of the New Testament.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20)

So, how are we doing at being a witness and making disciples? If we really believe in Christ, that is what our lives should be about. Jesus really didn't give a whole lot of attention to the political landscape. He had more important things to give his life for.

QT 7 Nov 12, There are consequences to disobedience

Judges 6:21-22, 25-32 (NIV) With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!"

. . .

25 That same night the Lord said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the Lord your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."

27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime.

28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

29 They asked each other, "Who did this?"

When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."

30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."

31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." 32 So that day they called Gideon "Jerub-Baal," saying, "Let Baal contend with him," because he broke down Baal's altar.

NOTE: A number of observations stand out. One, Gideon was not given courage by the sight of the fire from the rock. He is afraid of the town's people and so he obeys God secretly. Secondly, only when the town demands his life does he stand up to the people. His argument is a good one, but probably born out of fear rather than faith. In this case, the fear of death gave him more courage than the sight of fire from a rock. One can't help but wonder if Gideon's challenge to God about "where are all the wonders?" is not the reason for Gideon's particular challenging ordeal.

Also, using the Asherah pole as the wood for the burnt offering is a very strong action. It also highlights the main fault of the people in destroying the altars and high places when they finish taking the land. And it makes life very uncomfortable for Gideon. Yet, if the Israelites had obeyed at the beginning, they would not be dealing with this issue now. It is a consequence of their failure to obey. And so, we too have consequences in our life when we fail to obey God's instructions.

God have mercy on me when I fail to obey. Also, help me to see those areas where I am not listening to you. I want to be obedient.

QT 1 Nov 12, Signs, wonders, and emotional experiences have short term effects on our faith

Judges 6:17-24 (NIV) Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."

And the Lord said, "I will wait until you return."

19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. 21 With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared. 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign Lord! I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face!"

23 But the Lord said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

NOTE: This is one of several signs that Gideon, the man who asked where are all the wonders that our forefathers told us about, sees. It seems strange that after this encounter with the angel of the Lord that Gideon will require two more signs (the fleece). This particular sign precedes the destruction of foreign worship sites and almost results in Gideon's death. But this sign is forgotten as Gideon gets close to battle, and he requires the additional signs before going into battle. But the point of signs is that seldom do they last very long. They are quickly forgotten, even by the person who experienced the sign. One day, a person is extolling God for how good he is and then a few weeks later that same person is struggling just to meet with God in a devotional time. Signs, wonders, and emotional experiences have a short term effect on our faith. Long term growth in faith is based on a deep and personal walk with God. Rather than looking for signs, we are better off getting up early and meeting with God in his word regularly. Those are the things that will change our life forever.

QT 31 Oct 12, There is nothing evil in complaining to God, but most times the answer is much closer to home

Judges 6:11-16 (NIV) The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior."

13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."

14 The Lord turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

15 "But Lord," Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

16 The Lord answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

NOTES: The phrase, "the Lord is with you," is repeated elsewhere in Judges, and also curiously left out of key passages (example 1:19a and not 1:19b; and 1:22 and not 1:27-36). The reason is given in 2:2-3, that while Israel was winning in the hill country, it did not break down the altars (probably on the high places) and it made treaties with the people (in violation of God's command), such that when Israel attack the plains, the Lord was no longer with them. Gideon's response is well-reasoned, although somewhat short-sighted. He realizes that God is not with them and that God has abandoned them (from an appearance point of view). He has heard the stories of God's wonders but sees no evidence of them in his time. What he fails to understand is that the people abandoned God, not God abandoning the people. They did not want to obey him or seek him, and so God gave them what they wanted: life without God's intrusion. When life turned sour, they blamed God for leaving, but it was really their leaving God at the root of their problems. And now they are suffering again, at the hands of the Midianites. Once again, God is sending a redeemer because the people cry out to him in their distress (6:6). In some ways, Midian makes a mistake by asking where all the wonders are, because he is about to be pushed to an extreme to show the wonder of God. I suppose the real lesson in all of this is, that when life is hard, to start the questioning with ourselves rather than trying to blame God. The Psalmist's attitude is best: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps 139: 23, 24)."

QT 29 Oct 12, How do second generation believers avoid the pain of failure through disobedience?

Judg 6:1-10 (NIV) Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the Lord for help.

7 When the Israelites cried to the Lord because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, 'I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."

NOTE: Because of the Israelites' evil, God once again gives them into the hands of their enemies--to the point where they cannot own homes or possession or grow their own food. It was not as if God had not warned them. There is this continual cycle between obedience and disobedience in Judges. And usually it is the next generation which has to learn the lesson anew. Why is it that second (or next) generation believers have to struggle so much? And what factors make it more difficult? In this case, Israel is hardly a "connected" country, and there are multiple "worldly" forces living within them. Consequently, they are pushed back and forth by these external forces. Only after a particularly difficult time, do they stick with God for a time, but learning to follow God the painful way is not an optimal choice. But, it is not necessarily inevitable that one has to learn the hard way every time (to quote an old Jim Croce song). I think the key is found in both Judges and its corresponding book, Hebrews. One needs to attach themselves to other GROWING believers (lesson from Hebrews) and place themselves under accountable spiritual leadership (Judges). Fellowship needs to be growing, not just gathering, where real spiritual discussions take place. Leadership needs to have the right to question a person and hold them accountable, but without abusing the authority. These are the keys to successfully walking with God in the next generation.

QT 21 Oct 12, God can use women spiritually to lead when men refuse the role

Judges 4:2b-3a, 7-10, 17, 21 (NIV) The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim. 3 Because he had nine hundred iron chariots and had cruelly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years, . . . 7 (God says through Deborah) I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.'"

8 Barak said to her, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go."

9 "Very well," Deborah said, "I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will hand Sisera over to a woman." So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh, 10 where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

. . . 15 At Barak's advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword, and Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot. 16 But Barak pursued the chariots and army as far as Harosheth Haggoyim. All the troops of Sisera fell by the sword; not a man was left.

. . .

21 But Jael, Heber's wife, picked up a tent peg and a hammer and went quietly to him while he lay fast asleep, exhausted. She drove the peg through his temple into the ground, and he died.

NOTE: God was planning to work through Barak and save Israel. But Barak lacks the faith in God. He requires Deborah by his side in battle. Obviously not to fight, but as a symbol of God's presence. The book of Judges is a story about spiritual leadership and its effect on the people. By this time in Israel's history, there are no men to lead Israel, so God turns to a woman. Deborah is perfectly capable of doing the job, but that is not the role that God has called women to. Neither are the women to be the warriors, but the person who ultimately kills Sisera is another woman, Jael. She is not even an Israelite, and her husband is a friend to Sisera, but she must have seen his cruelty to be willing to strike against Sisera. Her action is very brave. Too many things can go wrong trying to kill a man with a tent peg while he is asleep. The men have failed to lead the country spiritually. They have also failed to have faith in God during the battle. It takes two women to show the men their failure. There is nothing wrong with the women leading--scripture makes no negative comments about these actions. The only thing wrong, if anything, is that the men have failed to step up and provide the spiritual leadership in the country, and by implications, in their families.

QT 18 Oct 12, Even God prepares people prudently

Judges 3:1-4 (NIV) These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord's commands, which he had given their forefathers through Moses.

NOTE: Actually these verses do not contradict the previous verses on why God did not remove all the nations (Israel's disobedience), as part of the reason is re-emphasized in verse 4. Rather, God adds another dimension to the existence of the nations in and around Israel; it is to teach those without battle experience how to fight. I'm sure the cynic will leap on this verse and exclaim that, how can a God of love teach warfare to his people? Well, he just does. And actually for good reason. People are sinners and nations will sin against Israel. While God will fight for them, Israel will, in most cases, have to contribute as well. Very seldom did God ever fight the battle all by himself. Additionally, warfare is a short-lived commodity. The skills developed are quickly lost if not reinforced. At this point in history, standing armies are rare or extremely small. So, God sees a need and prudently prepares his people. The only difference is that the way it is exercised and the way God would have exercised it are very different. The people fight after years of oppression (God's discipline), whereas God's plan would have probably been for the people to fight to defend themselves without the need for oppression. Application: we need to be prudent when we live in this world. God does promise to protect us but not to take the action for us.

QT 17 Oct 12, God wants our hearts and he knows how to get our attention

Judges 2:18-23 (NIV) Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, "Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did." 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.

NOTE: God's refusal to make life easier (verses 21-23) is directly tied to Israel's disobedience (verse 19), that is, their refusal to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. The verses prior to this declaration describe the cycle repeated in Judges. The people would sin. Their enemies oppress them. They call out to God in their oppression. God raises up a judge to rescue them. When the judge dies, they return to their evil ways and so begins the cycle over again. Ultimately, the people remain as a test of the obedience. But I think the test is also the way God draws people back to himself. There is another pattern in scripture which is repeated in books like Isaiah: when life is good, people forget God, and when life is hard, people call out to God. Wouldn't it be nice if we called out to God and sought him all the time, and did not have to go through the hard times just to be taught to come back to God? The misapplication of Judges is to think if I do right, life will always be pleasant. No, while this is taught in the old covenant, it is not taught in the new covenant. What does follow though is the principle of God using hard times to get our attention. So while life is not necessarily better because of obedience (in a quid pro quo sense), we do avoid the discipline of God to bring us back to him when we are obedient to his word and when we seek him regularly.

QT 16 Oct 12, A warning to second generation believers

Judges 2:7-8, 10-16 (NIV) The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.

8 Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. …

10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the Lord to anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.

16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.

NOTE: So, while the people failed in the larger task of destroying the foreign altars, for the most part they do obey for as long as the elders of the exodus generation are alive. But, the new generation, who had not seen God's work (and his punishment) desert God. The result is that God deserts them. They are defeated by their enemies to the point of great distress. And only then, when (as the book will later elaborate) they call out to God in their distress does he send deliverers, in the form of judges. The problem is disobedience and disregard for their parent's faith. The solution is distress and the emergence of spiritual leaders and some not-so-spiritual-leaders who rescue Israel from their distress.

I see this story being repeated today. The children of Christian families reject or have a laissez faire attitude toward their faith and the result, for believers, is that God does whatever it takes to bring them back home to him. This can be very painful and it is a result of their disobedience. This is different from the health and wealth gospel teaching because it is based on Hebrews 13 where God disciplines his children whom he loves. Actually, the book of Hebrews is the Judges of the NT. It is a story of Hebrew Christians turning from the faith and going back to Judaism, and a warning of a coming judgment. The judgment in this case is quite severe because, if they don't realize their error, they will be caught up in the destruction and burning of the city and temple, and the resulting loss of their earthly lives. If on the other hand, they return to the faith, they can avoid the upcoming pain. So what is the solution? It is obedience to God's word. It is the encouraging effect of good Christian fellowship. And it is the submission to Christian authority and leadership. That is the message of Hebrews and this is the message of Judges.

QT 15 Oct 12, Where do we need to start personally to see God do an even greater work in our lives?

Judges 2:1-7 (NIV) The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, 'I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."

4 When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, 5 and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

6 After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. 7 The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.

NOTE: The failure in Judges to remove the Canaanites is actually preceded by another failure. Chapter 1 lays out the results after the death of Joshua, but chapter 2 lays out the preceding failure during the time of Joshua. And so two conclusions jump out from this passage. 1), verse 7 reiterates the importance of good spiritual leadership, but 2) the preceding verses show that the requirement of obedience goes beyond the leadership. Even good leadership does not equate to good obedience. The people failed in one major area, they did not destroy the foreign altars. Even today, our tolerance-fed society would probably disobey as well, but for different reasons. We keep things that have historical or cultural value, and decry the destruction of ancient artifacts. But in this case, God had ordered the destruction of all the altars, no matter how beautiful they might be. This was not a permanent decree, that is applying to all Christians today, but it was a requirement for the Exodus generation as they conquered the land. Because of the failure to destroy all the altars, which were probably at the high places, God says that he did not drive out the people. In other words, God did not help the people to clean out the land, since the people failed to clean the things there were required to clean. So, what things do we need to take the first step of obedience to clean out in order to see an even greater work of God in our lives?