Where Were You Twenty Years Ago?

O. T. #514  "Where Were You Twenty Years Ago?"
May 8, 2015
Judges 4
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron: and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.  Judges 4:3

LET IT GLOW

Where were you 20 years ago and what was happening in your life?
Twenty years is a long time, yet it passes quickly, looking back. Where was I 20 years ago? Let's see, the year would have been 1995. Ah, I recall, I was a little parsonage in a little community in eastern Arkansas. Our son was in his senior year, and life was about to change drastically. He would move to my hometown and get a job at a giant retailer. We would move to another state. Our daughter had two more years of college and then get married. My mother had only 2 years to live, and my mother in law had 2 1/2 years. Those were the highlights of that time.

We have been at our current church 18 years come July 5. Time does pass quickly. This month we will see one of the girls in our church graduate junior college and get married. She was only 3 when we came here. Wow! Time passes quickly. I wonder if time passed that fast back in chapter 4 for the Israelites.


Here we are again, Israel is in the cycle of sin. This is the third time, counting. After the death of Judge Ehud and their 80 years of rest, it came to an end. Israel sinned against God again. So what does He do in verse 2? He sold His children into the hand of Jabin, king of Canaan, whose headquarters was located at Hazor.

According to Falwell, Jabin was probably a dynastic title, rather than a personal name. Other such name-titles include Abimelech of the Philistines, Pharaoh of Egypt, and Caesar of the Roman Empire. Most assume that Hazor was rebuilt after the destruction by Joshua and again occupied a place of prominence at this time. Another scholar suggests that the city was destroyed by Joshua using fire and Jabin was merely from that area, without emphasizing Hazor itself.

Do we find ourself in a sin cycle, too? Like Israel, sometimes God uses others to bring us to our knees of repentance. What has happened to you?

LET IT GROW

Jabin's main source of strength came from his general Sisera, who dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. The oppression of Israel by Jabin and Sisera lasted 20 years due to the superior military strength of the Canaanites. We read in verse 3 that Sisera had 900 iron chariots. This gave Sisera, the military leader of the combined armies, a source of complete dominance until a situation arose in which chariots could not be used.  (Falwell)

There we have it, 20 years. Monday, we will discuss the next judge who has a battle plan from the Lord. She is remembered for her leadership, as well as the woman who had a peg.

Are you or someone you love in oppression? Jesus can deliver you.

LET IT GO

                     ...of the past and live in the present, looking for the future.
                                ...of those things too important in my life.
                                ...and let God...