One Year Bible

JUDGES 1:1-2:9                                                                                                

"THE EVIL": This is the book of DEFEAT. They wandered in the Wilderness, and now Judges shows them wandering in the Land because of willful ignorance and compromise. Everyone did what he thought was right.  Departing from God, and an accommodating attitude toward sin ALWAYS leads to bondage, oppression and servitude. WHY DID THEY DO IT? Because of "the evil",  God's reference to "idolatry". Idolatry is man-centered religion - departing from God-centeredness. Whenever we act independently from God, we immediately identify with the heathen world around us.

JUDGES: These are "heroes of faith" (Heb 11) in a land where their generation had grown weary, lax and compromising because of their failure to overcome all their enemies.  There are 12 judges and one outlaw. These judges were raised up as deliverers and continued to rule after the wars ended. They were military rulers, called directly by the Lord and empowered by God.

COMPROMISE:   just a fancy word for "unfaithfulness" or "spiritual adultery".  It is the result of incomplete victory against our enemies. This period of Israel's history is known as its "Dark Ages".   It covers 400 years from the death of Joshua to the death of Samson.  111 years of that time was spent serving their enemies. The tribes continued to act separately even in war. Because of their distance from God, they had grown to despise their inheritance.  The 2-1/2 tribes east of the Jordan are already out of the picture.

PERSONAL LESSONS:

(1) Man is prone to wander.

(2) Departure (independence) from God leads to bondage.

(3) Worldliness is compromise.

(4) In order to have peace, God's order must be established.

CHAPTERS 1-2: COMPLACENCY TO COMPROMISE (UNFAITHFULNESS): Two (Judah & Simeon) put 10,000 to flight (1:4). Canaanites traditionally mutilated their captives - and now they reaped what they had sown (1:7). Principle: When God gives you something, you must drive out the enemies that would deny us, in order to occupy and walk in it. Nothing is gained in the Kingdom through might or power, but only by the Spirit (Zech 4:6).   The love of money and sex were the traps that kept them from driving out the Canaanites.

"ANGEL OF THE LORD": Jesus, the "Captain of the Lord's Army" rebuked Israel. They were told to make NO DEALS with the enemy and to throw down their altars. "but ye have not obeyed my voice; why have ye done this?" Now the Canaanites left standing and the altars left standing will become thorns and snares (traps).

RESPONSE:   It seems that the devil's traps never change.  Even people in the church fall because they have never dealt with the enemies: "love of money" and "sex".  These must be dealt with.  The best way to deal with the love of money is to tithe.  It reminds us every day that God is our Source, God owns it all, and money is not what makes us content and safe.  Our safety lies in obedience to God.  It is UN-safe to NOT tithe.  It is like declaring independence from God.  In a real marriage, you share the checkbook.  I like sharing God's checkbook! 

LUKE 21:29-22:13                                                                                              

WHEN YOU SEE THE LEAVES SPROUTING: It should remind you of the certainty of judgment. "Watch and pray" because the "cares of this life" can distract you from the main thing: which is remaining "in faith", or connected with God (abiding).  Even though Jesus is referring to the soon judgment and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, the principle is still the same:  Don't allow your heart to get "weighed down with fleshly pursuits" because they will draw you away from your assignment to occupy until He comes. Jesus is expecting a return on His investment in us. No matter what the circumstances may bring, He will warn you if you need to change course.

TWO MEN: One had a devil and other had a waterpot on his head. Both were unusual.

RESPONSE:   I think that from now on, whenever I see new leaves sprouting on the trees, I will remember to "watch and pray" because judgment is a certainty.

PSALMS 90:1-91:16                                                                                           

NUMBERS PSALMS: Psalm 90-106 are called the "Numbers" section of Psalms, and deal mainly with our walk on earth. Thus #90 opens with "A Prayer of Moses - the Man of the Wilderness". God's counsels and purposes regarding the earth and the nations are written, as well as the fact that sin made the paradise of God a wilderness. Man has no hope of recovery from the Fall apart from God. All these Psalms are anonymous except for 90 & 91 which are by Moses, and 101 and 103 which are David's.

PSALM 90 & 91: Both written by Moses, #90 to the generation sentenced to death in the wilderness, and #91 to the new generation "under the shadow of the Almighty" - who needed to be comforted as they watched thousands died every day and their carcasses litter the wilderness. They were protected and delivered as 603,550 men of war were judged and died of "the terror by night, the arrow that flieth by day, the pestilence in darkness, the destruction (contagion) at noonday, the lion and adder." 

They saw with their own eyes "the reward of the wicked", while nothing killed them. While they lived to a ripe old age, the old generation lived, at most, 70 years.

PSALM 90: Written at the beginning of the 38 years of wandering.  In the light of eternity, man is frail and short-lived because with God 1000 years are as a day.  The 70-year life-span is the result of sin.   But Moses intercedes for God to remove the curse.

PSALM 91: THE SECRET PLACE OF THE MOST HIGH: This is our "abiding place" and it is in the "shadow of the Almighty". This is a place attained through obedience of faith. It is the Holy of Holies, God's throneroom, in connection with God through Jesus Christ. It is attained through habitually going to God about everything and then doing what He says. It is a place of safety, rest, assurance, victory, peace, righteousness, and exceeding joy. V.9-16 show the intimacy of this place.

RESPONSE:   When Jesus is your first love, you are content in all things and we overcome hurts and offenses. If your life is anything but satisfying, He is not your first love. This is one way to test where you are in your day. It is what I do - when I am in UN-rest, UN-peace, UN-happiness - I know there is something wrong! I stop everything and go to God. Remember, go to God about everything and re-connect as you talk to Him. Repent of being independent, and lay back on Him again. When you are done repenting, your peace will return, along with everything else.

PROVERBS 13:24-25                                                                                           

Discipline should be dealt out as soon as possible after the "offense". I think some people don't discipline because they are ignorant of Biblical standards. But there are some who don't want to be bothered with it - it requires discipline on the parent's part and consistency, whether you feel like it or not. However, discipline without love breeds rebellion. The wicked are never satisfied. That abysmal hunger can ONLY be filled by God.