Monday, August 24, 2015

Judges 1 - Friends and Enemies

As we open the book of Judges the stage is being set. Joshua has passed and now the nations are left without clear leadership. What will they do?  In verse 1 we are encouraged to learn that the Israelites sought God and received His  council.   But not all tribes of Israel executed that council. 

Friends
Judah receives orders to drive the Canaanites out of the land and occupy it for themselves. They turn to their friends and brother nation Simeon and together the conquer the land. 

Caleb offers his daughter Acsah, to them valiant enough to capture the City of Debir. He later received his daughters request for expanded territory to include springs of water to nourish the land and animals. 

The men of Judah saw great victory operating on Gods commands. Oh that it would be true of us as well. 

Enemies
Midway through this first chapter (Judges 1:22) we learn that the story is not as rosey as we initially thought. There were tribes if Israel that chose not to drive the enemy out of the land and chose to let them remain. As a result they had ongoing conflict with the former peoples. God had clearly instructed the Israelites to completely remove the former inhabitants, but we are about to see that the results of half-hearted obedience.   The enemy continued to live in the land stirring strife and influencing generations away from faithful obedience. 

Application
When I consider my own testimony, I can see that when I seek the Lord and ask for His direction, I have greater victory and ultimately sleep better at night with less conflict. I enjoy the fellowship of fellow Christians who encourage me and pray for me and keep me in the way I have commited to God. 

But when I determine my own boundaries and follow God with less  than my full effort, I find that the easier way I may have chosen is full of strife and conflict. I have unbelievers embedded into life in such a way as to sway me from whole-hearted yielding to the Spirit residing in me. I am tempted to go the way of the world rather than influencing the world for Christ. 

We have these two examples of obedience before us in this chapter. We must choose to serve God fully or go our own way. Each have difficulties and consequences, but only one gives us victory. Which will you choose today?

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

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