After everything the Israelites have been through it is so sad to see them falter and fail in their faith. In the same way it grieves me to see how the disciples walked with the Lord Jesus day after day, they witnessed everything HE did and yet they are constantly rebuked for their little faith. What grieves me even more is that the God of the universe has set me in a place where I can see more of redemptive history than Israel or the disciples...I have the whole counsel of God's Word, I have the Spirit of God dwelling in me, Christ in me the hope of glory...I believe that I have been given more revelation than Israel or the disciples in the Bible and I too, way too often display little faith and rely on my own abilities to try to get the job done.
What can we learn from Israel? What can we learn from the disciples that our heavenly Father may use to enable us to walk in faith, to live the spirit filled Christian life?
Joshua, the faithful associate of Moses and leader of Israel during the Conquest, is dead (1:1). His victories ended organized resistance to the Hebrew invasion. But Joshua did not exterminate the Canaanites. Each tribe is now responsible to carry out the policy of extermination which serves as a divine judgment on the sinful practices of the Canaanites and as protection from the Canaanites’ corrupting influence.
The tribe of Judah responds to the challenge and continues the battle to purify Canaan (vv. 2–19a). But even Judah is unable to drive out the Canaanites in the lowlands, because they have war chariots (v. 19b). Hebron was given to Caleb (v. 20). Now, with this first subtle indication of a failure of faith, the text darkens. The Benjamites defeat the Jebusites, but fail to dislodge them from Jerusalem (v. 21). There are other victories (vv. 22–27). But there are also defeats—and direct disobedience! When tribes became strong they instead pressed “the Canaanites into forced labor” (v. 28). As faith and commitment wane, tribe after tribe follows this policy, in direct violation of God’s command (cf. Ex. 23:32–33; 34:10–16). A flawed faith and disobedience are the direct causes of the spiritual and political darkness about to descend on God’s chosen people.
Key verse. 1:28: Don’t change God’s policies. Follow them. Personal application. Incomplete obedience robs you of rest.
Richards, L. O. (1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996). The Bible readers companion (electronic ed.) (161). Wheaton: Victor Books.
As Judges opens we hear over and over that the Israelites failed to drive out the inhabitants and when they did gain enough power to drive them out instead they used them for forced labor. This is directly disobeying God's Word to them, check it out!
Judges 2:2-5 You are not to make a covenant with the people who are living in this land, and you are to tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me. What is this you have done? 3 Therefore, I now say: I will not drive out these people before you. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a trap to you.” 4 When the Angel of the Lord had spoken these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 5 So they named that place Bochim and offered sacrifices there to the Lord.
Hear this please...judgement on sin is more sin, deeper sin. Read it in Romans 1:24-32...therefore God gave them over to...more sin. What did Jesus say in John 14:21? "The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.” Basically, the one who obeys me is the one who loves me and the one who loves me will be loved by my Father and by me and I will reveal, show, display, unveil myself to him. Remember from 2 Cor 3-4 Beholding is Becoming...as we behold Jesus in and through HIS Word we are conformed and transformed to be like HIM.
My plea to you and to myself is to make no compromises, what does that mean? NO PET SINS! How do I do it? Fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith...obey what you know to obey and Jesus will reveal more of HIMSELF to you. As HE reveals more and more, each time you behold more of HIM you become more like HIM. Hey, this sounds a little like sanctification.
Here comes a really sad part in Israel's history.
Judges 2:10-13 That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors. After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. 11 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. They worshiped the Baals 12 and abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them. They infuriated the Lord, 13 for they abandoned Him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.
Let's not judge them, let's receive this as a fear striking, humbling warning from our heavenly father. Remember what Paul taught us about Israel's history in 1Corinthians 10:6-12? We learned that Israel's history became examples for you and I. "Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil as they did. 7 Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. 8 Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. 9 Let us not tempt Christ as some of them did, and were destroyed by snakes. 10 Nor should we complain as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall!
Remember how many warning they received? The human heart is clearly "prone to wander." HOW SAD THAT A GENERATION ROSE UP WHO DID NOT KNOW THE LORD! HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE UNITED STATES? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH IN AMERICA? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU? WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME? WHAT SHOULD WE DO ABOUT IT? SIT AROUND AND FEEL BAD ABOUT OURSELVES...NO! REPENT FOR BEING LUKE WARM, START KILLING AND CRUCIFYING SIN AND RUN HARD AFTER JESUS, PURSUE HIM, CATCH HIM AND DO NOT LET HIM GO!
I am still amazed how God the Holy Spirit always ties all these things together in my daily reading. I really don't think this stuff through, it is a little more like watching a flower blossom! In Luke 21:34-36, Jesus teaches us to “Be on your guard, so that your minds are not dulled from carousing, drunkenness, and worries of life, or that day will come on you unexpectedly 35 like a trap. For it will come on all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”
You and I are called to live life full speed in the present, not in the past, but in the now! We are called to live today in the light of THAT DAY! For believers in Christ THAT DAY is the judgement seat of Christ as Paul teaches in 2 Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.
For the unbeliever it will be horrific and terrifying...the torment will be unbearable and there is no way out...hopeless for all eternity, eternity...
What does Psalm 90 have to say about this...it is pretty amazing.
Psalm 90:12-16 Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. 13 Lord—how long? Turn and have compassion on Your servants. 14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us rejoice for as many days as You have humbled us, for as many years as we have seen adversity. 16 Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children.
The cry of the Psalmist is, Lord teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. I don't mind telling you all I have been praying this prayer for several years now. Part of the answer came when my Dad's parents died in 1993, that was a landmark time in my journey with our Lord. It has come incrementally since that time. Recently, as my Dad has had several set backs concerning his health God has reminded me how short this life is. In reality we have precious few days to fulfill the purpose God has given us while we are on this earth.
One man put it this way..."eternity is long, life is short, how you live this life directly impacts how and where you spend eternity.
Let us live in the light of THAT DAY and let our hearts cry be "Lord teach us to number our days that we may present to YOU a heart of wisdom. Father in heaven please enable us to pass this on to the next generation for YOUR glory and our JOY in YOU.
love,
m