JUDGES 2:10-3:31
A GENERATION WHICH HAD NEVER SEEN A MOVE OF GOD (2:10): The original language actually says that they did "THE evil". They forsook the Lord and the Lord forsook them (2:23).
CHRONIC CYCLE THAT PLAGUES THE CHURCH:
(1) Departure from dependence on God.
(3) Cry out to God for revival (connection).
(4) A Deliverer raised up.
(5) Repent and return to the Lord.
Or: Sin --> Suffering --> Supplication --> Salvation.
Now, understand something here: These people had done "THE evil" , forsaken and abandoned the Lord, (lived unsaved), AND were serving the same stuff as the world (money, prestige, adultery, etc.). God's anger was "HOT", it says. It says that God "sold them into the hands of their enemies". God was "against them for evil". Then.....
NEVERTHELESS: God raised up deliverers (saviors, judges, redeemers, freedom fighters) which delivered them. But even then......once they got free, they went right back at it! Here's another cycle that's happening in the church:
(1) From bondage to faith.
(2) From faith to great courage.
(3) From courage to liberty.
(4) From liberty to abundance.
(5) From abundance to selfishness.
(6 From selfishness to complacency.
(7) From complacency to apathy.
(8) From apathy to dependency on worldly props (independence from God).
(9) From dependency to bondage.
Each cycle gradually circled lower and lower in deterioration, until even their repentance became superficial. And so, God left nations in place that would punish and prove us. And those enemies "sifted them like wheat" (Luke 22:31). Not surprisingly, the first judge to raise up to deliver them was Caleb's nephew: OTHNIEL.
OTHNIEL: Although he was overshadowed by his uncle Caleb, God had his own anointing for him. Israel had served the King of Mesopotamia for 8 years. Mesopotamia is the precursor to Babylon. The king's name was "Chushan-rishatham" which means "Blackness of double-wickedness." He is a symbol of the ANTICHRISTIAN SPIRIT. Othniel managed to enforce peace and freedom for 40 whole years - a whole generation!
SHAMGAR: Killed 600 Philistines with an OXGOAD. (The oxgoad is a Hebrew symbol of "teachers and teaching or instruction.") The Philistines and the number 6 represent the FLESH - the literal meaning of Philistine is "to roll in the dust" - man is made of dust, the devil lives on dust (Gen 3:14)!
RESPONSE: It is interesting that when Jesus told Peter that Satan wanted to sift him like wheat, that Jesus didn't say He would stop the devil from doing it! In fact, He pretty much said it would be allowed, in order to "convert" (to turn oneself about, turn back absolutely) Peter. I think that is step (3) - crying out to God to be connected again. In being sifted, the chaff is removed - which is a picture of the flesh being killed and burned up. The word "prove" in Jud 2:22 means "to put to the test" or "to assay". When our repentance is superficial, there is no re-connection with God. Our connection is what helps us to change. Otherwise we will repeat the sin and cycle again. Haven't you ever wondered why you repent-fall-repent-fall-repent-fall with the same sin over and over? To be complete, repentance has to include "conversion" - or a return to reconnect with God.
LUKE 22:14-34
WHY CALL IT "THE LAST SUPPER"? Jesus said He will come in and "sup with us" (Rev 3:20) anytime we ask Him! What Jesus DID say that that the next time we eat with Him, it will be after the prophetic aspects of the Passover meal "have been fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
THE LEAST (BETRAYER) AND THE GREATEST: Talk about extremes! Which one would betray Him? And which one would be the greatest? Jesus proclaimed the greatest in HIS estimation to be the one that "serves". AND, we are all DECREED BY JESUS to eat at His table in His kingdom and sit on thrones.
RESPONSE: How do we cooperate with the Spirit of God when we are being sifted? By repenting. Peter was presumptuous. He assumed that his desire was enough to keep him faithful, and it isn't. Only God can carry us through tough times. As long as there is any self-preservation in us, we run the risk of betraying the Lord. That is what God is after. In Job 2:4 the devil stated to God: "Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life." The devil thinks we will do what we have to save ourselves - to prevent anything unpleasant, inconvenient, disgusting, difficult, pressuring to our flesh - that we will "escape" any affliction, pressure or trouble that we can. That we will try to "remove" or go around all mountains in our way. (The mountain, by the way, is PRIDE AND SELF-PRESERVATION). Instead, we pray "not my will, but Thine, Lord". Obey God and the flesh will die. The husk will be burned. And the seed that remains will produce the life of God.
PSALM 92:1-93:5
REST FOLLOWS DELIVERANCE: And Psalm 92 follows Psalm 91. Heb 3-4 tells us that the rest of God comes from the obedience of faith. And being "in faith" comes from instructing our hearts with the Truth. That is what this Psalm is about.....what we tell our hearts. That it is good, and right, and safe to give thanks and praise to the Lord for His goodness and His greatness. "A senseless man or a fool does not understand this. The only reason they are allowed to "spring up" is so that they can be discovered and destroyed."
WHO IS IN CHARGE? Whatever God says can be absolutely relied upon in spite of appearances to the contrary. His testimonies and His house will endure forever. He maintains His rule effectively over against every power that would come against Him. His rule is eternal and will be acknowledged in the end. Tell your heart this until you are "in faith" and resting.
PROVERBS 14:1-2
Living and walking right and BEING righteous are inseparable, and so are perversity and godlessness. Each man's relationship with God is judged by the fruit of his life.
RESPONSE: Did you get the part of bringing forth fruit "in old age"? Yeah! That is, if we are "planted" in the house of the Lord. Some people just "hang out" - they are without roots, and so they eventually wither and die.
No comments:
Post a Comment