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    April 1st Chronological Bible Readings

    Judges 3:31-6:40
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    Wow, the past 3 months seem to have flown by…  It’s now April 1 and we are officially 25%, or one quarter, of the way through the Bible!  Congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back!  High-five God!  Your marathon pace is going great!


    Okay, women rule in today’s readings in Judges!! 🙂  Deborah basically tells Barak that he’s being a wimp, so she’ll help lead the military victory, and does.  Below is a map someone put together of the whole Deborah / Barak v. Sisera battle, with Mt. Tabor in the middle highlighted being a focal point of the battle:



    And then Jael, who is likely not an Israelite, finishes off Sisera, the commander of the enemy army of the Israelites, with a tent peg!  Don’t mess with Deborah or Jael!  Below is a painting by Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi (yes, also a woman) from the year 1620 titled “Jael and Sisera”:



    Before this fateful scene above, an image is below for Judges chapter 4 verses 17 & 18: “Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.”


    Judges_4_18_jael_went_out_to_meet_sisera

    In Judges chapter 5 we read the wonderful song of Deborah and Barak, and it is of note in verse 31: “Then there was peace in the land for forty years.”  Quite a song!  Below is artist Gustave Dore’s engraving of Deborah’s song:


    Judges_5_1_the_song_of_deborah_and_barak

    Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org’s commentary on Joshua chapters 4 & 5 today titled “The Prophetess Deborah” is at this link.


    Today in Judges chapter 6 verses 1 we read – “Again the Israelites did what was evil in the LORD’s sight.”  It is so interesting to see the back-and-forth relationship of the Israelites with God in the Old Testament.  The Israelites did evil.  They cried out to God.  God saved them.  Then… The Israelites did evil again…  And I wonder – are we so different from the Israelites today?   Should we be?  Could we be?  How?  I do believe that through a growing and loving relationship with Jesus, we can be spared of this back-and-forth relationship with God.  I believe this is the only Way.  Let us not have to spend our lives running back and forth to “caves” as we will see below…  Let us only run into the arms of the Jesus!



    An image is below for verses 1 & 2: “So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites fled to the mountains, where they made hiding places for themselves in caves and dens.”


    Judges_6_2_the_children_of_israel_made_t

    Today read about Gideon and the fleece. We also read about how the angel of the Lord comes to Gideon and tells Gideon he will save Israel out of Midian’s hands, because he is being sent by God. In verse 15 Gideon replies, “But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” You’ll notice how this reply of Gideon’s is reminiscent of Moses’ reaction to God’s call to serve in Exodus chapters 3 & 4 – “Why me? How can I?” etc. etc. And I think it is very useful for each of us to note that God often calls the seemingly lowly – like Moses and Gideon – rather than the seemingly mighty to act for him. This should be encouraging to us! I wonder if you and I are sometimes like Gideon and Moses? I wonder if perhaps we are being called to do something incredible for God in our lives, and we are making excuses like Gideon and Moses made excuses? Should we instead act in obedience to God’s call and trust that he will lead us? If God has called us to something, shouldn’t we have enough faith to believe he will give us the strength and wisdom needed for the journey? What is God calling you to do in your life that you are not doing? Are you making excuses like Gideon and Moses did? Will you instead move forward in faith and obedience to God in this holy calling in your life?


    Judges_6_2_and_there_came_an_angel_of_th

    Worship God: Today’s readings in Judges reminded me of Third Day’s song “You Are Mine:”



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plwpdgae6UI

    Have you God’s? Click here and be His!


    Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.’” Judges 6:39 NIV


    Prayer Point: Pray that you will not put the Lord your God to the test.


    Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

    God bless,
    Mike

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    One response to “April 1st Chronological Bible Readings”

    1. Ramona Avatar
      Ramona

      Judges 4:1-5:31
      One of the great things about reading through the Bible yearly is finding things you’ve read before but didn’t really read. The Song of Deborah (5) has revealed some surprising nuggets of information and wealth this go round. Glimpses of Israel rebellious nature are uncovered and give hints to what is going on in the heart of the nation as well as each region,
      2 “When Israel’s leaders take charge,
      and the people gladly follow– bless the LORD!
      Two things must happen to get a family, group, community, nation out of spiritual dullness, leaders who are willing to lead and people who are willing to follow the leaders willing to lead. I read diligently this book we call the Bible because I am afraid of being taken down the garden path to destruction. My distrust comes from early years of spiritual abuse and misuse so when I turned to the Lord I decided to get into this book for myself. I never take anyone’s word at what this book says. I go to the source for myself. On my part I believe that Israel’s constant falling into the hands of her enemies came because they failed to keep the Book of the Law ever before them and or they chose not to believe the Word of God.
      If we don’t know the Word for ourselves, how will we know which leaders are from God? How will we know that the person is speaking and seeking the will of God if we don’t know God’s Word?
      In Deborah’s Song we read that there were more tribes who failed to follow them, Deborah and Barak into battle then there were tribes that fought. But nevertheless it was not the numbers that defeated the Canaanites it was God, because when we are willing, even if only a few, God shows up and fights for us. That is a lesson for us today, it is not the numbers that give us the victory, it is the few faithful and the submitted who bring God into the Battle.
      2 Chronicles 7:14: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
      Judges 6:1-40
      This generation is blessed in so many ways. We are blessed because we have a record of those that have gone before us as what to do and not do. We can read and experience vicariously what other saints of God have experienced, be they failures or triumphs. So, with Gideon we get to look at a man swimming in a sea of doubts, angst, and uncertainty. God does not wipe him out but continues to work with Him and to answer his wavering questions of faith.
      What I see in the big picture is this; our rebellion against the voice of God causes us to not recognize His voice in the midst of our despair. We question God, “Is it You?” We fail to trust, because we are surrounded by untrustworthy people. We first see Gideon, threshing wheat in the bottom of a winepress, an arduous job. Fear of the Midianites, and all the other enemies, had Gideon doing a job that should have been done out in the open so the wind could catch the grains of wheat as it’s thrown in the air, separating the chaff from the wheat, in a confined space with no wind. Hard work was made even harder because of a nation’s sin.
      As I tried to visualize this scene and all the extra work it took, I was reminded of the words of Jesus,
      Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJVR)
      When we go our own way, we take on the tremendous burden sin directly and indirectly brings upon us. When Godeon is called, God gives him a new perspective of who and what He is, “A Mighty hero …” When he is called God sends Him out in his own strength because “The Lord” will be with him and that is all Gideon needs. O, that I would learn this lesson. There is nothing in my own strength that can get any godly assignment done, it is only because “God is with me,’ that the purposes of God will be accomplished upon the earth.
      Grace and peace,
      Ramona

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