Pressing On

O. T. #555  "Pressing On"
July 10, 2015
Summary of Judges
In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.  Judges 17:6

LET IT GLOW

It took 6 months to go through this book. Whew! We kept pressing on as Israel kept spinning in the sin cycle. They would:

• repeatedly compromise with her enemies, tolerate and coexist with them. This was followed by incomplete settlement of the conquered territories.
• Without clearly defined leadership, everyone did that which was right in his own eyes (17:6). Israel forsook the Law and committed spiritual apostasy. (The people had sinned against their covenant with God by disobeying the command to totally drive out the Canaanites (Ex. 23, Deut. 33).  
• Israel intermarried with the people of the land (Deut 7:1-5) and adopted pagan worship of Baal and Ashtaroth (2:13).
• Committed numerous violations of the Mosaic Law, including improper priests and private worship sanctuaries.
• Their moral code was so low that lying, stealing, adultery, and murder were often condoned.
• So God would send oppression, resulting in repentance and deliverance. (6 periods and 12 deliverers)
• With the downward spiral into sin, God's mercy delivered His people over and over again.

[Resource: Liberty Bible Commentary]

Left untreated, sin grows and soon poisons the whole body. God had helped the Israelites conquer Canaan, which had been inhabited by a host of wicked nations. But they were in danger of losing this Promised Land because they compromised their convictions and disobeyed God. (Life Application Study Bible)

Ultimately, the failure of God's people to honor His commands resulted in their removal from the land for 70 years (Lev. 26:32-35). (D.Jeremiah)

LET IT GROW

There were over 410 years of judgeships.
Life Application Study Bible tells us:

• God used leaders, who, at times, did His will and, at times, followed their own sinful impulses (Gideon, Eli, Jephthah, Samson);
• Jephthah's vow and offering of his daughter (11:30-40);
• Israel's first civil war is recorded here.
• Decline, decay, and defeat caused the people to cry out to God for help.
• We can expect decay when we value anything more highly than God.
• Rebellion against God leads to disaster. God may use defeat to bring wandering hearts back to Him.
• We must identify modern idols in our hearts, renounce them, and turn to God for His love and mercy.
• God's Holy Spirit is available to all people. Anyone who is dedicated to God can be used for His service. Real heroes recognize the futility of human effort without God's guidance and power.

No matter how determined those Canaanites were-God's people had the power to drive them out; they simply gave up too soon. Sometimes we do the same. We face bold and hostile advances into our churches, neighborhoods, schools, or even our own families, and then we allow ourselves to be intimidated into passivity-or surrender. If only the Israelites had remembered: When God's people rely on God's power in obedience to His commands, they find an uncommon perseverance in the face of determined opposition. Giving in is no longer an option; pressing on becomes the battle cry. Victory is theirs. (The Jeremiah Study Bible)

So, be an overcomer, and follow Jesus.

If godless judges respond to constant pressure, how much more will a great and loving God respond to us? If we know He loves us, we can believer He will hear our cries for help. An example of this is found in Luke 18:1-6 where the widow keeps pestering the judge for her justice.

LET IT GO

Stay faithful, for God is faithful.

Stop the cycle of sin in my own life.

Serve God.

Angry Words Can Knock You Down

O. T. #554  "Angry Words Can Knock You Down"
July 9, 2015
Judges 21
And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore;  Judges 21:2

LET IT GLOW

In anger, those words come barreling out of your mouth hitting another like bullets straight in the heart. They can knock you down, bleed your hopes out, steal your joy, zap the life out of you, until you are crawling around in the dirt. Then you have to pull yourself up by the boot strap, stand tall on faith, let Jesus put His spiritual armor on you again, and prepare to get into the spiritual battle once again.

Israel had fought one of their tribal brothers, leaving 600 men to survive. Almost in danger of becoming extinct, the tribe of Benjamin remained with no wives and no children. Apparently, the rest of Israel had vowed never to give their daughters in marriage to them. This serious situation caused the people to go before the Lord loudly weeping. When the angry battle was over, Israel realized what they had done. They were supposed to be the people of God, yet they digressed spiritually and were in danger of annihilating one another.
On the other hand, the tribe of Benjamin had spiritually degenerated down so far that they would not admit their sexual sins and refused to turn over those men responsible for the death of the Levite's concubine.

All of this mess resulted in Israel returning to the Lord. Verse 4 says they rose up early and built an altar to the Lord, then offered burnt and peace offerings thereon.
Sounds like repentance.
Are we sorry for the words spoken in anger and/or the actions which may result from such?
Be careful when we make vows while angry.

LET IT GROW

What happened next?

•  It was discovered that the city of Jabesh Gilead did not join them, so they were to be put to death.
• Instead of receiving their punishment, their 400 young women of the Benjaminites who had never slept with a man were taken to Shiloh, then given as wives to the 600 Benjaminite men. Yet they lacked in number. Not all men received a wife.
• So this tribe and Israel would have heirs, other women would need to be given to this tribe of Ben. The rest of the tribes could not supply the need due to their oath to the Lord.
• The plan devised was this: When the gals were dancing during the annual festival in Shiloah, the 200 men were to pick out a wife and take one of these gals back home.
• The Benjaminite men did so, then built the towns and settled in them.
• Keep in mind, when there was no judge or king, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.

Israel put tribal loyalties above God's commands, and they justified wrong actions to correct past mistakes. It is the ultimate heroic act to submit all our plans, desires, and motive to God. To be heroic, we must go into battle each day in our home, job, church, and society to make God's kingdom a reality. Our weapons are the standards, morals, truths, and convictions we receive from God's Word. We will lose the battle if we gather the spoils of earthly treasures rather than seeking the treasures of heaven. (Life Application Study Bible)

Due to Israel's disobedience, they did not enjoy the abundant blessings of God until the time of King David.

Do we wiggly around the ways of God set before us? (Isn't a white lie still a lie?)

LET IT GO

Be ready to go to battle when the Lord sends us.

Stand up for His Word and ways.

Keep compassionate toward others.

Testing Storms Come

O. T. #553  "Testing Storms Come"
July 7, 2015
Judges 20-Part 2
And the LORD said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand.  Judges 20:28

LET IT GLOW

We should take heed that sin will be paid for, eventually and one way or another. Jesus has paid the price for our sins, a blood sacrifice of the perfect Lamb of God. By our trusting in Him as our Savior, we do not have to pay for our sins because He did it, once and for all.
Our sins will find us out, too. So be careful what we do. Such was the case in the tribe of Benjamin.

You will recall that 400,000 Israeli soldiers rallied together after the Levite cut up his concubine into 12 pieces, sending each tribe of Israel a piece of her, informing them of the horrific occurrence of her death due to rape in the city of Gibeah, in Benjamin territory. Then only 40,000 of those went to get the those men who had violated this woman and the Law of God, which said the guilty ones were to be killed. Refusing to do so, the Benjaminites went to war with their brethren.

What happened?

• The rest of the men of Israel went to the house of God and asked counsel of God, who should go first in this battle. God's answer was Judah. (verse 18)
• On day 1 of the battle,  22,000 Israeli soldiers died.
• Weeping, the men enquired of the Lord if they were to go to battle another time. The Lord answered yes. (verse 23)
• On day 2 of the battle, 18,000 Israeli soldiers died.
• Verse 26 describes the reaction of the Israeli men-went to the house of God, wept before Him, fasted all day, and offered burnt and peace offerings.
• The Lord told the priest He would deliver the Benjaminites into their hands the next day. (verse 28)
• On day 3, only 30 Israeli men died on the highway to the house of God, but 25,000 men of the tribe of Benjamin died. (verse 31)
• Then Israel use the same tactics which Joshua used at Ai-pretending to retreat, drawing the enemy away from the city, while others attacked the city and destroyed it while unprotected. 
• This strategy worked-18,000 were killed in the ambush, 5,000 in the retreat, and 2,000 more at Gidom, totaling 25,000 killed which left only 600 men of the tribe of Benjamin and in danger of extinction. (grand total of 43,000 killed Bens and 40,030 Israelis killed)

What a sad thing to happen, a civil war in Israel. Needlessly men died, if only they had not defended those murderers, homosexuals, and rapists. (Such actions continue today.)
Do we do what is right, no matter the cost?

LET IT GROW


The 600 men of Benjamin ran to the rock Rimmon in the wilderness, staying 4 months. (verse 47)
The men of Israel went back to the towns of Benjamin and killed everything, including animals, setting all on fire.

Despite how far Israel had fallen away from their faith, Yahweh still orchestrated their battle and brought justice against Benjamin. (D. Jeremiah)

Life Application Study Bible says:

Going back, the Levite conveniently left out the fact that he had handed over his concubine to satisfy the mob's demands. He wanted justice for the threats made against himself rather than placing any value on the life of the woman or holding himself partly responsible for her death. How easy it is to give only partial facts or twist events to remove our own culpability when we are seeking to shift blame to someone else. This incident reveals the depths of perversion and violence that develop when a culture abandons God's ways.

Makes you wonder if the maybe the Benjaminite leaders had been given distorted facts or if they were too proud to admit some of their people had stooped so low to commit such a serious crime.
Anyway, they would not listen to the rest of Israel and hand over those accused criminals. Although they were loyal to their own tribe, they were not to God's Law. We see bizarre things happen when people do what is right in their own eyes.

Did Israel think they had done away with such hideous crimes? Maybe for the time being they did.

They do recover such a loss, eventually. Saul, Israel's first king, Queen Esther, and the apostle Paul were all from the tribe of Benjamin. They remained the smallest tribe of the 12.

Well, we don't know what kind of fruit our efforts will produce in years to come. We work hard to keep those weeds out of the flower bed or not. Do we work hard to keep sin out of our life and our family? Yet, the world is harsh, strong, like the wind and rain in a summer storm pushes hard on the only package of flowers I planted-sunflowers. Will they survive and bear fruit? Kids and flowers need nurturing, love, and direction. I wish I had staked those tall stems. Please, Lord, don't let them snap in the middle of the storm. My children, too, Lord. (I spent 100 more time working on vbs for children than the flowers.) Grow them both up strong looking toward the sun/Son with deep roots in your love and Word. Oh, thanks for the rain, Lord. We depend on You for all things. (By the way, thanks for wild flowers I can pick to bring to my table.) Kingdom work is so important, friends, so keep planting those seeds of love and God's ways.

LET IT GO

Repent, turning from sinful ways and go in the other direction.

Point others in the right direction.

Stay in God's Word so I know His ways.

Continue to trust Jesus as my Savior.

Plant seeds of God's love in the hearts of children.

It's Time to Stand Up!

O. T. #552 "It's Time to Stand Up!"
July 6, 2015
Judges 20
Now, all you Israelites, speak up and give your verdict.  Judges 20:7 NIV

LET IT GLOW

Thinking of our freedoms, which cost so many their life, I wonder if we are  going down without a fight, Christians? Will we stand up and speak up against these immoral laws? Are we proud to be an American? I will stand up next to you, defending God's ways and laws and our freedoms and rights. I do not think we are in the minority here, yet. It's time to stand up. Israel united against the evil ones in a similar situation.

The Levite's call to rally against the hideous evil done in the city of Gibeah, located in the tribe of Benjamin's territory resulted in a great response of 400,000 Israelites. (He was assaulted by homosexual men, who raped his concubine wife, which resulted in her death.) Every man capable of holding a sword arrived in angry retaliation.

As a result of this tragedy, a national assembly was convened with people coming from the north and the south with a humble attitude and desire to seek help from God for the nation. (MacArthur)

Do we seek God's help for our nation's morality? Will we speak up and give our verdict on the immorality in this nation and unsupport of Israel this day? Oh, that we Christians would do the same at the voting poles. Are we asking God to give us a Christian president? Will we do as Israel or Benjaminites?

LET IT GROW

Rather than sending out the entire Israeli army they cast a lot, with 1/10 of the tribes going up against the city of Gibeah. (verse 9)
So 40,000 Israelis would go to fight against this folly (in Hebrew means emptiness), giving them what they deserve in Benjamin territory, the city of Gibeah. The rest of the Israeli men would not return home.

So all the men of Israel got together and united as one man against the city. (verse 11, NIV)

Were they serious about handling this situation? Were they determined to stop these sinful acts, making those men responsible pay for what they had done?

Have we forgotten what happened in 911? Has time passed and we have become nonchalant? Are we focused only on our own little world rather than what is happening elsewhere in our world? Will we rally against the evil ones as Israel did in chapter 20? Will our country unite or be divided in moral issues?

LET IT GO

Stand against sin after I have confessed my sin.

Unite with others to support Christians taking a stand.

Speak up for my God given convictions.

Before Jumping In With Both Feet

O. T. #551  "Before Jumping In With Both Feet"
July 3, 2015
Judges 19-Part 3
...consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.  Judges 19:30b

LET IT GLOW

Consider a matter before jumping in with both feet to take a particular stand. Seek the Lord's will. Back off from the situation before asking others their opinion. Get the facts. Chew on it for a while. Get a clear head. Listen to both sides. Do all this before speaking my mind. If only I could take my own advice all the time.

We left the Levite who returned home with his dead concubine, who had been violently abused by the men of the city of Gibeah, located in the territory of the Benjamin. I'm sure you recall the drastic measures he went to in order to call his brethren for revenge. (Cut her up into 12 pieces, sending each tribe a part.) The Levite must have loved this woman. Why else would he have gone to her father's house to bring her back home?

Then the last part of verse 30, all that saw such a thing, as part of their answer, they said, Consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible states:
We have here the three great rules by which they that sit in council ought to go in every arduous affair.

1. Let every man retire into himself, and weigh the matter impartially and fully in his own thoughts, and seriously and calmly consider it, without prejudice on either side, before he speaks of it.
2. Let them freely talk it over, and every man take advice of his friend, know his opinion, with his reasons, and weigh them.
3. Then let every man speak his mind, and give his vote according to his conscience. In the multitude of such counselors there is safety.

When a matter comes up, I think we should think about it, ask the Lord about it, listen to His direction, search His Word, instead of getting the opinion of others, then we will have the right direction to go, whether it is a decision, a view on a matter, or a solution for a problem.
Commonly, don't we run to others for their advice instead of the Lord? He knows best for us, so why don't we seek His wisdom?

LET IT GROW

Consider, take, speak.

The verbs which close the chapter are perfects of consequence, expressing the results which the Levite expected from this action.  (Falwell)

Looking into the next chapter, we see 400,000 footmen respond to this challenge. During this time, the tribes still rallied for each other's defense. Mizpeh was the central assembly point of the tribes, located only 8 miles north of Jerusalem.

The severe nature of such an atrocity, in a nation that considered itself to be a theocracy, would have brought the greatest possible response at this point. Every man who was capable of holding a sword arrived in angry retaliation for the hideous nature of the deed that had been done. (Falwell)

Do we lovingly want to help others when in need? Or just jump on the band wagon?

LET IT GO

Let the past be passed, having my presence in the present.

Consider a matter according to God's Word and Spirit.

A Rescue Turns Tragic

O. T. #550  "A Rescue Turns Tragic"
July 2, 2015
Judges 19-Part 2
Now as they were making their hearts merry... Judges 19:22

LET IT GLOW

A young woman is rescued, but a tragic conclusion lies ahead for her. Does it matter where we spend the night, and with whom? We see how one sin leads to another; bizarre actions result from deep sins. Yet, we read of such things happening in our world by the ruthless ones. It was a bleak period in the history of the nation of Israel. They were without a judge and king to direct them in holy living. Shall we finish this story?

The young Levite was married to a concubine, who went back to her father's home to get her after 4 months. Keep in mind that having concubines was an accepted part of Israelite society, although this is not what God intended (Genesis 2:24). On their way home, it was turning dark, so they stopped in the city of Gibeah in Benjamin territory for lodging. An older man offered his home, so they took him up on it. He took in strangers, fed, gave drink, washed their feet, tending to their needs.

Aren't we so thankful that Jesus loves us, takes us in as strangers, makes us a part of His family, feeds our soul with His Word, and gives us to drink from the fountain of living water (Holy Spirit)? He meets to our needs, even before we ask. Friend, just ask Jesus to be your Savior, forgive you of your sins. Then, you too, will be a part of His family.


LET IT GROW


While there, wicked men of the city came to the hospitable man's door, requesting the Levite for their sexual pleasures.
Sexual perversion and lawlessness were by-products of Israel's disobedience to God. The Israelites weren't willing to speak up until events had gone too far. (Life Application Study Bible)

Do we stand against homosexuality, supporting marriage between a man and a woman?

Let's continue this gruesome story:

• The owner of the house refused to allow such a disgraceful thing for his guest.
• The wicked men would not listen, so the man offered his daughter and the man's concubine, allowing them to do whatever they wish. (How low down is this father?)
• In verse 25, we read of the abuse the city men did to the concubine, raping her throughout the night. (Hey, I thought he cared for her, since he journeyed 10 miles to bring her back home.)
• The woman made her way back to the house, only to make it to the door, placing her hands on the threshold, laying there until daylight, where she died.
• Her master came out the door the next morning, told her, "Get up; let's go." Without her answering, the outraged Levite put her on his donkey and made the journey home.
• When he reached home, the master took his knife, divided, cup up his concubine in 12 pieces, sending each to a tribe in Israel. How gruesome! 

This method for rallying a nation was normally done by dismembering animals (1 Sam. 11). The verb to divide refers to a ritual dissection. (Ex. 29:17, Lev. 1:6) The Levite sent the 12 pieces of her body to the 12 tribes of Israel in an effort to rally the nation out of it lethargy and to a willingness to acknowledge its responsibility.  (Falwell)

What good could come out of such a horrible act?
Everyone who saw it said in verse 30 NIV, Such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt. Think about it! Consider it! Tell us what to do! 

It was designed to get action, and it worked. (Davis)

We assume the tribe of Benjamin was included in the summons, but refused, thus identifying themselves with the men of Gibeah. The shock of seeing the girl's dismembered body and undoubtedly hearing the story of this undeniable outrage against the law of God caused Israel to consider this the greatest atrocity of the nation's early history. (Falwell)

Obviously, the Levite expected action from his brothers.
What can we learn from this story, which I believe actually happened, since the Bible is God's Word to us of accounts of His peoples' lives?

• We see the need to call our nation back to God in repentance, then work toward establishing God's moral and spiritual reign in the hearts of every person.
• Let people know that adultery and prostitution is sinful and unacceptable to God. (The life of a harlot is unacceptable and not permissible in the Old Testament, calling for killing of them.) I am not advocating such an extreme, but they need to be offered God's Grace for repentance and a way to change their lifestyle and line of business.
• Men of God are not to be involved with a concubine. (Priests were forbidden to marry one.)
• Do not open our door to immorality. Teach our children why such practices are not pleasing to God.
• Witness to idolaters. Do not accept their lifestyle. God forbids idolatry. He alone is God, the only one to be worshiped. 

LET IT GO

Follow the previous points, living for God's glory and according to His Word, admitting I am a sinner in need of forgiveness daily.

Morals

O. T. #549  "Morals" 
July 1, 2015
Judges 19
And in came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-Judah.  Judges 19:1

LET IT GLOW


Are we allowing our morals to decline in America? What about our family? Do we discuss with our family and others why fornication, adultery, idolatry, and homosexuality are immoral according to God's Word? Are we allowing such things into our home by way of the media? Morals-what is acceptable and unacceptable? (Marriage is between a man and a woman; both are to remain faithful to each other sexually; family does not include those living together in sin.)

We studied about the idolatry of Micah and the Danites. Now the immorality of the Gibeonites and Benjaminites is here. The story begins with a certain Levite who was married to a concubine, who was sexually unfaithful to him. She returned to her father's house.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says:

Priests could marry, though a concubine wife was culturally legal, the practice was not acceptable to God (Gen. 2:24). She should have been killed as the law required and could have been, if there was a devotion to holiness and obedience to Scripture (Lev. 20:10). A priest was not allowed to marry a harlot (Lev. 21:14), so his ministry was greatly tainted. Yet, he made little of her sin and separation and sought her back sympathetically. (verse 3) 

After 4 months passed, the husband went to get her. (Although this was not an ideal union, it was recognized as a legal marriage.) The Levite's father in law persuaded him to stay on 4 more days. After the fifth day, the father let his daughter go. The couple had lunch and remained until afternoon, although the wife's father tried to persuade the Levite to remain another night. Finally, the couple departed late in the day.

Let me add this information found in The Life Application Study Bible:
Concubines (along with their children), though legally attached to one man, did not have the inheritance rights of the legal wife and legitimate children. Her primary purpose was giving the man sexual pleasure, bearing additional children, and contributing more help to the household or estate. Concubines were often foreign prisoners of war. But they could also be Israelites, as was probably the case in this story.


What can we learn from this happening? Sexual perversion and lawlessness were by-products of Israel's disobedience to God. Israel failed to establish a government based upon God's moral principles, where the law of God was the law of the land.  Sound familiar? Our nation is now making laws which are contrary to God's moral laws. Is our nation going down the tube?


LET IT GROW

There they are, the couple is traveling towards home (with their servant and 2 saddled donkeys) and it is getting late, darkness was soon to fall. They traveled until reaching the city of Gibeah in the territory of the Benjaminites. An old man asked the travelers where they were headed, which was a remote hill country of Ephraim, where they lived. No one had offered lodging for them, although they had enough food. The stranger in the city offered them lodging for the night at his house, so they accepted. The hospitable man provided for the travelers and their animals.
Then wicked men surrounded  the house. (We are going to stop there.)

The failure to offer hospitality was a breach of etiquette rarely found in the ancient East, where it was considered a sacred duty. Instead of being received by the Benjamites of the city, the group was offered lodging by another Ephraimite, also a stranger in the city (verse 16). (Falwell)

Not that I am advocating taking in strangers, but are we hospitable to those we know? Do we offer help to those in need?

LET IT GO

Live by the moral standards according to God's Word.

Read His Word and teach others what it requires of us.

Show His love when the opportunity arises.

Avoid immoral entertainment on tv and the internet.

Guard my heart and mind.

Making a Wrong Choice

O. T. #548  "Making a Wrong Choice"
June 30, 2015
Judges 18
And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh. Judges 18:31

LET IT GLOW

If your friends jumped over a cliff, would you do likewise? If they jumped into a pond, would you follow them? How many times did we ask our children that after they made a wrong choice? If America makes the wrong choices of laws, which disobey God's laws, which will we follow? One of Israel's tribes, the Danites, followed their brothers, making a wrong choice. How sad.

I thought the Danites were going to rescue the young Levite from Micah's house of idol worship where he was paid to be his priest. Let's back up. Five men of the tribe of Dan, the weakest tribe only numbering 65,000 men, went to spy out the northern land, so they could conquer more land for their tribe. Actually, they should have conquered the allotted land years earlier, which was their inheritance, their Promised Land. But no, they continued to allow the Amorites and Philistines to remain in it. (Samson failed to achieve his purpose.) Wanting a more secure land, the spies entered into the land of Ephraim, heading north, coming to Micah's house.

Having failed to conquer their territory due to laziness and cowardice (1:34, Joshua 19:40-48), the Danites were still looking for a place to settle. Unlike the two previous spy missions, this mission lacked the Lord's authorization.  (D. Jeremiah)

Here is where they discovered and asked the young Levite 3 w questions-who, what, why?
Admitting to being hired as Micah's priest, the spies as him if their journey will be successful. Guys, are you sure you are asking the right person? After all, he is now a priest in idol worship, not Israel's and their God's worship. To me, the priest's encouragement did not mean much-God in peace. Your journey has the LORD's approval.  (verse 6)

Do we seek advice and counsel from the right person? Why do we not go to the Savior, for He knows all things?

LET IT GROW



The spies went northward about a hundred miles from home, seeing a new settlement. Thy wandered into a settlement with fertile soil, populated with Phoenician people, an area named Laish.

These people were: careless, quiet, and secure (at peace and ease), and had no treaties with neighbors to protect them. It seemed an ideal place for the battle-weary Danites to conquer. The spies returned home, informing others of their find. As a result, 600 men were sent to take the city as warriors. Along their way, the men who were the 5 previous spies stopped at Micah's gate, took the carved image, ephod, and other gods, inviting the Levite priest to go along with them. Later on down the road, Micah comes and argues with Danites, but returns home since he was outnumbered.

The Danites were successful in conquering the city of Laish. However, they made the mistake of setting up for themselves the idols to worship. Remember, they had no king nor judge to direct them in their spiritual journey. What a sad story.

What can we learn from this?

• When you have a religion that you can make, someone else can take.
• With the Ark of God being far away, they justified their idolatry by their distance from the rest of Israel.
• Disobedience (as the Levitical priest was) distances one from God.
• Church leaders should be motivated to serve God and His people rather than by dishonest gain (1 Tim. 3:8).
• The tribe of Dan turned to idol worship rather than worship of God.
• True worship was available in Shiloh while false worship continued in Dan during this period.
• In those days, every man did what was right in their own eyes. (17:6)

LET IT GO

Choose to obey God and His Word rather than disobey or turn away.

Don't let sin distance myself from my loving God.

Even though others may be doing what they deem right in their own eyes, I shall obey God.

Stand up for Jesus for He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE. (John 14:6)

Growing Sin

O. T. #547  "Growing Sin"
June 29, 2015
Judges 17
So he returned the silver to his mother, and she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who made them into the image and idol. And they were put in Micah's house.  Judges 17:4

LET IT GLOW


Like a snowball rolling down a hill gets bigger attaching more snow, sin can grow bigger in our life until it consumes us and draws us away from God. We have to always be on the lookout for those things which attach to us in order to make us fall into sin. Micah should have recognized that his mother's request was a wrong thing for him to do (idolatry). We especially have to be alert to any sin lurking around our family or home.

Some think the last 5 chapters of the book of Judges are out of sequence with the chronology of the rest of the book and actually occurred during the early period of the judges. (Falwell)

Rabbinie commentators placed the story of Micah in the time of Othniel.  (Pfeiffer)

The spiritual condition and history of Israel is revealed during the time of the judges. Keeping in mind, the sin cycles were a repetition of repentance, worshiping God, then back into the sin of idolatry. We finished the seventh of those cycles. Now we read about the idolatry of Micah and the Danites. Since both Samson and Micah were of the tribe of Dan, it seems logical to place this story after Samson's.

In those days...
Israel had fallen from God's ways. God should have been Israel's King (Deut. 33:2-5), but there was no king. With no godly king or judge, every form of religion-and especially false religion-abounded, and much like today, everyone followed their own moral code, doing what was right in his own eyes. (The Jeremiah Study Bible)

What were the first two commands of the Ten Commandments which God gave to Moses back in Exodus 20? Love God and make no idols to worship.
Sounds like these people are headed for trouble.

Do we keep God's laws and commands in His Word as our foundation of faith and life? Or are we doing what we think best, doing what is right in our own eyes, not God's?

LET IT GROW

What is happening in verse 1:

• There was this wealthy mother who lived on Mount Ephraim that had a son named Micah.
• Someone stole 1,100 shekels of silver from the woman. She didn't know who had done it, so she pronounced a serious curse (probably in the name of Jehovah) upon the one who took it.
• This woman's son, Micah, came confessing to his mother that he had taken her money. He probably feared the power of his mother's curse.
• The mother's strange response was, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son. James 3:10 tells us, Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
• The son returned the money to his mother. (Perhaps she supposed the robber was one who would not return it, and she was relieved that it was her son who took it.)

Returning the money was a good thing for the son to do. At least he was honest about it. However, justifying the stealing is not. One thing leads to another. One sin leads to another when it is not confessed and stopped. Do we try to justify our sinful ways?

LET IT GROW

What else happened? The story didn't stop there.

• This woman claimed that she had dedicated this silver to the Lord, but then she gives her son 200 shekels of silver to have a graven image and a molten image made. This was not in accordance with the Mosiac Law.
• These idols were placed in the house of Micah as a shrine, along with other idols. He had an ephod and terraphim as additional idols.
• One of Micah's sons became priest over the idols. Ugh!
• Then an unnamed young man, who was a Levite, wandered into the area, ending up at the house of Micah.
• Discovering he was unemployed and away from his normal responsibilities, Micah lured him to their private family priest. (The Levite priests of God were assigned to serve in certain cities.)
• This man accepted the offer of 10 shekels of silver a year.
• Micah consecrated the young man, assuming the Lord would do good to him, since he had a Levite priest.

This house ignored the content of the Law of the Israelites. The Levite and Micah went deeper into apostasy. How sad!
A mother's request or a son's asking of a favor isn't always the best thing to do. We need discernment.

Do we try to justify our sin or confess it to the Lord and tern from it? If we don't, then we will get deeper into the cycle of sin like Micah's family did. Take heed lest we should fall.

LET IT GO

                             ... of those little sins before they grow into bigger ones.
                             ... of sinful habits before our family gets into them.
                             ... of it before it gets hold of me and hurts my testimony.
                             ... by searching my heart for any idols taking God's place.

He Brought the House Down

O. T. #546  "He Brought the House Down"
June 27, 2015
Judges 16-Part 4
So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. 
Judges 16:30

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever spent an evening laughing your head off, laughing so hard you ribs and stomach muscles hurt? We were guest at a seminary banquet with Graddy Nut as the entertainer. I have never laughed so hard and long in all my life. He brought the house down, as they say. Well, Samson did the same thing, only it was in his death that he brought the house down.

The strong Samson, purposed to deliver Israel from the ruling of the Philistines, finds himself blind, with his face to the grind, living through the daily grind. What has happened to him is this-Samson gave away the secret of his strength, not cutting his hair, which was an outward expression of consecration to the Lord in the Nazirite vow, to Delilah, who received money for the endeavor.

Yet, his hair grew back. (verse 22)
In the end, Samson's faith was still in his God, not the pagan god, Dagan. He prays, asking the Lord for strength just one more time, one more chance to get it right. Apparently, he repented of his sin, for God gave him one more chance to act by faith. Samson wanted to win one more victory over the enemy. God answered his prayer, but in defeating others, Samson died. He slew more in his death than in his life. (verse 30)

Friend, so you need one more chance to get it right? To come back to the right path that you strayed off? God still loves us, even when we fail Him. He is waiting with open arms, the place where we belong as His child.

Even when it hurts, God will have His way, His will accomplished.
Are we willingly doing it, or do we have to get our eyes punched out to see the truth about our self?

No matter how far God's people fall away, His purposes are not jeopardized and the story is not yet finished. God would yet work through Samson to accomplish the purpose for which he was born; delivering the people of Israel from the Philistines.  (David Jeremiah)


LET IT GROW

I know, we jumped ahead to the end of the story, the end of Samson's life on earth.
Samson lost a lot during his life, due to his sins:

• his hair, a symbol of dedication to God,
• his strength, of which he is ignorant until overpowered,
• the light, with his eyes put out by the Philistines,
• his liberty, binding him with fetters of brass,
• his usefulness to the Lord, ending up grinding corn instead of fighting God's battles, and
• his testimony, being a laughingstock of the Philistines. (Wiersbe)

What happened?

• Like an animal, the helplessly blind and captured Samson was used to grind grain, like an ox at the mill, for the Philistines.
• When the Philistines gathered for a great feast to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon (father of Baal) their god, they rejoiced, giving their pagan deity credit for capturing Samson. (verses 23-24) They believed Samson was acknowledging the supremacy of their god over him when he was grinding the grain.
• Then, the Philistines brought Samson out into the Dagan temple, with courtyards, to make sport of him. Sport means to play, laugh, make merry, mock, in the Hebrew language.
• They tied Samson between two wooden pillars planted in a stone foundation, under the edge of the roof of this building, which had at least 3,000 in attendance. He was their trophy.
• Then Samson prayed, asking God for strength one more time, another chance to do His will.
• He brought the roof down-killed more with his death than in his life. (verse 30)
• Who recorded this, but the lad that led Samson to the pillars. This boy had been Samson's attendant, who willingly stayed with him in the prison. He must have been allowed to escape this tragedy.(verse 26)

What a tragic picture of a man of God fully equipped to serve the Lord, but whose service is rendered ineffective by his passion and lust. (Falwell)

God gave Samson strength one more time. Was it his last chance to serve Him? Isn't He the God of second chances?

Samson died for the cause of his country and his God. He was willing to give up his own life for them. Did you know Samson is listed in Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith? (verse 30)

Victory came only as he was broken, humiliated, and blind. He could no longer look to himself. (Guzik)

Samson had great potential, even was a judge in Israel for 20 years, yet wasted that potential for personal pleasure.

Did you pick up on this while studying Samson's life and death-he is remembered for the bad things/disobedience of God?

How will people remember you when you're dead and gone? Faithful or selfish living?

LET IT GO

Surrender now before I have to loose something to get me to where God wants me.

Live by faith, not by sight.

Pray before times get worse.

Give my potential to God for His use and glory.

Secrets, Sins, and Strengths

O. T. #545  "Secrets, Sins, and Strengths"
June 25, 2015
Judges 16-Part 3
But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20c


LET IT GLOW

Do you have any secret sins, kept hidden from others? Well, God knows all about it, friend. We might as well confess them now. The longer we wait, the less is our spiritual strength to overcome the temptations in the world. Samson made a mess of his life because of the same thing, secret sins unconfessed.

Samson gave halfhearted replies to Delilah, his lover, who was seeking the secret of Samson's strength. Three times he played the game, which resulted in her becoming more angry, so angry that she nagged him all the time about it.

Then Samson told Delilah everything, pouring out his heart with the truth: No razor has been used on my head, because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.
 (verse 17 NIV)

The importance of the uncut hair was that it was one of the signs of the vow; his physical strength was the particular gift he had from God as a result of his consecration to Him. His loss of strength was clearly attributed to the departure of the Spirit from him. (Falwell)

Her man poured out his deepest secret to a heartless Delilah. (Typical of a prostitute) She was a greedy woman who used her womanly ways to induce mighty Samson into a heavy sleep, sent word to her bribers. Samson rendered himself useless to the Lord's service. He didn't even know when the
Spirit of the Lord departed from him. (verse 20)

Do we cause others to stumble into sin? Are we aware of our influence upon our husband, children, coworkers? Are we drawing them to a closer walk with the Lord or away into sin?

LET IT GROW

What happened to Samson after his revealing the source of his strength?

• He couldn't shake himself free as before. His freedom to do a he wanted to do without consequences came to a halt.  His sin bound him as the Philistines bound him hand and foot with bronze shackles.
• They gouged out his eyes; his eyes caused Samson to be attracted to ungodly relationships without restraint. He lived according to what was right in his own eyes, loosing his eyesight as a result.
• The Philistines took him down to Gaza.
• They made Samson grind in the prison as an animal was used to grind at a mill, paraded through the city in helplessness.
• His sin caused Samson to forfeit the power of God's presence.

What can we learn from such disobedience toward God?

• God can use us, but we won't benefit from it.
• Our life could end in personal tragedy, like Samson's did, when wasting great potential for kingdom work.
• All we have to do is turn our heart back to God and receive His mercies.
• No matter how far we fall away from God, His purposes are not jeopardized, for He is still in control.
• Jesus wants to claim Lord over our entire life, not just parts of it.
• We should take seriously our vows made to God; He expects us to keep them.
• Don't play with fire, lest we get burnt.
• Trust and obey, for that is the only way to be happy in Jesus.

LET IT GO

Don't be blinded by the lusts of the world.

Daily come to Jesus.

Use my eyes to see the needs of others.

Surrender to God now, not waiting until...

Live by faith, not by sight.

Oh, The Games People Play

O. T. #544  "Oh, The Games People Play"
June 24, 2015
Judges 16-Part 2
with such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death.  Judges 16:16

LET IT GLOW

Here is the third woman in Samson's life that is mentioned. Delilah's residence was in the Valley of Sorek, which was near the hometown of Samson at Zorah. We realize that Samson's weakness was for women of low character and of Philistine loyalty. He continually went to see his Delilah daily, falling in love with her.
Word gets around about this judge's activity. The lords of the Philistines went to bribe his girl into discovering the secret of Samson's strength. These were the 5 lords of the Pentapolis. Now, they each offered her 1,100 pieces of silver, which totaled 5,500 pieces of silver for betraying Samson into their hands.

David Jeremiah explains that stunning amount was 550 times the annual wage and 3 times more units of silver than the units of gold Gideon received after defeating the Midianite kings (8:26).

Oh, the games people play:

• Delilah played the bribe game. Her love was for sale; they bought her off.
• She played the deceit game. Using her loving ways (using the term lightly), it took 4 tries to find out the secret of Samson's strength.
• Samson played the lying game, telling her his strength would cease if such a thing happened.
• Samson played the secret game, avoiding the truth of his strength, which was a part of the Nazirite vow of not cutting his hair.
• Finally, due to his own doings, Samson played the humility game, loosing his strength, eye sight, and position  whenever he revealed its secret.

Do we play games? Do we have a price at which we can be bought? Do we deceive others, even lie for our advantage? Are we hiding a deep dark secret? Does it take our being humbled by the truth for us to come to repentance?
Maybe we aren't like that, but know people who are. Are we praying for them?

LET IT GROW

Each time Delilah tried to use her womanly ways to get the secret of Samson's strength so she could tell the Philistines and get her pay off. What were the false answers he told her?

1. Bind him with 7 strong bowstrings not dried, (verse 7)
2. tie him up with new ropes, (verse 11)
3. weave his locks of hair into the fabric of  on a loom and tighten it with a pin. (verse 13)

Delilah's tears, pleas, and sex did not get her what she wanted, the secret from Samson. So she changed her tactic-nagging. Her daily nagging was nagging him to death. What man could stand up under such an attack? This was the turning point in the story and life of Samson.

Why didn't Samson quit going to see her? Or why didn't he refuse to tell her, end of discussion, instead of giving false hopes with lies? He made Delilah out to be a fool, then she turned the table and he became the fool. Why didn't Samson reveal the truth that God supplied his strength?

Do we beat around the bush with people instead of coming right out and telling them the truth, or no?

LET IT GO

Be a truthful person.

Don't give excuses.

Stay faithful to God.

Carrying Heavy Burdens

O. T. #543  "Carrying Heavy Burdens"
June 23, 2015
Judges 16
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.  Judges 16:2

LET IT GLOW

What would it be like to carry a city gate 38 miles, up hill? Do you ever feel like you are doing that when your burdens or problems get so heavy because you are carrying them around all day long, day after day? Why can't I let go of them and let Jesus carry them?

As we look at the first three verses of this chapter, keep in mind that Samson was a judge in Israel for 20 years. Also, we have an advantage point of being able to look back upon the event of Samson's life, whereas, he was living in the middle of them. I wonder if this man got bored at the elevated life he lived, desiring some excitement. Whatever, he still had a personal weakness that reflected the character of the nation itself, continuing to play with fire, visit the enemy. If you play with fire, you'll get burned.
As previously mentioned, Samson's weakness was obviously a love for women. This man who strangled a lion and killed a thousand men single-handedly couldn't conquer his own passion and lust. The Word mentions three particular ones: the girl at Timnath, whom he married; the prostitute at Gaza, and Deliliah.
So we pick up in verse one where this Hercules of a man named Samson goes to Gaza. Now, Gaza is 38 miles down the mountain, deep into Philistine (enemy) territory. How can the Israelite hero wander casually into this major city undetected? Doesn't sound like a smart move to me.

Do we presume that God doesn't care when we go down into sin? That He fluffs it off as "boys will be boys" or "that's the way gals are?" Maybe they will eventually get it?
As a warning, we should not mess with the sin of presumption-He forgives sin anyway. The Lord has His standards for us to live by and we should strive to do so to our best ability. However, I know we aren't perfect, but intentional sin is saying we don't care. God could snap His fingers and take us out of this world into the next. His grace and mercy sustains us.

How many burdens do we needlessly carry on our shoulders?
Caste your cares upon Him for He cares for you.


LET IT GROW

Well, Samson saw this woman, who was a prostitute (a female innkeeper and regular business woman). He stayed with her until the middle of the night, then took hold of the doors of the city gate along with the 2 posts. Then he carried them upon his shoulders to the top of the hill, back home. What a feat-carry the entire gate uphill for 38 miles! But that was Samson. The gate would have been his trophy, a sign of triumph over the powerful Philistines.

Apparently, his presence was found out because the Gazites were waiting quietly for him all night at the city gate, planning to kill Samson the next morning. Keep in mind that they locked the gate at night for protection.

Falwell concludes that Samson was an unwanted guest and his intentions were not the best.

Why didn't Samson just marry one of the Israelite women, like he should have done?
Why didn't he stay put where he was supposed to be?
Why did he make that long walk down to the enemy city?
So many questions; no answers. Hind sight is 20/20.

LET IT GO

Stay put until God moves me.

Don't stray away on my own.

Keep focused on Jesus and His purpose for my life.

Caste my cares upon Jesus.

Reconcilitaion or Retaliation

O. T. #542  "Reconciliation or Retaliation?
June 22, 2015
Judges 15
Samson took a young goat and went to visit his wife. (verse 1)
I won't stop until I get revenge on you. (verse 7)


LET IT GLOW

Have you ever attempted to reconcile a broken relationship only to be refused? How insulting and hurtful it can be for us. The same thing happened to Samson, the one chosen to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

As a review, Samson went back to Daddy's house after he married a Philistine gal who turned his head, killed 30 Philistines in order to pay his debt because he was so angry that some guys found out the answer to his riddle by threatening her. While he was there, Samson's father in law gave his wife to his best man.

So during the time of wheat harvest, when the men would be in the fields, Samson tactfully made his move, returning to his father in law's house. He even brought a token of reconciliation, a young goat, showing this family that there was nothing for them to fear. He wanted his wife. Perhaps this dad feared the Philistines if he turned on the new husband, but he also feared Samson because he offered a second daughter to him. (This was insulting and unlawful in Leviticus 18:18.)

It takes humility for one to say they are sorry and sincerely mean it. Sometimes our attempt at reconciling a relationship is accepted and other times it is refused. What we do next is vitally important. Do we try again? Do we get angry and think, "If that's how you feel, forget it" ? Do we retaliate and try to hurt them? Or do we lovingly and prayerfully turn to the Lord for wisdom?

LET IT GROW

Ole Sammy didn't try again nor did he seek the Lord for wisdom in the situation he got himself into. No sir, he was going to make those Philistines pay for their hurting him. They certainly did pay.

Samson, insulted and provoked to fleshly resentment, took vengeance on the Philistines. It must have taken a while to catch so many foxes or jackals and keep them penned and fed until the number reached 300. Apparently, he tied them in pairs with a slow-burning torch, sending the pairs down the hills into fields thrashing with fire, igniting all the standing grain so dry at harvest. This was a loss of great proportion to Philistine farmers. The MacArthur Bible Commentary)

What happened next?

• Not only did Samson burn the wheat fields, but also  corn, vineyards, and olive groves. When the Philistines found out it was Sammy who was responsible for all of this destruction, they retaliated by burning Samson's wife and her father. 
• Because of this act of cruelty, Samson killed those responsible and fled to a cave.
• Then 3,000 men from Judah visited Samson, asking him what he had done. They had come to hand him over to the Philistines, and did so tying him with 2 new ropes.
• As the Philistines approached Samson, the Lord gave him strength and  he slew 1,000 with the jawbone of a donkey.
• Samson led Israel for 20 years in the days of the Philistines.

God gave miraculous power to Samson for destruction, but also to show fearful Israelites that He was with them, in spite of their lack of trust. (MacArthur)

Finally, Samson is accomplishing victory over the Philistines, which was God's purpose for his life all along. However, it took anger in Samson to do it.

Do we seek the Lord to loosen the chords of sin that has us bound? Are we allowing God to use us for His kingdom work? What does it take for God to get us to the point where we submit to do His will?

LET IT GO

Submit to God's Word and ways.

Obey the Spirit's leading.

Follow Jesus.

Look for His miracles.

Reconcile when possible; live in peace.

Let God take the revenge on others who wrong me.






The disastrous events of his (Samson's) attempted marriage to one of their women turned his attitude against them in such a way that Yahweh could now use him to begin to deliver (13:5) Israel from the Philistines. (Falwell)

If Only...

O. T. #541  "If Only..."
June 18, 2015
Judges 14-Part 2
And he said unto them, If ye had not...  Judges 14:18b

LET IT GLOW

Did you notice that Samson made several trips down to the city of Timnath? (That's because his girl lived there among the Philistines.)
They include:

1. When he made his first trip, Samson saw her, then told his parents to get her for his wife.
2. During his second trip, when his parents with to contract the marriage, they got separated. Samson encountered a young lion and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily and was given strength to rip the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. 
3. There may have been up to a year that passed before the two got married. When he was returning, Samson turned off the path to look at the lion's carcass. He found a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. This guy scooped it up into his hands, eating it along the way, giving some to his parents.

Do we trust in the Lord's strength when confronted with problems? Do we ask for His strength to endure whatever?

LET IT GROW

When it was time to go to the final arrangements for the wedding, the three went to the Philistines' city. As the custom was, Samson threw a party, the bride's parents selected 30 young men to be his companions around town.

Guys will be guys, as they say, and Samson challenged those men to solve his riddle, found in verse 14. If they couldn't solve it, they'd give him 30 fine linen robes and 30 sets of festive clothing. (If they could, Samson would do likewise.) Three days later they were still trying to figure it out. Then they approached Samson's new wife, threatening her to get the answer or they'd burn down her father's house with her in it.

Using her tears, as females often do, Samson's wife tried to get Samson to tell her the answer to his riddle. He refused. He had not even told his parents. The bride cried every time she was with her husband, during the celebration, so he would tell her, but he would not. Finally, after the seventh day, he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging.

The wife told the threatening men the riddle's answer. (verse 18)  Before the end of the 7th day, the men told Samson the answer.

Samson replied, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have solved my riddle!"

He was aware of the source of their information.

What does Samson do?

• He goes down to the town of Ashkelon,
• kills 30 men,
• takes their belongings,
• gives their clothing to the men who solved his riddle,
• is furious about the whole matter, and
• returns home to live with his parents.  (His wife was given in marriage to the best man at Samson's wedding.) (NLT)

What drama! It was Samson's own fault in the first place. If only he had not challenged those guys to solve his riddle, if he had not gone down into the Philistine city, if he had not seen the beautiful girl, then all of that would not have happened.

Are we the same way? We tell someone, "If only you had not..., then this would not have happened.
Or we find our self in a mess, thinking, "If only I had not do that."
Hind sight is 20/20.

Reality is, we have to live with and in the consequences of our actions and decisions. That is why it is so important that we seek the Lord and His Word before doing or making them. Then we won't get into such messes, live to regret something. Oh, that we could remember that advice. (Me, especially)

LET IT GO

Seek the Lord's will and ways before making a decision or actions.

Accept responsibility for my actions.

Learn from my mistakes.

She Looks Good

O. T. #540  "She Looks Good"
June 17, 2015
Judges 14
When he returned home, he told his father and mother, "A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me. ... She looks good to me."Judges 14:2,3c New Living Translation

LET IT GLOW

Does it matter how we look today? Are we women dressing to attract men, exposing our body parts that should only be seen by our husband? Do we thrive on getting that second look from him? So many do this in the world. Too much competition out there. Or are we dressing conservatively, neatly, and not exposing them? Are we trying to get looks, cause a brother to stumble by sinning sinful thoughts concerning us? Or are we living and honoring  God with our clothes and body? Ladies, you can look good while using your looks for good. Let's teach the younger women the right values. Put some good and godly values back into our society. (I'll step down from my soap box now.)

Recall that the Philistines oppressed Israel for 40 years before Samson comes on the scene. His birth was planned by God so he could deliver them. All we know about his childhood is that Samson grew,  the Lord blessed him, and the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times.
Falwell categorizes Samson's life into two categories-events prior to the incident at Gaza and those afterwards.

Samson despised his Hebrew heritage. He was born to godly, praying parents, and undoubtedly was taught the commands of God as a child. However, Samson chose to please himself and not please God to accomplish his God-given task. (Surely his parents told Samson his purpose in life was to deliver Israel from the Philistines.)

He was given 20 years' time to begin to overcome the enemy, yet in the end, he himself was overcome by the enemy. (Wiersbe)

What a tragic and wasted life.
What is the first thing recorder that Samson did?

• He went down to Timnath. Instead of staying in the borders of Israel, Samson went into enemy territory. Spiritually and geographically he went down. (The town was only 4 miles away from Samson's.) (verse 1)
• He knew the laws of separation which God had given to the Jews, but he chose to ignore them.
• Next, he told his parents to get the woman, not asking them. When they reminded their son of God's law, he defied them.
• He wanted to marry this Philistine gal. (verse 2) Marrying the girl was breaking the Mosiac law regarding mixed marriages. (Ex. 34:16; Deut. 7:3)
• She pleases me well refers to she looks good to me.
• Rather than doing what is right and good in the sight of the Lord (Deut. 6:18), Samson did as everyone else that did what was right in his own eyes (17:6).

Well, Samson's parents could not see ahead that their sons' disobedience would be used by God for His glory. God is never responsible for evil acts, but He is so wise that He uses evil acts to accomplish His good purpose. (D. Jeremiah)

Samson sins here, although God is sovereign and was able to turn the situation to please Him (verse 4). He was not at a loss, but used the opportunity to work against the wicked Philistines and provide gracious help to His people. He achieved destruction of these people, not by an army, but by the miraculous power of one man.  (MacArthur)

I wonder what God's plan was. Certainly Samson took life into his own hands and lived for himself. I'm sure he regretted it after meeting God. How faithful the Lord is, even our rebellion He can turn out for good.

Are we following what God's Word says?
Are we faithful to Him or living for ourself?


LET IT GROW

Then the narrative divides itself in relation to the three women in Samson's life:

1. the girl at Tunnath,
2. the prostitute at Gaza, and
3. Delilah of the Valley of Sorek. 

Here the first gal mentioned is the one Samson wants to marry. So Samson and his parents went down the valley with his parents to contract the marriage. (verse 5)

Why did his parents not refuse such a demand when they knew Samson was disobeying God? Hopefully, they were not afraid of the strongest man, yet their son. Who knows? Maybe Samson was extremely spoiled and they gave him anything he wanted. Whatever...

Are we as parents and grandparents directing our children in the ways of the Lord Jesus? Do we take opportunities to teach them?

We will pick up tomorrow with the strong man picking up something.

LET IT GO

Know the Word of God so I can resist temptations to sin.

Turn to Him for strength to do so.

Teach others the right way to live, then live it out.

Blessed With Children

#539 "Blessed With Children"
June 16, 2015
Judges 13-Part 3
And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.  Judges 13:24

LET IT GLOW

There is a 40 year old lady who is carrying her sixth child. She prepared their current home to be sold on the market. Then, she directed the packing to move to another home they purchased while homeschooling 4 of her 5 this year. (The youngest is 2, by the way.) Did I mention that she is a faithful wife? This superwoman is my daughter. I am so proud of her, her commitment to the Lord, and love for her family.

There is a guy who works part time at our tire shop. Not only that, he has a cattle farm in three places. Last week, he cut, baled, and hauled hay for the herd to eat this winter. To top it off, this last weekend the hard working guy took time to attend a family reunion, then went shopping with his wife and daughter. They are involved in church, too. This superman is my son. I am so proud of him and his love for the Lord and others.

Yes, I am so very blessed with wonderful children and know it! Many parents worry about their children and deal with the problems that result. If you are one, read Proverbs 3:5-6 for encouragement.

Shall we look at the last two verses of this chapter?
Jesus appeared twice to a woman, informing her that she would have a son, her dietary restrictions and the boy's Nazarite vow by which to live. He would deliver Israel from the Philistines. Her husband, Manoah, spoke with the Lord, offered a burnt offering. The Lord said His name was Secret, which means wonderful. Jesus did something wonderously-He ascended in the flame of the fire.

The miraculous disappearance of the angel caused Mannoah to realize miraculous disappearance of the angel cause Manoah to realize who He was. (Falwell)

Manoah was afraid they would die because they had seen God. Then his wife reasoned, if that were so, why would He have accepted the offering and revealed such things for their future.

Time passed. This chosen woman, though barren at the time of the encounter, became pregnant and gave birth to a son. The couple named the baby Samson, meaning sun.

God keeps His promises.
Are we trusting Him?

LET IT GROW

Years went by and...

• The child, Samson grew, and the Lord blessed him. (verse 24)
• The Spirit of the began to move upon Samson. (verse 25)

Samson's birth and early childhood are clearly stated to have been blessed of the Lord. Thus, God is involved from the very beginning of his life in the exploits that will follow, and apparently even during his youth the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times. Like other judges, he received this charismatic anointing for the task to which he was called. In Samson's case this meant spectacular human strength to wage a one-man campaign against the Philistines. (Liberty Bible Commentary)

Isn't it incredible that Israel's strongest man came from her weakest tribe. Doesn't God have a sense of humor?

Are we willing to follow and obey what God has for us to do? To let go of our plans to do His?

LET IT GO

                                 ... of my plans to follow God's plans.
                                 ... of my fears and trust Him.
                                 ... of my weaknesses and turn to His strength.

Isn't He Wonderful?

O. T. #538  "Isn't He Wonderful?"
June 15, 2015
Judges 13-Part 2

And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?"
Judges 13:18 The Jeremiah Study Bible
...Why asketh thou thus after My name, seeing it is secret? KJV

LET IT GLOW

Often times, my husband tells another man that I have said how wonderful he is. They doubt him most of the time. Then I'll add: I have to say it so he doesn't tell a lie. Of course, we are both kidding.
There is One is today's lesson that is wonderful, beyond a doubt. Curious? Read on, friend.

What's going on? The Lord Jesus Himself appeared to a woman, Manoah's wife, Danites, not just once, but twice. This childless wife told her husband about the first visit and what was told her. This was unheard of, seeing women did not have a place in the priesthood or Temple service, only men. (He had appeared previously to only one other woman-Hagar.)
Keep in mind, the Philistines were oppressing Israel for 40 years now when this happened.

Though nameless in Scripture, she would be significant in Israel's history because of her offspring son to come was to deliver Israel. Her special instructions received included drinking no wine or strong drink and eating no unclean thing. Also, her son was to be a Nazarite all of his life, which meant he would not shave his head, drink wine from grapes, not eat unclean meat, nor touch a dead body, which made them unclean.

So Manoah intreated the LORD to come again to them and teach them what to do unto the child that would be born. This was after the first visit. God hearkened to the voice of Manoah, although the man was not present the second time Jesus appeared unto the woman a second time in the field. So she ran to tell her husband a second time about the visit. The two went to the place this occurred.

They found Jesus. Manoah asked the man (Jesus) if He was the man that spoke to the woman.
How did Jesus answer? in verse 11? I am.

Young's Concordance explains I AM : A name indicating rather the unsearchableness of God than His mere existence, as commonly supposed.

We read of His identifying Himself as such to Moses in Exodus 3:14, twice. (Maybe Jesus was only answering Manoah's question and not identifying Himself as I AM. )

In verse 18, Jesus calls Himself secret, which means remarkable, wonderful in the Hebrew language.
Isaiah 9:6 predicts His birth and calls Jesus Wonderful. 

Webster's Dictionary defines wonderful as astonishing, marvelous, unusually good.

The word is not the proper name of the angel of the Lord, but expresses the character of His name and denotes the peculiarity of His nature as well.  (Falwell)

I think all of those descriptive words describe our Wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ.
Do we tell Jesus how wonderful He is? His name is Wonderful, Jesus my Lord. He is the Mighty King, Master of everything.
Are we sharing how wonderful He is to us?

LET IT GROW

What happens next?

• Manoah asked, "When your words are fulfilled, what is to be the rule for the boy's life and work?" (NIV)
• Jesus repeated the woman's instructions to her husband.
• Then Manoah offered to fix a young goat for a meal, but Jesus told him to offer it as a burnt offering to the LORD.
• Manoah prepared the kid and the grain offerings, sacrificing it on a rock to the LORD.
• Then an amazing thing happened as the two looked on: Jesus ascended in the flame of the fire into heaven.
• Afraid that they would die since they had seen the Lord, Manoah's wife reasoned that He would not have accepted the offering nor revealed such things to them if He was going to kill them.

Wow! What an experience for this couple, from the weakest tribe of Israel, Dan.

Have you noticed that Jesus takes pleasure in using those weak, for He knows they will depend upon Him to complete the task instructed?
He can use us for Kingdom work, too.

LET IT GO

                     ...of doubts and fears and follow Jesus.
                               ... and not question the how or why, just do it.
                               ...and let God.
                               ... of pride and tell others how wonderful Jesus is.

Soothing of the Soul

O. T. #534  "Soothing of the Soul"
June 9, 2015
Judges 11-Part 4
And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no many. And it was a custom in Israel.  Judges 11:39


LET IT GLOW

This is such a busy month for me-2 family reunions, Vacation Bible School, birthday, Father's Day, appointments, etc. This old body gets tired so easily, as well as my soul becoming weary in the busyness of it all. You with me?
Well, I am going for a new experience on Friday. Since my husband's family is having their annual reunion this weekend, we gals decided to go for a pedicure. (It was my request for my Mother's Day gift.) I must say, I am looking forward to the foot message. These wheels of mine are sore and tired from the miles they have gone lately. Maybe even a sweet, soothing lotion, a balm, will be used. Come on, Friday!
I think our hero, Jephthah, could have used a balm in Gilead, his hometown.

We left Jephthah, the Gileadite, alone and saddened by his rash vow made to the Lord. You will recall that he asked the Lord for victory over the Ammorites in exchange for whatsoever came out of his house to greet him upon returning from the battles. The whatsoever became a whosever, his daughter. They were both people faithful to God-Jephthah kept his vow and his daughter surrendered to it. Perhaps the story ended with Jeph making a human sacrifice or not. We are not told, only speculations. His daughter may have been a dedication to the Lord's service without marrying or death. At any rate, her father's line stopped there, since his only daughter did not carry it on.

But, lest we too be saddened by all of this, and burdened by a heavy load we are carrying, a song came to my mind-"There Is a Balm in Gilead," from The Baptist Hymnal:

There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sinsick soul. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my world's in vain, But then the Holy Spirit Revives my soul again. If you can't preach like Peter, If you can't pray like Paul, Just tell the love of Jesus, And say He died for all.

I look up the definition of balm in Webster's Dictionary: a balsamic resin: especially one from small tropical evergreen trees; an aromatic preparation (as a healing ointment).
Balm of Gilead refers to an agency that soothes, relieves, or heals (among other definitions).

Anyone need a balm of Gilead? Are your burdens getting heavy? Who couldn't use a foot rub, shoulder rub, sweet lotion, a soothing of our soul with peace?
Jesus, our Prince of Peace (Is. 9:10), wants to be our balm for a sin sick soul, an upset soul, a confused mind, a weary person, tired of the schedule, tired of the fight against evil. He is ready to give us that peace that passeth all understanding. (See Ps. 37:11, 55:18; John 14:27, 20:21)

Yes, friend, there is a balm in your hometown. Just ask Jesus for it.

LET IT GROW

This section ends abruptly with the statement that he judged Israel six years, died, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. (12:7)
In looking at the list of Israel's judges during their cycle of sin, Jephthah is included in the group of 4 judges who judged a total of 31 years together. They form the sixth group of judges in this book.

So, if God can use this man, the son of a harlot and grandson of Manasseh (Jacob's son), then don't you think He can use us ordinary people for God's Kingdom work also? For sure! (Pronounced for shore, in my region)

Let's be careful in what we vow unto the Lord. Be faithful in keeping our vows. Seek His balm when we grow weary. Rest in His peace for the soul.


LET IT GO

                              ... of those weary thought and trade them for the peace of God.
                              ... of the struggles and let God handle it.
                              ... of thinking I am Super Woman, just do what I can today.
                              ... of worries and live in the now with Jesus.
                              ... of the past and look to Friday. (Hee, Hee!)

 

Keeping Vows

O. T. #533  "Keeping Vows"
June 8, 2015
Judges 11-Part 3
An Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, then it shall be...  Judges 11:30-31a

LET IT GLOW

One man's whatever became a whoever. His vow cost him more than he ever dreamed it would. Are we careful in what we promise to others and to God? I vowed "til death do us part" to my husband before the Lord at our wedding and he did the same to me. So far, we have kept that vow-42 years now. God honors our vows when we stay faithful to fulfill it. Are you keeping your vows?
Want to know what the man's vow involved? Read on friend.

As said earlier, God commissioned Jephthah to rescue His people from the 18 year oppression of the Ammonites and Philistines. (Israel went back into idolatry again, so God allowed them to be conquered in the Gilead area.) Now the Ammonites were seeking to rule the city of Gilead. Just to be sure of the victory, Jephthah made a vow unto the Lord in exchange for victory in the battle.
This guy teaches us to watch what we say, especially when we promise the Lord. I verse 31, Jephthah vowed, If You give the Ammorites into my hands, whatsoever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Amnonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering. 

So victory came. Jeph devastated 20 towns where the Ammonites ruled. Israel subdued Ammon with the Lord's help.

Perhaps it was a lack of faith or confidence, though Jeph was a mighty warrior. He was the son of Gilead, with half brothers who didn't want him around until they needed his help. Sound familiar?
I recall a song which says, "Faith is the victory that over comes the world." How big is your faith? Is it as large as the grain of a tiny mustard seed?

LET IT GROW

Well, Gilead and other cities were rescued as Jephthah and his family defeated the Ammonites. Time to go home.
And that is what he did. As Jeph came near his home in Mizpah. Who came out of his house to greet him but his only child, his precious daughter. She was excited to see her victorious Daddy! She was dancing and shaking that tambourine.

What should have been a joyous return became a heart wrenching one. Jephthah was stabbed in the heart when he remembered his vow that he made earlier to the Lord. The whatever became a whoever. 
In verse 35, Jephthah voiced that he had made a vow to the LORD that he could not break. Apparently, he explained it all to his nameless to us daughter. She made one request of her father-allow her 2 months to roam the hills and weep with her friends, because she would never marry.
He agreed to such a request. As a result of this situation, Israel began a yearly custom where their young women go out for 4 days to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Sadly, Jephthah did not understand that while vows must not be broken God did provide for the redemption of thoughtless, careless vows (Lev. 5:4-6). That person was to confess that he sinned in that thing and bring a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats as a sin offering. The priest would make atonement for him concerning his sin.

How did he keep his vow? There are several opinions on this matter:

• Jephthah offered his daughter as a burnt offering to God.
• His offering of her was that she should not marry, but serve the Lord as a virgin all her life.
• God would not be honored with such a rash vow based on such a wicked practice.

Perhaps Jephthah expected a servant or an animal to come out of his house whenever he returned home from the battlefield. How ironic!
He had just defeated the child sacrificing Ammonites and would now have to sacrifice his daughter as a result of the vow he had taken! (Falwell)

The second opinion makes more sense, since the girl asked for 2 months to mourn her not allowed to marry.  Although, we are not told what happened at the end of those 2 months.

I realize that there are many people who do not keep their wedding vows. I am so sorry when that happens. It must be very painful when one's spouse is unfaithful or doesn't want to be married any longer.
Dear one, there is One who keeps His promises-our God. We can trust Him to keep His Word. He is faithful. Are we trusting Him?

Be careful friends what we promise God. It may cost us more than we ever dreamed.

LET IT GO

Be willing to let go of whatever so I can stay faithful to God.

Seek His will, then obey it.

Do what is required so I will be faithful to God.

Watch my mouth and what I promise.