Thursday, April 12, 2012

Bible Reading Challenge Week 15 Day 4

Our reading challenge for the day is Judges 6-9. I’ll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?

Judges 6 - Gideon is certainly an unlikely deliverer. We first see him hiding in a wine press threshing some grain in secret. He is afraid of his family, of his community, and of the enemies of the community. He doesn’t trust God’s word but asks for proofs of God’s mercy. To put it in modern parlance in the United States, he doesn’t look electable. But God chooses him. For all of us unlikely deliverers, we can look to our Lord in confidence, knowing he has chosen people like us before.

Judges 7-8 God uses a very small army to rescue his people from bondage. Yet that victory seems to lead to arrogance. By the end of Gideon’s life, the nation is falling into idolatry again. How quickly we forget the claims of our Lord. This is why the work of the ministry is never done. We all need to hear the Gospel again and again.

Judges 9 - See how the curse comes upon the descendants of Gideon. They strive against one another and it results in ruin. Better to be humble and unambitious. Maybe that way we can have a chance to do someone some good.

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