Author: Norm

SCRIPTURE: Judges 12 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, ‘Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.’ Jephthah answered, ‘I and my people were engaged in a great…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 11 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Ever since we messed up this world, God has been raising up delivers to guide us back to Him, out of this mess. To some extent, every deliver is a pattern of Jesus, the ultimate deliverer. But we need to remember that Jesus was a perfect deliverer, while all of the others…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 10 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: And because the Israelites forsook the LORD and no longer served him, he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them. [Judges 10:6-8] God is not a cruel, vengeful God. He does not enjoy making people suffer. He…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 9 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, `Come and be our king.’ 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…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 8 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 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.’ But Gideon told them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.’ [Judges 8:22-23] Our tendency is to reject…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 7 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 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.’ [Judges 7:15] When God supports a cause, nothing can defeat it. Even with an army of 300, Israel could defeat…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 6 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: 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.’ [Judges 6:30] How things have digressed. Despite God’s warnings against idolatry and Baal worship, here we have the village leaders preparing to kill…

SCRIPTURE: Judges 5 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: O LORD, when you went out from Seir, when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water. The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel. [Judges 5:4-5] I love the perspective in this song….