Thursday, April 24

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2014

Judges 2:10–3:31

Luke 22:14–34

Psalm 92:1–93:5

Proverbs 14:1,2

 

 

Judges 2:10–23 provides an excellent overview of God’s sovereign intervention in Israel’s history under the time of the Judges.  We receive a fairly granular understanding of the cycles of human and divine action and the consequences of not seeking the Lord wholeheartedly.  While a secular historian might have highlighted the Israelites’ human problems, particularly that of the raiding nations, we understand through God’s Word that these issues were merely the proximate causes of their internal strife and external vulnerabilities.  Rather, God’s perspective on the matter suggests that the dividedness of the people’s hearts determined the course of this era.

 

I found it helpful to sketch out the cause-and-effect relationships in terms of human and divine actions described in this passage:

 

1.       (Human) Falling into ignorance of the Lord’s goodness (2:10)

2.       (Human) Prompting the Lord’s anger by doing “evil in the eyes of the Lord[,]… fors[aking] the Lord, and… serv[ing] the Baals” (2:11–13)

3.       (Divine) “Hand[ing] them over to raiders to plundered them… [and] sold them to their enemies all around” (2:14–15)

4.       (Human) Reaching “great distress” (2:15)

5.       (Divine) “Rais[ing] up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders” (2:16)

6.       (Human) Not “listen[ing] to these judges but prostitute[ing] themselves to other gods” (2:17)

7.       (Divine) Blessing the work of a judge, due to “compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them” (2:18)

8.       (Human) After a judge’s death, “return[ing ] to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers” (2:19)

9.       (Divine) In His anger, determining to “no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when they died” (2:20–23)

 

 

This pattern offers some helpful insights into the nature of God’s sovereign hand in history.  We understand from Romans 8:28,29 that God always works towards the purposes of His glory and the best for His people.  We also see that His holy anger and unquenchable love are always intermingled.  He is not a passive grandfather, ready to dote on His children.  Nor is He irrationally wrathful.  Instead, He balances His undying love with the just consequences for sin.  Yet, even in doling out these consequences, He is not casually leading history.  Rather, He is intentionally driving history towards His purposes and glory.  He is bringing forth holiness from His people and deserved praise for His Name.

 

Please note God’s reasoning for leaving these nations:  “I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their forefathers did.” (2:22)  Our interactions with those who trouble us reveal a great deal about our character.  This reality reminds me of an insightful, if challenging, passage from Proverbs:

 

“If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;

    if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,

    and the Lord will reward you. “ (Proverbs 25:21,22)

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your sovereign hand in our world.  We ask that we might be attuned to Your movement in our world, that we might be a blessing to Your people and Your humble servants.  Reveal to us those shortcomings in our lives that restrain our full experience of Your presence and goodness in our lives.  Give us eyes to see the spiritual nature of day-to-day events so that we might become more aware of Your sovereignty, majesty, and power.  In Your powerful Name, amen.

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