PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Judges 19-21
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
WARNING – DISTURBING CONTENT!!!
“The Lord replied, “Judah shall go first.” (Judges 20:18).
These stories are HORRIBLE, how can the Lord be a part of them?
They “inquired of God” (20:18), and twice the reply leads to their defeat.
How can the Lord partner with such corrupt people and why does He mislead them?
We need to remember, God set up the priests to be His mediators (20:26-28).
The ark symbolized His presence, and the priest His Voice.
They inquired of the priest, and the priest spoke for God… supposedly.
In a similar way to how leaders today might speak for Jesus, and mislead people.
Here we see God’s humbling mercy, that He stands with sinners and suffers for them.
His character is maligned because of the people, yet He endures it, even to the cross.
Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10), but not because Judah is so good.
God joins Himself to screwed up humans, in order that He may “go first” for us.
The church today is not better than Israel then – yet God still works through it.
We are the screwed up ones, yet the Lord still works with us to save the world.
His patience in this life is our chance to repent and receive mercy, otherwise…
PRAYER
Lord, these sick stories do not reveal Your character but ours. What they reveal is how humbling it is for You to work with us to save us and the world. Have mercy on us for maligning Your character with our crap.
Things have gotten from very bad to worse – the morality fallen to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. It took a gory action by the Levite affected – and the response involved a lot of blood and death. All had so much to learn – and return to the ways of the God that brought them out of Egypt. What can I learn from this? That if I follow my own reasoning and sensuality – my own schemes – will also lead to death and injustice. Israel needed a saviour – I need a saviour!
‘Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.’
This was during the time of Judges – people having their own way.
And today, people continue to live the same way – having their own way, creating chaos in this world. We need to return to the Lord and ask for His leading and guiding.
I must do what is right in the Lord’s eyes.
Lead me and guide me this day Lord.
Lead me, guide me along the way
For if you lead me I cannot stray
Or just open my eyes that I may see
Lead me oh Lord, won’t you lead me
I am lost if you take your hand from me
I am blind without try light to see