We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here within a day or two after the reading. I’d love for you to join in the discussion.
Tag Archive - Proverbs
Thoughts on Judges 2
We’re reading through Judges at Oak Tree Church, and I’m posting some observations from my daily readings here. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion.
Thoughts on Judges 2
The LORD’s angelic messenger went up from Gilgal to Bokim. He said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you into the land I had solemnly promised to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my agreement with you…” Judges 2:1 NET
“The LORD’s angelic messenger” (or maybe “the angel of LORD” in your version) throughout the Old Testament is a reference to Christ before he was born as Jesus. We call this a “pre-incarnate appearance” (before his incarnation). Notice how he doesn’t say, “God says…”. He repeats words that God said to someone previously and takes the credit for them himself. No regular angel would dare to claim God’s words as his own, yet this “messenger” does all the time.
When the LORD’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. Judges 2:4 NET
I wonder how this happened. Did they all hear him simultaneously? Was it audible? Or did he do it through a miraculous mass trance or vision?
When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, intending to take possession of the land. The people worshiped the LORD throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. Joshua son of Nun, the LORD’s servant, died at the age of one hundred ten. The people buried him in his allotted land in Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of MountGaash. That entire generation passed away; a new generation grew up that had not personally experienced the LORD’s presence or seen what he had done for Israel. Judges 2:6-10 NET
This is the unfortunate, yet predictable, result of not “training up children in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) or intentionally “entrusting to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). When a generation of people refuse to teach the Scriptures to the next, this is the inevitable result.
But the blame is not solely on the older generation either. The younger generation was not grateful for God’s blessings on them, and they did not chase after him. There is no substitute for a personal encounter with God.
But they did not obey their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned aside from the path their ancestors had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the LORD’s commands, but they did not. Judges 2:17 NET
Disobedience toward God’s appointed leaders is equated with disobedience toward God himself. (See also Hebrews 13:7, 17)
What did you see in these verses? What was important to you in Judges 2 that I did not see?
Jonah 3
Chapter 3 is a really powerful part of Jonah’s story, maybe even the most powerful. People tend to focus on the fish and the plant, but those are really secondary to the story of God’s never-ending search to deliver humans. This is the main course of the little book, and in it I find three awesome principles.
A second time
The Lord said to Jonah a second time, “Go immediately to Nineveh, that large city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” Jonah 3:1-2
I like how this half of the book begins almost exactly the same as the first half. God had a specific task for Jonah to accomplish. The first time, Jonah ran away and almost got himself killed. God intervened in nature and disciplined Jonah until he repented.
Upon Jonah’s repentance, God never mentioned it again (though Jonah does in chapter 4). However, the task still had to be done. Parents do this with their kids all the time.
“OK, you threw your fit, so you don’t get dessert tonight [fill in your favorite method of discipline here]. Now clean your room like I told you to do.”
Discipline is for the purpose of bringing back into line. Jonah was back in line, so God approached him again. Nothing had changed in God’s mind.
Our rebellion doesn’t change God’s plan. It will “be done on earth as it is in heaven”.
Jonah’s proclamation
Did you notice that Jonah did not preach a message of repentance? By most standards, he didn’t preach a message at all. In Hebrew, his statement was only five words long – “At the end of forty days, Nineveh will be overthrown!”
He didn’t cry out, “Repent!” He just said, “You’re toast! Deal with it.” So what made them respond?
- It certainly wasn’t his passion or Christian love. He wanted them dead.
- It wasn’t the threat of the Israelites. One Jewish prophet wasn’t going to scare the powerful Assyrians.
I have to believe that it was the message in the context of the messenger’s life. Like I said in Jonah 2 (Part 2), I am making the assumption that there were eyewitnesses to Jonah’s exit from the fish. There is no doubt that they would have followed (or even helped) him to Nineveh. His appearance and testifying groupies would be enough to bring the populace of Nineveh to repent before suffering like judgment from an obviously powerful God. The king’s response, then, is understood.
Our spoken message is not as powerful alone as it is when it is backed up with our life message. You can talk about your experience all you want, but when others start talking about what they have seen God do in/with/through you, that adds unbelievable power.
God’s mercy
When God saw their actions – they turned from their evil way of living! – God relented concerning the judgment he had threatened them with and he did not destroy them. Jonah 3:10
God chose to make it clear that it was the people’s “actions”, not just their hearts, that he responded to. This is one Old Testament parallel to James’ assertion that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:14-26). According to his first call to Jonah, God’s judgment was to be on Nineveh’s wickedness.
It’s not good enough to say, “Please save me,” but never experience life change. The whole Bible shows that an unchanged life is evidence of an unchanged heart.
Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life. Proverbs 4:23
This is why faithful churches call Christians to things like water baptism, regular church attendance, generous giving, joining a small group, and serving on a ministry team. While these things don’t remove our sin, they do help us fight sin, grow our faith, and give evidence of growing faith.
If you have been a believer for a while and are not actively, visibly demonstrating your faith, it’s time for a heart-check. What’s your Jonah-problem? What is holding you back from doing what God has called you to do?
Posts in this series:
An excellent wife
Probably the most well-known long section of Proverbs is the very last part in Proverbs 31:10-31. It goes by various titles: “Virtuous Woman”, “Excellent Wife”, etc. The first verse sets the tone for the poem:
Who can find a wife of noble character? For her value is far more than rubies.
In this ode to the woman every godly man desires, I find several key character traits that help her be that “wife of noble character.”
1. She is trustworthy (vs. 11-12)
The heart of her husband has confidence in her, and he has no lack of gain. She brings him good and not evil all the days of her life.
2. She works hard for her family (vs. 13-15)
She obtains wool and flax, and she is pleased to work with her hands. She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She also gets up while it is still night, and provides food for her household and a portion to her female servants.
3. She understands business (vs. 16-19)
She considers a field and buys it; from her own income she plants a vineyard. She begins her work vigorously, and she strengthens her arms. She knows that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out in the night. Her hands take hold of the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.
4. She is kind (vs. 20)
She extends her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hand to the needy.
5. She plans ahead (vs. 21)
She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed with scarlet.
6. She looks good in public and can mingle with the upper class (vs. 22-23)
She makes for herself coverlets; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is well-known in the city gate when he sits with the elders of the land.
7. She is strong, wise, and can handle authority (vs. 24-27)
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and honor, and she can laugh at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.
8. Her family admires and supports her… (vs. 28-29)
Her children rise up and call her blessed, her husband also praises her: “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all!”
9. …and so does everyone else. (vs. 30-31)
Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised. Give her credit for what she has accomplished, and let her works praise her in the city gates.
Who can find this kind of wife? I did!
My excellent wife
Proverbs 31
The last chapter of Proverbs is best-known for its section on the “virtuous wife” – that ideal woman of dreams. But she is actually the third of three sections in chapter 31.
Like in chapter 30, we know nothing of Lemuel or his mother, except that he was a king and that God’s people recognized him/them as speaking God’s truth here and kept this together with the rest of God’s Word.
Lemuel’s mother taught him three things that he would find necessary when he became king (and we find necessary in our lives, too):
1 – Keep your mind strong (31:3-7)
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink, lest they drink and forget what is decreed,and remove from all the poor their legal rights. (31:3-4)
Whether they will admit it or not, everyone knows that alcohol is a mind-altering drug. No doubt it affects people in different ways – some more, some less. But those who say, “It doesn’t affect me” don’t realize the power that it has. Just ask the guy who’s 24 years sober, yet still going to AA meetings religiously.
Lemuel’s mother’s advice is right on – drink affects your mind, so don’t drink when you’re going to be needing your mind. In a king’s case (or president, governor, etc.), that could be at any time, so he shouldn’t drink at all.
Who should drink according to Lemuel’s mom? “The one who is perishing…those who are bitterly distressed” specifically for the purpose of forgetting their current troubles.
But before you go get drunk to forget your troubles, ask the guy in AA why he stopped 24 years ago.
2 – Stick up for the little guy (31:8-9)
Mother Teresa
Open your mouth on behalf of those unable to speak, for the legal rights of all the dying. Open your mouth, judge in righteousness, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
This is a recurring theme in God’s Word. In the Old Testament Law, he set up very specific guidelines for taking care of “the poor and needy” (Leviticus 19:9-10) and the prophets took up the cause as well (Isaiah 1:17). The apostles practiced it in the early days of the church (Acts 4:34-35), and Paul commanded that it continue to be done through the church (1 Timothy 5:3-16). James even went so far to say that is the true meaning and purpose of religion as far as God is concerned (James 1:27).
What are you doing to stick up for the little guy? Need some ideas? Check out Hope Ministries and see how you can volunteer.
3 – Marry wisely (31:10-31)
Here’s the section we all know and love. Let’s spend some time together on it in my next post.
