Judges 21: Depravity Can Be Explained

Thankfully, this is the end of the record of this low point in Israel’s history. Thankfully, God has given us a second explanation for this depravity. It is the same as the first one:

“Every man did that which was right in his own eyes”

(17:6; 21:25)

Every conclusion we draw about these five chapters should be on the basis of that comment. God did not make us in such a way that we can make it through life without divine guidance (Proverbs 14:12; Jeremiah 10:23). Pray that you learn about depravity through God’s words rather than by your own choices.

Judges 20: Depravity Is Disgusting

If I think of something as being disgusting, it is because I have compared it to something that is not disgusting. This is a reminder of standards. Many standards for moral living have been rejected by today’s world (which does not mean that they are no longer God’s actual standards). But remember, the chapters at the end of Judges are about the people of God and their total moral confusion. They had become a people who were, among other things, almost USELESS to God! How could that be anything but disgusting? Let us pray that we are never disgusting.

Judges 19: Depravity Destroys

Depravity deprives us of any kind of objective moral compass. Therefore it leads to destruction. Destruction spreads and captures more and more lives, families, communities. It also leads to really bad solutions to problems when the problem solvers are without godly guidance, too. The events of the chapter are referenced in Hosea 9:9-10. Maybe it would be good to read those verses before Judges 19. Do not forget to pray when you are finished reading.

Judges 18: Depravity Deepens

JUDGES 18: Depravity Deepens: I am not going to discuss the details of this portion of this period of the judges. But I am going to encourage you to meditate on the subjects that are part of the narrative. For now, the subject is “Depravity Deepens.” When people choose to do as they please (17:6) and continue to do so, things will get worse and worse. This is because people get worse and worse when they (we) are doing whatever seems right to us. Today, the operative phrase is “just do the right thing”—because this phrase is almost always used in the context of “you choose what you feel is right and do it.” As you read this chapter, think about how well this kind of thinking works. Then pray about these things.

Judges 17: The Beginning of the Worst Story

The last five chapters of Judges has the most reprehensible story in the Bible—in my opinion—other than the evil treatment that Jesus of Nazareth experienced in His lifetime. The list of judges is not mentioned here and the account begins (17:6) and ends (21:25) under the following remark: “People did whatever they felt like doing” (The Message). A sampling of this lifestyle can be seen or heard in nearly every newscast in the world today. Then—it was a part of daily life in the promised land. As you meditate on this, please turn everything off around you and do it alone. Pray after reading each chapter. You will need to.

Judges 16: The Ruin and Rise of Samson

Another woman, Delilah, enters the life of God’s judge and leads him to ruin in this final chapter. But the grace of God kept the broken blind man alive long enough for him to repent and appeal to God for one more opportunity to send a message to the heathen masses (even of today). Samson is another of the judges who is listed among the people of faith (and hope—and obedience) of Hebrews 11. Let us honor his memory by standing for the name of the Lord in this generation (which has billions of heathen who need to be told about the fact that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God—Hebrews 10:31).

Judges 15: The Revenge of Samson

Now this judge learns that his wife has been given to another man. This leads to stories of slaughters among the Philistines as Samson gets revenge. From a human standpoint, it is a terrible thing to read. Spiritually, we must remember that this is God’s judgment on the wickedness of the Philistines—an immoral, idolatrous people who refused the knowledge of the Lord. They also continually tempted Israel to be a part of their wicked society. They deserved no less than punishment. God’s name is to be honored by all—to the exclusion of all other names. There is no way to avoid eternal punishment if we refuse (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). Let us learn and teach this.

Judges 14: The Riddle of Samson

The boy is now an adult, with his own mission in life as God’s deliverer for Israel from the ever-persistent Philistines. It was God’s desire for him to associate with them, but not for the purpose of compromising the ways of the Lord. His two-line riddle (v. 14) was turned against him by his Philistine wife. But the Spirit of the Lord turned it into a victory against 30 Philistine men of Ashkelon. The threats that evil men made against his wife could have been exposed by her to Samson so he could help her through it. Rather, she chose to turn against him and side with her people. Marriage is serious business, and the commitment we make to one another is supposed to include believing in one another. To fail in this is to create a separation of spirits which grows into broken hearts.

Judges 13: Angel of God

As much as this reading is about a woman who had no children and the promise of a son, it is more about the grace of the Godhead. The word “angel” refers to a messenger. It is not always a reference to an angelic being. Here, we have the Messenger (Christ) sent from Jehovah (Father), and later the Spirit of Jehovah (v. 25). All three members of the Godhead participated personally in blessing this husband and wife with a son. The same divine Persons desire to bless me and you, too. Let us be humble enough to study the Bible, pray fervently, and live faithfully so that the One True God can make use of us for His glory and the benefit of our fellow human beings.

Judges 12: How Do You Say This?

Pronouncing words correctly can lead to interesting stories. We all have a hard time saying some words the way that people from other parts of the country say them. Usually, there is no terrible result. So, how do you pronounce “S-h-i-b-b-o-l-e-t-h”? Be careful, because it could cost you your life! Those who left out the first “h” betrayed the fact that they were enemies, and 42,000 people were killed! It is easy to say words incorrectly. Often, it is because we read them incorrectly. And reading incorrectly is also dangerous. The point of these meditations is to encourage us to be more careful in how we read and use the word of God. If you are not careful, you can give yourself away.

Judges 11: One Judge

The wickedness of chapter 10 led to the need for another judge: Jephthah. There are some strange events in this story, including his rash vow. This vow put him in the position of forgoing the vow or murdering his daughter. The fact that his name is in the list of the faithful in Hebrews 11 is enough for me to decide that he did not kill her. Rash, stupid, and even sinful vows never give us the right or obligation to carry them out. He did honor his vow (which I take to mean that he honored the spirit of it) by giving her to the Lord to remain a virgin. Whether or not this is the right view—the lesson about rash vows should be easy to learn!

Judges 10: Two Judges

It only takes five verses to tell the story covered by the 45 years of delivery led by Tola and Jair. Immediately after, Israel went back into idolatry and God punished them from the East and the West (Ammon and Philistia). I would prefer to focus on the 45 years rather than the idolatry but God has chosen to emphasize the sad part (verses 6-18). Think about His words to Israel as you read this, and meditate on how you are treating Him in your own life. Are you seeking His righteousness, or are you seeking the things that impress the heathen (Matthew 6:24-34)?

Judges 9: An Early Parable

A parable is a lesson contained in a story. Jotham’s parable (verses 7-15) was told after 70 of his brethren were slaughtered by another brother, Abimelech (who wanted to be a ruler). Jotham explained that his parable meant that Abimelech and those who had made him king would reap as they had sown. As the chapter comes to its conclusion...well, that is for you to find out. Did they reap as they had sown? Did they “get away with it? Or did they repent and live out their lives in faithful service to God? It might pay to write Galatians 6:7-8 next to Jotham’s parable.

Judges 8: When Gideon Died

The 300 killed 12,000 as they won the victory in this reading. The victory led to his being asked to be their ruler. Sadly, he departed from his faithfulness which led to the fall of others. However, he is listed among the faithful in Hebrews 11, so I believe he corrected his wrong-doing. But the objectivity of the Bible then tells us what happened “when Gideon died” (v. 33)—Israel went back to idolatry.

Judges 7: 300 Trumpets

Verse 32 tells us that Gideon’s men blew their 300 trumpets as a part of the plan to defeat the enemy. Why 300? The answer lies in the size of Gideon’s army, which had been reduced to 300 from 32,000 by tests that God ordered. This tiny group of strong hearted, faithful men was more than God needed for any battle. This chapter does not give the outcome, but it does give us reason to meditate on what God can do through us if we hold fast (Romans 8:31-39).

Judges 6: Fleece

The story of Gideon is one of the longest in Judges (chapters 6-8). There are many subjects for meditation. I would like to think about the word “fleece” (vv. 33-40). Here, it refers to a piece of wool. Today, we often use the word to refer to cheating someone out of money or other valuables. Gideon used it for the very opposite—as a sign of the goodwill of God toward him. He knew that God wanted to use him as a deliverer against at least three enemies, so he asked for a sign of confirmation through the fleece. God gave him two signs—not one—and built his faith. God may “use” fleece, but He never “fleeces” anyone!

Judges 5: Let's Sing

The teamwork of the victors from chapter 4 led to a song that they sang of praise and victory for Jehovah. Note how important it is to give detailed praise to Him while He is fighting and winning battles through us for His holy name. More than half of the tribes are also mentioned in this song of a united victory as well as the great honor that was given to Jael, the woman whose courage ended the battle when she killed Sisera. But the meditation we might choose to do is upon the statement that this resulted in forty years of peace.

Judges 4: Teamwork

In a truly interesting and uncommon storyline, a man and a woman become a team to lead Israelites through another dangerous period. Deborah, wife of Lappidoth, and Barak, son of Abinoam, led the people against Canaanites from the north. The main event was when another woman, Jael, killed the Canaanite leader in a tent, ending the threat. The fact that the Lord was so directly involved in such events as this should be a lasting lesson about the truth that idolatry is an abomination to Him.

Judges 3: Three Judges

Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar are three men who delivered people in various parts of the promised land. They needed to be delivered because they were being oppressed by strong forces of evil people. But this was happening because the people of God had strayed so far away from the law of Jehovah that they had begun to worship the false idols of the people they were supposed to eliminate from the land. They had not fought for God so they were unprepared when the tests came to them. When they finally cried out to Jehovah, He sent deliverers because that is what He does!

Judges 2: What Will Live On?

We all leave something behind when we die. We leave all of our physical possessions, and we leave a “legacy”—principles by which we lived, memories, traditions. Joshua left an example of living and teaching that continued through the lives of those who outlived him. But it soon broke down—one generation did not teach the next one to teach the next one—and the promised land became the home of idolatry again (except that the “new” idolaters were their grandchildren and great-grandchildren!). Could there be any worse legacy for us to leave than to not teach this generation to teach the next one to teach the next one?

Judges 1: Brothers

 The tribes of Israel descended from twelve brothers. Each tribe had its own territory in their new land, but they worked together to accomplish this. Verse 3 is a simple reminder of this where Judah appeals to Simeon to help defeat the Canaanites. It is good for brothers to act like brothers and to work together to defeat common enemies. The idol-worshipping people of Canaan were enemies of the Jehovah-worshipping Israelites. Today, we defeat our enemies by working together in brotherly love to convert them to Christ (John 13:34-35).