Aug 30, 2017
This is episode one in a new series on the Old Testament book of Judges. Over the next 20 weeks, we’ll be unpacking this remarkable book one chapter at a time and looking at any and all lessons to be learned from this historical account of the nation of Israel, the children of God. The book of Judges provides us with a unique glimpse into the lives of God’s people during a time when they were supposed to be experiencing God’s blessings, but instead, they were struggling with unfaithfulness and disobedience to the one who had delivered them from captivity in Egypt and given them the land of Canaan as their possession. During their years of wandering in the wilderness, they had been led by Moses, but when it came time to enter the land, they were under the leadership of Joshua. He got them into the land, but they had failed to obey God fully and remove the inhabitants of the land. This would lead to all kinds of problems, including idolatry and a rejection of God as their King. The book of Judges is a no-holds-barred, warts-and-all portrayal of God’s people, revealing their inconsistency as His followers and their ungratefulness for all He had done for them. I think you’ll find their story more than ancient history. At times, it will provide a much-needed and somewhat uncomfortable reminder of our own struggle as the children of God. We too can find ourselves wrestling with our status as citizens of God’s kingdom, and longing to fit into a world in which we don’t really belong. To get the most out of each episode, be sure and read the accompanying chapter.