1 Corinthians 7 "Walk In Your Calling"

"But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches." (v.17)

This verse can apply to so much in our lives, singleness, marriage, vocation, location, etc. But mostly I believe Paul is telling the Corinthians they don’t need to try and become something they are not. “Retain the place in life the Lord has assigned you” (v.17), “remain where you were called” (v.20), remain with God in that calling in which He called you to” (v.24). In other words, don’t feel pressured to do something or go somewhere God has not directed you. Whether born a slave, or free, married or unmarried, live as you are called.

This passage is just as relevant today as it was back then. God can use us where we are right now; on the job, at school, in our neighborhoods, married or unmarried, widowed, elderly, it does not matter. We don’t need to go to Seminary school, or Bible college, nor halfway around the world, to be used by God. All we need to be is ourselves and available to Him.

Therefore, let's walk our path and be joyfully in it. For we were bought with a price by the One who paid for us with His blood, to walk the path He has called us to.  Will He not protect, provide, and guide us with His powerful right hand? As this same apostle wrote in Ephesians, “I (Paul), therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called..” (Eph. 4:1)

And so we walk, day by day, moment by moment, with our LORD.

The Truth: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)

1 Corinthians 6 "Check Our Priorities"

"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful… I will not be brought under the power of any.” (v.12)

As Christians we have been set free from the bondage of sin and been given great liberty in Christ. But, that doesn't mean that all things are helpful. We can drink, smoke, go to "R" rated movies, hangout in clubs, but are any of things helpful? If we choose to indulge in something that can control us, get a hold on us, becoming a substitute for our time with God, then it is not helpful to our walk as a Christian, and probably not good for our witness to others as well.

With the growing use of cell phones, laptops and social media sites, an increasing number of people are withdrawing deeper into cyberspace every day. You can see them; in their cars, in the store, at dinner, on the job, browsing their facebook page, sending a text message, twitting or visiting some Internet site. Also video games have grown from a form of entertainment to an immensely competitive job, where teams compete for status and even prize money through tournaments. This begs the question, when has something legitimately moved from enjoyment to addiction?

When people cling to activities despite negative effects (loss of sleep, frustration, anxiety, mood changes), it generally indicates addictive behavior. Another common indicator is a defensive attitude when confronted in love about an overindulgence in some area. While there is nothing inherently wrong with most of what we do for enjoyment, we must check ourselves to make sure we are in control and not the other way around, that there is balance in our lives and not obsession or overindulgence.

Here in chapter 6, the apostle Paul reminds us to be careful, “not to be brought under the power of any.” It takes humility to admit that our enjoyment has become an addiction. Let's all check ourselves to make sure (we are in control), and if in doubt, seek God’s help and direction.

The Truth: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1) 

1 Corinthians 5 "Paul's Rebuke"

“Clean out the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (v.7)

In today’s reading, Paul levels a charge of complicit sin against the Corinthians. A man was publicly enjoying an incestuous relationship with his father’s wife with the knowledge of the church. Things had grown so complacent on the issue, that Paul had to rebuke them for being arrogant about the incident, rather than mourning over it (v.2). He went on to declare that the guilty person should be excluded from the fellowship, for its protection (v. 9). 

Some people would call this harsh and unmerciful, but it is for the good of the individual and the church as well. A cancer left to itself will only grow until it takes over the entire body. Genuine love doesn’t let a Christian continue in such incestuous sin. At the same time, we don’t need to be scouring each other’s lives to find places of moral failure either. However, when there is shameless, unrepentant, and public sin in the church, it must be dealt with, cut out, removed, until true repentance occurs.

In our culture today there is a prevailing attitude of acceptance with regard to sexual orientation, relationships, and practices. Even within some churches there exists a pride in their tolerance to such immorality. Yes we need to be available to all who seek the truth, but ignoring destructive sin within the body is nothing to be proud of. As Pastor Chuck Smith said, "It isn't our job to fix the world, and you certainly can't fix it by judging it. However, it is our job to share the gospel, and look to restore those who have lost their way."

Protection of the body and restoration of the sinner is a difficult line to walk. It works if we apply the biblical truths with a heart of love, with restoration, not condemnation as our goal.  

The Truth: “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) 

1 Corinthians 3 "Paul's Warning"

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are" (vv.16-17).

The Corinthian Christians were carnal, fleshly, and as we have already seen, full of envy, strife, and division. Paul compares them to an un weaned child, unable to digest the solid food of the Word (vv.1-2). And, as a result, they had not grown Spiritually. They were like a house built of straw, weak and unable to withstand against the temptations of life. Though Paul himself had laid a solid foundation for them (v.10), many within the church were caught up in a lifestyle of sexual immorality (1 Cor. 5:1), common to the people of Corinth in that day. So Paul hearing of their immorality, warns them with our text (vv.16-17). "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are."

Paul's warning rings just as loud today as it did back then. As men, living in southern California, in the summer (or any season for that matter), we are constantly bombarded with visual temptations. As a result, we need to guard the gates to our temples (our eyes, our minds) constantly. And like the knights of old, do battle with any threat that comes to our kingdom with our sword and shield. And, not allowing any Trojan Horse through our gates.

Today Satan works overtime to rob us of our purity, our character, and our valor as men, using every tool in his arsenal. So we need to work harder at standing guard over our souls, our rewards, our vows to God, by devouring the solid food of His Word. Building ourselves up, training our bodies, bring them into the submission of His will, and defeating the fiery dates of the evil one. 

Therefore my brothers train, that your temple will remain a holy place, reserved for God, with NO TRESPASSERS allowed! Because Satan is constantly working to breakdown our defenses. One for all, and All for "The One!"  

The Truth: "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light." (Romans 13:12)

1 Corinthians 1 “Unity In Christ”

“He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (v.31)

Here in chapter 1 Paul writes to the church of Corinth mainly about unity. He had heard of the many contentions among the brethren, which were of the house of Chloe (v.11), and cautioned them about division in the body of Christ. While there is nothing wrong with following different teachers, or denominations, there is a problem when it leads to pride, division, and a different Jesus - or when the orator becomes more important than the Word itself. 

Personally, I love how Paul encourages them at the end of this chapter where he writes, “But you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God” (v.30). In other words, “hey wake up, you’re not stupid. You have the wisdom of God through Jesus Christ. See this stuff for what it is, nonsense.” 

Oh the wisdom of God available to us through the work of the cross. We, who were once lost in our sin, held in bondage to corruption, were purchased through the cross of Christ. Therefore, our allegiance belongs to Him, our Master, Savior, God, and King. That’s why Paul could say, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” Godly wisdom for us today!

The Truth: This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth--for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Judges 21 “Benjamin Survives A Foolish Oath”

Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, saying, “None of us shall give his daughter to Benjamin in marriage.” (v.1)

After the sin of Gibeah and the ensuing civil war, the surviving men of Benjamin found themselves with no wives. Furthermore, all of Israel had taken an oath not to give their daughters to Benjamin in marriage (because of the despicable abuse suffered by an Israelite women in Gibeah). With no wives, the tribe of Benjamin would soon die out and the Twelve Tribes of Israel would be forever reduced.

Amid the gross evils of this time, the people of Israel were very tenacious of their vows, which had been ratified in the presence of God, and under the solemn sanctions of the Tabernacle. Because they had sworn not to give their daughters in marriage to Benjamin, they had to devise a plan to obtain wives for the six hundred who had escaped massacre, that the tribe should not become extinct.

Sin often creates messy situations, and this is a prime example. Israel could only keep their foolish oath if they allowed the surviving men of Benjamin to abduct the girls of Shiloh (v.20-21), for then their fathers hadn't really given them away to marry (v.22), resulting in Benjamin’s survival. Rather than go through this charade, they should have simply confessed their sin of making a foolish oath and done the right thing instead of trying to make two wrongs equal a right.

However, despite Israel’s sin, rebellion, idolatry, chaos, and ethical lapses, God allowed His people to survive. His grace and mercy are endless, even in our darkest times.

The Truth: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

Judges 20 "Faithful In The Trials"

The sin of Gibeah resulted in its total destruction (v.37). And for standing in solidarity with sin, the entire tribe of Benjamin paid a heavy price. Their fighting force was decimated, their towns were leveled, and even their animals were destroyed (v.48) But, not before Israel's commitment was tested.

In this chapter we see that Israel sought the Lord's direction, obeyed His instruction, and then was pummeled by Benjamin. We don't know exactly why God allowed Israel to suffer two massive defeats at the hand of Benjamin. What we do know is that those first two battles weren't the end of the story and that Israel kept seeking God's direction through it all, and on the third day of battle Israel was victorious over Benjamin and Gibeah (vv.29-48).

This has great application for us. When we face important tests in life, it's completely appropriate to ask the Lord for direction. But, what do we do when our situation seems to get worse? First, remember that our current trials are not the end of the story. God is still working. Second, continue to seek His face, pray with other believers, and repent if you are convicted of any sin. Third, hold on to what we know of God: He is gracious, He is faithful, and He will not fail.

The Truth: “I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2) 

Judges 19 "The Dark Side"

“Now it came about in those days, when there was no king in Israel.” (v.1)

We’ve heard this phrase many times now in the book of Judges. This time, it speaks of the people of Israel. They had no king; they had no authority over them. Therefore, every man did what was right in his own eyes. In our chapter today we will see just how dark the children of Israel became.

What brings one man to do what is delightful in the eyes of God (the concubine’s father vv.2-10) and another to do what is despicable in the eyes of God (the man of Ephraim vv.22-30)? Perhaps the answer is that we are made in the image of God and therefore have a desire to do good but, have been marred by our own sin and have an innate bent toward evil. 

The culture of our modern world today dictates that, “Every person can determine what is right for him or her personally,” or “What’s right for me may not be right for you. There are no absolutes.” That’s the big lie in our society today.

Deep inside every human being there is the knowledge that this type of thinking is absolutely wrong. There are absolutes. The universe is governed by absolute laws. One of which is gravity. If you try and defy gravity or try and bend the law to fit your understanding of gravity, I guarantee you will find yourself suffering the effects of gravity.

This is exactly what happened to the people of Israel. They ignored God’s law, did what was right in their own eyes, and slipped into the dark side of evil. Seeking one's own pleasure at the expense of all others (as we see here in chapter 19) arises out of a heart that is deceitful and desperately wicked. Sadly we see this everyday in the news.

There is no control over such a heart, but there is a cure found in the grace of salvation through our LORD Jesus Christ.

The Truth: “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” (Hebrews 5:9)

Judges 18 "Failure To Obey"

“Now in those days Israel had no king. And the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel.” (NLT v.1)

Here we see the tribe of Dan looking for a place to live other than the one assigned to them by God through Moses. Their failure to obey God and drive out the Canaanites from their land back in chapter 1 has led them to now turn their back on what God had for them.

Looking for easier land to conquer and make their own, the Danites came to the land of the tribe of Ephraim and the house of Micah. While there, they recognized the voice of the young Levite and said to him, “Please inquire of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous.” 

This shows what a spiritually confused time this was in Israel. These Danites on a sinful mission met with a sinful Levite and wanted to know from a righteous God if their mission would be successful. Then the sinful Levite sent the sinning men on their way with God’s blessing (vv.3-6). 

Failure to obey what God commands is always the result of failure to believe what He has promised. Believe in the promises of God, claim them, and you will drive out the enemy that is keeping you from enjoying all that God has in store for you.

The Truth: “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Judges 17 "No King In Israel"

“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (v.6)

God had raised up judges to rule and deliver the people of Israel when He saw fit; and at other times for their sins, He allowed them to be without them. This verse speaks of those days with no judge to govern nor a supreme magistrate to control the nation. However, there was in fact a king in Israel – Israel should have recognized the LORD God as their King. But since Israel rejected God as King, they were without any good and effective leadership.

Without a judge or a king the people again forsook the Lord and did what was right in their own eyes. The people looked to self for their guide to morality and ethics. They genuinely felt that they did what was right, but they measured it only by their own eyes.This accounts for the idolatry of Micah and his lust for money. It was his love of money that made him so undutiful to his mother as to rob her, and made her so unkind to her son, as to curse him (v.2).

Still today many people, and even some professing Christians, ignore God’s clear revelation of Himself in His Word. They think they are free to form their own ideas of what God is like and what He expects. Strongly influenced by a godless culture, they live at the center of their own little world and walk in their own ways. That creates moral and spiritual confusion. 

Scripture tells us, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12). When man follows his own instincts – apart from the redeemed nature of the converted person – it leads to ruin. We need to follow God’s way, not our own. We must take God’s Word seriously if we are to show our world that Christ gives us freedom to do what’s right.

The Truth: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

Judges 16 "Sin Weakens Us"

"And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him." (vv.16-19)

Samson fell in love again and fell for a woman completely wrong for him, Delilah. This is another example of the pain and ruin that came into Samson’s life because he did not guard his heart. For Delilah was not deeply in love with him but, she was deeply in love with money. So when the lords of the Philistines came to her and said to her, “Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and every one of us will give you eleven hundred pieces of silver,” she agreed. 1,100 shekels made up more than 140 pounds (63 kilograms) of silver.

Therefore, Delilah began to pester him daily with her words, so that his soul was vexed to death, until he told her all his heart (v.16). Earlier in this book Samson gave into the nagging of his Philistine wife (Judges 14:15-18). Now he yielded to the nagging of Delilah. She certainly sinned by using such terrible manipulation against Samson, but he also sinned by yielding to the manipulation of a harlot. In this we see the strongest man in the world weakened under the power of an ungodly relationship. 

Perhaps Samson figured that because he was strong in one area of his life, he was strong in all areas. In this he was desperately wrong. Sin saps us of our God-given strength. We become spiritually weak but often imagine that we’re just as strong as ever. Samson did not realize how much he had changed when the Lord departed from him after telling Delilah his heart (v.18). He thought he could go out and do battle in his own strength but was sadly mistaken. For his strength was in no sense in his hair, but in his dedication to God, of which it was the symbol.

We too can lose our strength by exposing ourselves to a situation we know is wrong. And if we keep playing with it (fire), gradually it will wear us down until our defenses are gone and we are subdued (burned). Our strength comes from His Spirit speaking to us through His Word. Therefore, read the WORD of life every day that it may give you strength in time of need.

The Truth: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11) 

Judges 15 "The Spirit Strengthens Samson"

And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it. (vv.14-15)

Chapter 15 is all about retaliation back and forth between Samson and the Philistines. First Samson strikes out against the Philistines by burning their crops (vv.4-5) because his Philistine father-in-law gave his wife away to another. So, in retaliation, the Philistines burned Samson's wife and her father with fire (vv.6-7). Samson then repays them for the murder of his wife and her father with a great slaughter; then he went down and dwelt in the cleft of the rock of Etam (v.8).

Then the Philistine army encamped in Judah, deployed themselves against Lehi, and demanded Judah handover Samson to them. So the men of Judah bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock of Etam to the Philistine army (vv.9-13). The fact that soldiers from the tribe of Judah gave up Samson to the Philistines shows just how much they were under the oppression of the Philistines. They would rather please their oppressors than support their deliverer. This is a strangely common phenomenon. Often, when someone stands up to evil, people are angrier at the one who stood up to the evil than they are angry at the evil itself.

However Samson had a plan of his own by allowing his brethren to bind him. He was willing to put himself in a difficult position and to trust God to take care of him. Now when they brought him to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a thousand men with it.

Samson was unique among the judges because he was a “one-man army” against the Philistines. Other Judges of Israel led armies against their enemies, but Samson fought alone. This victory was not in the weapon, nor in Samson's arm; but it was in the Spirit of God, which moved the weapon by the arm.

We too can be freed from our bonds (of sin) by the power of His Spirit, allowing us to triumph over the powers of evil in our lives. Simply ask Him to come into your heart and to rule and rein in your life.

The Truth: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) 

Judges 14 "Samson Seeks A Philistine Wife"

“Now Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” Then his father and mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your brethren, or among all my people, that you must go and get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” And Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she pleases me well.” But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.” (vv.1-4)

Here in chapter 14 Samson decides to go down to the city of Timnath. There, he sees a women (who was a Philistine) and desires her so, that upon his return home, he instructs his parents to get her for him (v.2). But, both of his parents object to his request as she is not from the nation of Israel. Furthermore, she comes from one of the seven nations of the Canaanites with whom marriage is forbidden by law. 

Love at first sight is a powerful, but dangerous thing. It is entirely possible for us to fall in love with someone that we have no business falling in love with – which was exactly the case with Samson here. As well, love at first sight feels wonderful, but doesn’t last in its initial form forever. We can be attracted more to the feeling of love itself than the person we focus upon – whom we don’t really know at first sight.

In demanding a Philistine wife, Samson showed a sinful disregard for his parents and for God’s will (Deuteronomy 7:3-4). Bound by romantic feelings, there are many people who still demand from God a mate out of God’s will. As the rest of the chapter shows, some good ultimately came out of this ungodly marriage. Many Philistines were killed, and they were kept off balance in their attempts to dominate the Israelites.

What satan means for evil, God can use for good. Even though Samson is rebellious against both God’s law and his parent’s wishes, God used the situation to accomplish His purposes concerning the Philistines by raising up a champion to fight against this evil nation. 

However, no matter how much good God can bring out of even the bad things we do, He can always bring far more good out of our obedience – and we ourselves experience much less pain.

The Truth: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! Who has know the mind of the LORD? Who has become His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34) 

Judges 13 "The Birth Of Samson"

"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. Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.” (vv.1-3)

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. 

Samson was truly a man of his times. He was a study in contrasts; a man of great strengths and great weaknesses. In this, he was a picture of Israel’s history both during this period and generally. A picture of great heights and deep lows. Samson is also an important example of unfulfilled potential. Though he did great things for God, it is staggering to consider what he might have done and been for God.

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, the LORD condemns it. When they were perishing because of oppression or sin, the LORD delivered them. When they were lost, the LORD 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 will 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)

Judges 12 "The Pride of Ephriam"

The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They 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." (v.1)

Some people are never satisfied with leadership and are chronic complainers! That describes Ephriam, perfectly. Here again in chapter 12, as they did with Gideon in chapter 8, the Ephrainites were complaining, second guessing, even threatening Jephthat, when they should have been rejoicing over his victory against Ammon.

After having brushed-off Jephthah's plea for help in the fight against Ammon, Ephraim had the gall to charge Jephthah "Why didn't you call us to go with you?" In their pride, they couldn't stand the fact that Jephthat was successful without them and leveled insults against him and his men (v.5). This led to a deadly battle between the two, leading to the death of forty-two thousand Ephraimites (v.6). All because of pride.

We too must fight against our pride and egos, desiring to be recognized – thinking why them and not me? We must fight against the lies of satan sturring us up to argue, dispute or discredit leadership. How? By following and supporting those God has chosen to lead. And above all, remain humble - for pride destroys.

Don't mess with God's elect. He will look over His and hold them accountable. Ours is not to judge but to support.

The Truth: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)

Judges 11 "The Unlikely Hero"

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot JephthThough rejected by his family, God blessed and used Jephthah.ah. Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him. (vv.1-3)

Rejected by his family because of his illegitimate ancestry, Jephthah grew up in the area in what would be modern-day Syria. Though rejected by his family, God blessed and used Jephthah. God did not count the wrong for which he was not responsible, a disqualification. He raised him up; He gave him His Spirit; He employed him to deliver His people in the hour of their need against the Ammonites.

Men are not to be blamed for the wrong doings of their parents as long as their personal merits are beyond reproach. And, no matter where we come from, no matter what our background, the LORD can use us all for His purposes. If Jephthah, the son of a harlot, a reproach of his people, a marauder, could be used to defend Israel – just think how God might use you.

We’ve all come out of some pit. God has already performed miracles in our lives. Let’s look forward to how He may want to bless us and use us in the future.

The Truth: “I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8)

Judges 10 "Israel Backslides Again"

“Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.” (v.6)

Once again we see the Israelites forsook the Lord their God again, and served the gods of the surrounding nations. They were attracted to these other gods not because of the beauty of an idol image, but because of what was associated with the pagan deity. Baal, the weather god, was associated with financial success. Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility, was associated with love, sex, and romance. As for the other gods of the neighboring nations around them, it was a matter of conforming to the popular culture and doing what everyone else did. Sound familiar? 

As a result, the Lord gave them up to the power of the Philistines and Ammonites and left them to groan for eighteen years under the severe oppression of the Ammonites (v.8), till they cried to Him in their distress saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!” (v.10). So the LORD said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore, I will deliver you no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress” (v.14).

Yet, God looked upon disobedient Israel with compassion, not hatred (v.16). It was “difficult” for God to allow Israel to stay in their misery, though it was best for them. Like the perfect loving parent, God hated to see Israel suffer, even when it was good for them. He longed to rescue them, but would not do it until it was good for them. Later in chapter 11, He would send them deliverance through Jephthah, though not till He has first charged them with their sins, and they had put away the strange gods.

True repentance is not only for sin, but from it as well. Meaning, we must humble ourselves under His hand, seek deliverance from the powers of darkness, separate ourselves from it. All the while realizing that when we freely choose to return and repeat some past sin, God is able to prolong His mercy until we truly repent.

The good news is we are not under the law but under grace. And, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive us our sin, and cleans us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)

The Truth: Jesus said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9:12)

Judges 9 "Abimelech Murders His Brothers"

Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.” And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.”So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him. Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. (vv.1-5)

Abimelech was the son of Jerubbaal (another name for Gideon given in Judges 8:35), but he was not the clear successor to his father’s place of leadership. This was for two reasons: God had not established a hereditary monarchy in Israel, and there were sixty-nine other sons of Gideon (Judges 8:30) who might also want to succeed their father.

At the city of Shechem, Abimelech convinced his brothers on his mother’s side to support him as king over his brothers on his father’s (Gideon’s) side. So, the men of Shechem agreed to accept Abimelech as the new leader – perhaps even the king – of Israel.

The relatives of Abimelech on his mother’s side gave him some “start-up money” to establish his leadership. He did this, but in a way that they never imagined – he hired worthless and reckless men to kill all his brothers, making certain there would never be a challenger to his leadership. So Abimelech killed his brothers with the support of his relatives on his mother’s side. The men of Shechem (Judges 9:2-3) supported the plan because it was good for them, not because it was morally good or right.

This is the first mention in Scripture of the hideous custom of anticipating conspiracies by destroying all brothers and near kinsmen – no brother near the throne. Abimelech by this vile wickedness set a fatal precedent, which was followed again and again in the kingdom of Israel by Baasha (1 Kings 15:29), Zimri 1 Kings 16:11), Jehu (2 Kings 10:7) and probably by other kings (2 Kings 15). Herod also put to death most of his kinsmen, and some of his sons.

Here we see the power of ambition and what power it has over men. How it will break through all the ties of natural affection, and natural conscience, and sacrifice what is most sacred, dear, and valuable. We see also the peril attending high birth and honor. It was their being the sons of so great a man as Gideon that made Abimelech jealous of them, and exposed them thus to danger and to death.

The Bible says, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).  Abimelech sowed a seed when he put the heads of his seventy brothers upon the chopping block, for a stone fell upon his own head. His desire was to be crowned, and he was – with a millstone thrown from the top of a stone to tower (v.51-53).

Be careful with your ambitions and the methods used to acquire them, as they will come back around on your own head.

The Truth: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)