"Forty Years of
Oppression"
"Again
the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them
into the hands of the Philistines for forty years." (v.1)
Here two
hundred years into the downward spiral of Judges, and over two hundred years
since the death of Joshua, Israel continues to fall away from the LORD. However
by His grace, God continues to raise up men and women to deliver Israel. He is
the one who called Moses from the backwaters of the desert to lead his people
out of Egypt. He recruited Gideon, fearful and hiding in a wine-press, to
conquer the Midianites. Now, He guides Samson's parents to raise him as a
Nazirite, so that the spirit of God will empower him to deliver God’s people
once again.
What
should encourage us the most out of the book of Judges is, even though the
children of Israel continue to do evil - the LORD continues to care
for them. When wickedness is triumphing, He condemns it. When they were
perishing because of oppression or sin, He delivered them. When they were lost,
He finds the man or woman who can lead them to freedom.
Therefore,
be of good cheer. While we may fail the LORD and find ourselves crying out
to Him, He willl not leave us nor forsake us. He hears our cries.
The Truth
"Our
fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to
You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed."
(Psalm 22:4-5)
