PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Judges 1-2
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them.” (??Judges 2:16)
The stories of ancient Israel were teaching stories.
“These things… were written down as warnings for us.” (1 Corinthians 10:11)
As we read through Judges, we see what happens when they forget God.
“They were in great distress.” (Judges 2:15)
Again and again God would raise up judges (leaders) to save them.
“As long as the judge lived” (Judges 2:18), things went better.
These judges (saviours) are anticipations of Jesus, the ultimate Saviour.
As long as Jesus is with us, and we are with Jesus, things are better.
But when we go our own way, and do what seems right to us, things fall apart.
The judges in these stories are flawed, and they all eventually die.
Jesus alone stays true to God and God’s way, and he is raised up from death.
The living Jesus is with us, and helps us stay close to God and God’s way.
As Jesus followers, we trust Jesus as Saviour, and follow him as Lord.
As we read these stories, let them remind us of how much we need Jesus!
PRAYER
Lord, you are with me always. Help me to stay close to you always – to live with, like and for you as I go through each day.
Not enough! “Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3 And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’” The Israelites did not complete the job. God promised to drive out the peoples as they grew and expanded – but instead they allowed them to live. They became a snare to them – misleading them – but they were also a test of faithfulness: “I will use them to test Israel”. We too, as believers live in amongst non-believers. How do we stay faithful to Jesus and His way and live and engage with those around us? I believe we need to be amongst and our service needs to bless others – in the name of Jesus!