Category: OT Reflections

Reflections on Judges 13-16

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Our passage today focuses on Samson.  He was a man used mightily by God despite his many moral flaws.  Note:

  • Disobedience – The list of Samson’s sins is long. God told Israel not to intermarry with the inhabitants of the land, but Samson did anyway.  As a Nazirite, he was not to go near a dead body (Numbers 6), yet he scraped honey from the carcass of a lion and ate it.  He slept with a prostitute.  He acts out of anger and vengefulness.  He often seems to have a complete disregard for the commands of God.  What about you?
  • Wisdom – Samson often seems to lack in wisdom. He fails to see the potential problems of marrying a Philistine.  He foolishly tells his wife the riddle.  Later, he foolishly tells Delilah the secret of his strength.  Are you making wise choices?
  • Faith – Despite his failings, Hebrews 11 includes him as an example of faith. Samson apparently trusted God to help him as he fought the Philistines.  He looked to God to help him bring the house down upon the Philistines even though it meant his own death.  Are you walking by faith?
  • God’s Sovereignty – Samson’s life points clearly to the truth that God can make use of even our shortcomings for his purposes. Though it was wrong for Samson to marry a Philistine, God used it as an opportunity for Samson to fight them (see 14:4).  God used Samson flaws and all, and he can use us flaws and all.  That is not an excuse for us to be complacent – who knows how much more God might have used Samson if he had been given over completely to God.  But it should encourage us to know that God can bring good even out of our moral failures, and that God can use imperfect people like us.

Reflections on Judges 11-12

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Our passage today focuses on Jephthah. Consider:

  • Lack of peace –Jephthah delivers Israel from the Ammonites, but then we see him leading some of God’s people to fight against another tribe of God’s people. As a result, 42,000 people die.  How sad when God’s people fight among themselves.  Are you fighting with another of God’s people?  Is there strife, conflict, bitterness, anger between you and another?  What will you do to seek peace?
  • Rash words – Before Jephthah goes to fight the battle, he utters rash foolish words that cost him the life of his only child. Our words may not usually have such dire consequences, but we too speak words without thinking that hurt others.  When have you spoken such rash words?  How might you be more careful to guard your tongue?

Reflections on Judges 9-10

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In our passage today, God raises up Tola and Jair as judges.  One man raises up himself – Abimelech.  Observe:

  • Self-exaltation – God raised up judges to help the people of Israel. Abimelech raised up himself to the harm of God’s people.  Abimelech’s story is a sad affair of murder, betrayal, and fighting.  Are you trying to exalt yourself above others – no matter who you have to step on to get to the top?  Or will you follow God’s direction in I Peter 5:6 and humble yourself before the Lord, that he may exalt you?
  • True Repentance – After Tola and Jair, the cycle continues: the people rebel and God sends enemies as punishment. The people again cried out to God, confessing their sin, but they did not change their ways.  So God did not help them.  Are you confessing your sins, but not turning from them?  We must repent from sin not just in word but in our actions.  From what sin in your life do you need to truly repent?

 

Reflections on Judges 6-8

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Again, Israel is oppressed because of their sin.  When they cry out to God, God raises up a man named Gideon.  Note:

  • God’s presence – When God calls Gideon, Gideon responds that he is a nobody – how can he save Israel? God responds – “But I will be with you.”  Gideon is indeed a nobody, but with God he can do all that God calls him to do.  We too are nobodies on our own, but with God we can do all that he calls us to do.  What is God calling you to do?
  • Fear – God tells Gideon to break down the altar to Baal. Gideon obeys, but he does it at night because he is afraid.  Do you hide your relationship with Christ because you are afraid of what others will think?  Are you willing to take a stand for Christ for all to see?  God is with you.  When God calls you to take a stand for him, be strong and courageous like Joshua – not fearful like Gideon.
  • Trusting God – Gideon calls an army together to fight the Midianites. An army of 32,000 shows up.  God whittles it down to 300 men.  Why?  Lest Israel trust in themselves rather than God to bring about deliverance.  And with 300 men the Midianite army is routed, and Israel is saved.  Are you trusting in yourself to get you through your problems or are you trusting in God to help you?  Either way, you may have work to do, but who are you trusting in to bring success?

 

Reflections on Judges 3-5

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

Our passage tells of four judges today: Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and Deborah.  For all but Shamgar who is only mentioned briefly, we see the cycle that was mentioned in chapter 2.  The people sinned, God sent others to oppress them, the people cried out, God sent someone to deliver them, and they had rest.  Note:

  • God’s judgment – God warned the people of what would happen if they rebelled against him. But again and again, they chose to rebel anyway.  God judged them.  God is a holy God who takes sin very seriously.  Do you take sin in your life seriously?
  • God’s mercy – God heard Israel’s cries, and he raised up judges to deliver them from their oppressors. God is just – punishing sin, but he is also merciful – delivering those who call upon him.  Have you called upon him for the mercy that is available to you through Jesus Christ?
  • God’s faithfulness – Whether in judgment or mercy, God is acting faithfully to the covenant he made with Israel. He promised judgment for sin, and mercy if they returned (see Deuteronomy 28), and God kept his promise.  While Israel often acted faithlessly, God remained faithful.  How has God been faithful in spite of your faithlessness?

Reflections on Judges 1-2

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Judges begins promisingly as Judah continues the conquest of the land.  But Israel’s failure to take the land and serve the Lord soon follows.

  • Incomplete obedience – Israel took much of the land, but failed to take all of it. Even when they grew stronger than their enemies, Israel allowed the Canaanites to continue in the land.  Israel started well, but they didn’t finish what they started.  What has God called you to do?  Are you working to finish the task?  Are you seeking to fully obey God’s Word, or are you cutting corners along the way?
  • Next generation – What a great tragedy is found in 2:10! Joshua’s generation failed to teach their children the way of the Lord.  In the span of one generation, Israel goes from following the Lord to abandoning the Lord.  What are you doing to teach the next generation about God?  How are you supporting your church is this process?
  • Need for leadership – Before Moses died at the end of Deuteronomy, he passed the leadership of the people on to Joshua. When Joshua dies, no one takes his place.  There is a great vacuum of godly leadership.  What is your church doing to pass on the torch of leadership to the next generation?  How can you help?

Reflections on Joshua 22-24

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As the eastern tribes return to their land, and again as Joshua nears death, Joshua charges the people to follow the Lord alone:

  • Follow the Lord – Joshua uses many words to help Israel and us to understand what it means to follow the Lord. First, we are to obey his commandments (22:5).  We must walk in his way. We are to do everything God’s Word says to do.  Second, we are to love him (22:5, 23:11).  He must be our first love above all else.  Third, we are to cling to him (22:5, 23:8).  We must stay near to him and let nothing come between us.  Fourth, we are to serve God with all of our heart and soul (22:5).  We must be faithful and sincere in our service (24:14).  We owe him our entire allegiance.  Finally, we are to fear the Lord (24:14).  We must have a reverent awe of God, treating him with proper reverence and respect.  Review these words.  Does your life look like this?
  • No other gods – Israel must choose between God and the gods of the nations. We too must choose who we will serve.  While we claim to serve God, it is possible that idols have propped themselves up in our lives.  What are you living for?  What is first in your life?  What is your life centered around?  Is it God?  Someone else?  The American dream?  Popularity?  Power?  Pleasure?  Are there idols you need to topple?  Choose this day who you will serve.

Reflections on Joshua 18-21

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

After some apparent procrastination on the parts of the remaining tribes, Joshua finishes dividing up the land.

  • Procrastination – The remaining tribes were apparently dragging their feet when it came to scouting out the land that they might receive their inheritance. Joshua confronts them and gets them moving.  Has God called you to do something?  Maybe he has challenged you to respond to his Word in some way, but you are dragging your feet.  Don’t wait any longer!  Get busy doing what God has called you to do!
  • God’s faithfulness – Our passage yesterday and today has been focused on the dividing up of the land. Now at the end of our passage today, we read in summary that God gave Israel the land he had promised to their fathers.  Over 400 years earlier God had promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the land of Canaan, and now in God’s perfect time, he had fulfilled his promise.  God keeps his promises.  He is always faithful.  How have you seen God’s faithfulness in your life?  Will you trust him to be faithful in the future – no matter what you face?

Reflections on Joshua 13-17

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

With much of the land conquered, Joshua begins to divide up the land between the tribes of Israel.

  • Wholly follow – The first to receive land west of the Jordan is Caleb. Caleb testifies that forty years earlier, when the other ten spies brought a bad report, that he had wholly followed the Lord 14:8).  Moses had promised him an inheritance because he wholly followed the Lord (14:9).  Now God had brought them into the land and Caleb received his inheritance because he had wholly followed the Lord (14:14).  Can you testify that you wholly follow the Lord?  Could others say that you wholly follow the Lord?  The issue is not perfection, but attitude and general pattern of life.  In what ways do you need to change so that the phrase – “wholly followed the Lord” – might be true of you?
  • Pagan influence – Though most of the book celebrates Israel’s faithfulness to God, the two tribes of Joseph both fail to drive out the Canaanites from their land (16:10, 17:13). This failure sets the stage for Israel to reject God and practice idolatry in the book of Judges.  How careful are you to guard against pagan influences in your life?  What cultural practices are you tempted to follow before God?

 

Reflections on Joshua 8-12

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

The conquest continues and is a great success, except for one misstep.

  • God’s counsel – The Gibeonites pretend to come from a long distance to make a covenant with Israel. Rather than seek the Lord’s direction (9:14), Joshua and the leaders decide on their own to make a treaty with them.  Only then, do they realize they have been deceived – but it is too late.  How easily we can be deceived!  A situation may appear one way to us, but is really very different.  What decisions do you need to make?  Are you seeking the Lord’s direction?
  • No fear – As the southern kings gather to fight Israel, God tells Joshua not to be afraid (10:8). Later, as the northern kings gather, God again tells Joshua not to be afraid (11:6).  What situations cause you fear?  Will you remember that God goes with you and will help you?  Trust him, and do not be afraid.
  • Obedience – As Joshua fights the northern kings, we read that Joshua obeyed God. Indeed he left nothing undone that the Lord commanded him (11:15).  How careful are you to obey the Lord?  In what areas of your life do you need to be more careful to obey the Lord?