Rev. E. Anderson
July 3rd THE PLACE OF WEEPING – Judges 2: 1-6; Joel 2: 12-21
There came a great challenge to this people owing to their wrong procedure of life. Instead of impacting their enemies with God and for good, they allowed themselves to be caught up in their idolatrous ways and doings and God was not pleased, and rightly so. A divine messenger was sent to chasten them because of their sinful conduct and with the express question: “Why have you done this?” There was no excuse for this sort of thing in the evidence of God’s goodness.
Thankfully, the reaction to this was a spiritual brokenness before God. They noted their transgression especially when the Lord made it clear that there would be an awful consequence as a result. They indicated to the Lord their sincere and deep regret and tears began to flow at the thought they had offended Him who had been so kind and good. They called the place Boachin = Weepers. Later on in their history, Joel calls for a state of spiritual brokenness in the light of Israel’s waywardness and wickedness - Joel 2: 12, 13, 17.
It may well be that there is a need to review the spiritual situation today. Are you living in faith and obedience or unbelief and disobedience? Do not merely presume or assume your relationship with God but make certain it is good and right. If you need to repent and be broken, then allow God to do a deep work of grace within your life so that you love and serve Him well. Brokenness precedes the state of divine blessedness. As there are genuine tears before the Lord, He will respond and begin to demonstrate His grace and power to secure so much that will change the situation.
July 4th A GODLY INFLUENCE – Judges 2: 6-14; 2 Timothy 1: 1-10
It is indeed a noteworthy thing to observe the blessing of a good and godly influence. Without question it is of enormous value. Israel had in Joshua and its leadership some choice people who exerted in a beautiful and bountiful manner a great measure of grace, wisdom, strength, faith and direction that served well in their relationship with God. Someone once said that ‘influence’ is one of the most powerful factors in life and that can be for good or evil. Salt, light and sugar are essential and strong influences that invade life to great advantage.
Timothy had the pleasure and benefit of a good mum and grandmother and then the choice delight of a spiritual father and mentor. These aided in shaping his future and ministry for God and the well being of others. Paul observed how he was willing to be taught and inspired and knew the prospects for him and Christendom was good under his wing. He was prepared to put a major input into him knowing that it would be to great gain for him and the kingdom of God.
Make certain that you are being influenced by the right sort of quality people and things so that in turn you will also become a vital individual that will also pervade and persuade others in the right way. As you come under the input of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word and worthy Christian leadership, this will come to pass. It is not only that you will do a great job for the Lord but that you will do it well and leave behind a pattern of faith and conduct that others can be influenced by. The cutting edge on your life and work can cut deeply into others and shape their lives and destiny.
July 5th ANOTHER GENERATION – Judges 2: 10-15; 1 Kings 12
Changes do take place in life, and history has a strange way of repeating itself. What is presented here is of a nation turning its back against God. The previous generation had held firm to its trust and obedience to God but now a new one arose that was to reject the God of their fathers and do their own thing. The people wanted their independence and to cast all noble and holy beliefs and restraints aside. It felt that it knew better than their forbears and so decided to do their own thing and go their own way. They were not content to learn from the past.
The consequence of this creed and conduct landed the nation in real difficulty. There was a heavy price for this gross act of disobedience and arrogance and so they were left to the mercy of themselves, their enemies and circumstances. Everyone and everything began to work contrary to their good and happiness. They even found the Lord working against them – v15 “the hand of the Lord was against them for evil.” It happened in the reign of Rehoboam, too. Instead of taking wise counsel and advice he did his own thing and caused the nation to be greatly divided and created the position of unholy conduct.
This present generation falls into a similar wicked bracket and the Christian believer must not become party to it but seek to be delivered from its spirit and attitude. There are factors that exist that would endeavour to cast off all spiritual and moral self-discipline and act in a rebellious manner. It is not wise or profitable to heed such but make sure that life, faith and service are pleasing to the Lord. Acting in independence and defiance of the Lord only leads to untold havoc. Seek to comply with Him and all will turn to a resounding success story.
July 6th GOD’S ANSWER – Judges 2: 16-23
Good and godly men are always the answer to wicked generations. When rejection and corruption become a prevalent and an abounding factor the Lord works in His purpose and grace to counteract in the raising up of men to radically change and transform things. He does not sit idly by allowing the development and take over of evil, but has His answer in the provision of people that will espouse the cause of righteousness and truth. It mentions the fact “And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with that judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge” – v18.
This book is about God graciously intervening and working on behalf of His people when they were in great straits. He could have readily washed His hands off them because of their constant waywardness but He was most merciful to their plight and predicament. He would not allow them to be victimized by evil powers as long as they lived in submission to His will. This period was a whole learning curve and His people were slow to learn the lessons He sought to teach them. They could have saved themselves from a lot of heartache and distress if only they had believed and obeyed Him. But they were slow to apprehend Him and His loving purpose.
The responsibility at this hour for the whole of Christendom is look to God to provide the essential spiritual leadership so that His people will be guided aright. He can still raise up people who will take the interests of His Church to heart so that it will be a spiritual force to be reckoned with. If He did not give up on those generations that miserably failed, neither should we on ours. It is time to quit ourselves like godly servants and see our nation and age switched back to God, whatever it takes.
July 7th TESTED TO BE PROVED – Judges 3: 1-7
One of the ways of the Lord to is to allow people to be tested to prove what is actually in their hearts and to find out whether they have a real heart and commitment to Him. When evil comes to pressurise and cause to respond to its impulses and directives, He desires that there should be a rejection of the same and a full-blooded allegiance to Himself and holiness. People need to discover where they are in this conflict, hence the exposure to things that would attract and draw away from God. This is a divine principle and process to be understood.
The people in the times of the judges showed the proneness of their hearts to be influenced by the people that were left behind in their godless practises. Instead of showing some spiritual sense and metal in resistance, they quickly conformed to those around. It was disappointing especially in the light of the fact that the Lord had done so much for them. He had not failed in His promises but had brought to pass so much for their good and happiness.
There is the need of the constant directive of Romans 12: 1, 2 to safeguard the sanctity of the faith and conduct of the Christian. The world must not be permitted to squeeze into its way of thinking, believing and living. Satan will make every endeavour to get you off track by seducing with many things from the world. The test will be on in your experience and this is allowed of the Lord to find out whether you desire to choose and go His way. As such is mastered in Christ, the life moves on into a greater state of blessedness and usefulness.
July 8th THE SPIRIT’S EMPOWERING - Judges 3: 8-11; 1 Samuel 11
Because of the great straits and difficulties they were in they began to call out to the Lord for His help and intervention. When the conditions changed and brought about an insufferable experience they realized that they had brought this trouble upon themselves and now there was only one way out of the crisis and problem - the Lord. Thankfully He was around and that he was kind and merciful and could do something about their plight. He was ready to hear and reply in a powerful fashion.
His answer was in providing a leader that He could empower with His presence and power and tackle the matter in hand. The evil domination of eight years needed to be broken and it required the inspiration and dynamic of the Lord through a man by the name of Othniel to effect it. The operative phrase given is: “And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him” - v10. This also happened in the case of Saul and others, too. The Holy Spirit made the difference to break the yoke of oppression. The initial experience of this blessing was vital if they were to accomplish God’s will in victory for His people.
It is an assuring fact that the Lord has made the Holy Spirit available to us today so that we move and operate under His presence and influence. Although there are many challenging and demanding situations for us to face and confront, we are made sufficient to be able to wage war and win overwhelming victories. It does not matter how long the evil rule has prevailed, it can and must be broken through anointed men and women. Know and live under His dynamic and see what He will do through you, now.
July 9th A CALL TO CONFLICT - Judges 3: 12-30
God’s people were in dire circumstances again because of their evil ways and so he allowed them to become victims to Eglon, the king of Moab - 12. They never seemed to learn the lesson of the folly of abandoning their loyalty to the only true God and to follow their sinful desires and to worship false deities. The inevitable happened: they were now at the mercy of a power that placed enormous pressure on them and made life extremely difficult. Additional forces joined Moab in exerting duress. At least they knew what to do in the trying times - “the children of Israel cried unto the Lord” - v15. Preparatory to God moving was the need for prayer and dependency upon the Lord to work on their behalf.
The Lord could have turned a deaf ear but did not do so but responded in the raising up of a man to be their deliverer with a unique plan. He showed him how to take the king out in an unusual and daring manner. Ehud was a left-handed man, and to an unsuspecting king in privacy, he slew him, giving him a message prior to his killing - vv20, 21. God’s man knew that the Lord was with him to generate his people to take on their conquerors and so issued out a call to conflict after the sounding of a trumpet - “Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” -v27. The end result was the destroying of ten thousand lusty men of Moab and the land had rest for a longer period of 80 years.
Having prayed and sought the Lord’s help and guidance, you need to go forth and deal with the powers of darkness that would enslave. It is time to be free and to free our land from the spiritual forces of tyranny. Now is the summons, together, to wage war against all the strongholds of evil and to see the enemy ousted and completely overthrown. The One who has been faithful in the past is still in the present to hear your voice in supplication and to reply in a positive fashion. You were born to be a conqueror and winner! Be one!
