"It is always something of a shock to enter the pages of the book of Judges and find ourselves immersed in nearly unrelieved mayhem." Eugene Peterson, Introduction to JudgesI think I'm still reeling from yesterday's story of Abimelech killing SEVENTY of his half-brothers and the leaders of Shechem going along with it. I mean, isn't Shechem the place where the Israelites just made their covenant with God???
The people answered Joshua, "We will worship God. What he says, we'll do." (Joshua 24:24)Um hmm. Sure you will. Clearly, we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto.
The sin, dysfunction, and outright foolishness of the men and families in these chapters makes me feel like I'm watching Jerry Springer:
What am I to make of all of this???
- [Jephthah] was the son of a whore, but Gilead was his father...when they grew up [Gilead's] wife's sons threw Jephthah out. (11:1-2)
- Jephthah made a vow before God...His daughter ran from the house to welcome him home...I made a vow to God and I can't take it back!...He fulfilled the vow with her that he had made. (11:29-39)
- "Why did you go out to fight the Ammonites without letting us go with you? We're going to burn down your house"...I did call to you for help but you ignored me...Are you spoiling for a fight with me? So Jephthah got his Gilead troops together and fought Ephraim. (12:2-4)
- [Ibzan] gave his daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty daughters-in-law from the outside for his sons. (12:8-9)
- Apparently, the only things worthy of mentioning for judges Jair and Abdon were the numbers of sons and donkeys they had. (10:3-5, 12:13-15)
"God, it turns out, does not require good people in order to do good work. He can and does work with us in whatever moral and spiritual condition he finds us. God, we are learning, does some of his best work using the most unlikely people. If God found a way to significantly include these leaders ("judges") in what we know is on its way to becoming a glorious conclusion, he can certainly use us along with our sometimes impossible friends and neighbors." Eugene Peterson, Introduction to JudgesWhew! More vivid reminders from Scripture that God uses very messed up people - like me - in ways I can't even fathom to accomplish His purposes in this fallen world. Praise God.
"You wonder how you can read Judges as a love letter and delight in the reading? Do as I do. Keep your attention focused on My Son. Because of Him, you now can love Me rather than demanding to use Me; you can trust My love even when life is unspeakably hard. That's what My Son made possible when the soldiers were pounding spikes into His hands and feet." 66 LLKeep reading, my friends! The larger story is taking shape.
"You must feel My wrath before you will appreciate the extent of My love...But remember this: wrath is not my bottom line. The center of My heart is love. Always has been. Always will be." 66 LLAnd remember what Larry Crabb said in the prologue to 66 Love Letters:
"The Bible is a love story that begins with a divorce. Everything from the third chapter of Genesis through the end of Revelation is the story of a betrayed lover wooing us back into His arms so we can enjoy the love of family forever."God is wooing us back into His arms, even through the book of Judges...amazing, huh?
4 comments:
Okay, so right after I'm all annoyed with Israel for turning their backs on God - again! - and worshipping other gods, I find myself really sad at Jephthah's daughter's role. Here is a man who is tossed out by brothers (kind of like Joseph) and then sought out by them (like Joseph) to save their livelihood. He honors God, makes a vow to Him, and God uses him to have multiple victories over and over again. And then Jephthah's daughter runs out of his house to celebrate his victory and homecoming. It was like a slow motion, "Noooooooooooo...!!!!" for me. I was hoping for an Isaac save here. And Jephthah, keeping his vow to God, gave up the most precious thing to him.
*sigh*
I liked Larry Crabb's LL's description of the Bible tracking a divorce in Genesis. And here we are seeing the affects of such falleness and seeing the events that are part of something much bigger.
When, O Israel, will you keep the faith and constantly walk in step with God, your God?? I could just as easily throw my name in there: When, O Stacey.....?
On a lighter, side note: Jelly Telly's Bentley Brothers had a great - and funny - song about the book of Judges.
I've been thinking of that Bentley Brothers song too as I've been reading through Judges! Hilarious stuff.
If you want a good laugh today, check out the song here - http://www.jellytelly.com/video/judges-2/
Just watched the jelly telly video -- makes me miss having little ones around! Very cute!
It feels like a subtle shift in my thinking is happening as I read through the Bible and more closely examine the "heroes of the faith" who were oh so less than ideal. I'm definitely getting the idea that it isn't about whether someone does all the right things (none has), but whether they are wanting more of God. Thanks for that insight today, Cici. God doesn't need perfect or even good people to do good in His world. I am certainly one of those unlikely ones.
Stacey, I identify with your thoughts on Jephthah's daugther. I wonder why he even made that vow to God -- God didn't ask him for it and what was he expecting to come out of his house first? The family pet? Makes me wonder if I make grand gestures to God in order to win His favor when all He wants is me.
Thanks for your post today, Cici! Reading along with the 66LL helps me to really focus on the larger love story. Every reading on its own each day has its impact, but altogether, it is SO much more powerful. Thankful for so many resources we have to help us understand our God and His word. So many versions of the Bible, so many books, devotionals, movies, songs to stir our heart for the Word. Being overseas right now sharing God's love is incredibly different without the advantage of all these things that help me turn to God and understand Him. I never even thought even language and just having one version of the Bible here comes into play when teaching. But then again, I am more thankful in these ways now. And I am thankful our God is bigger. And can use anything and everything to save His people, and HE will! What a privilege I feel like I have today, to be called to serve Him :) Oh, how He uses the most unlikely people- what a privilege.
My heart is really stirred today...
I have a psalm journal I just started this month, a small journal to pour out my emotions and cries and then remind myself of His Truth! Today my cry out in my psalm is for our Father to hold me near. I wanted to scream "NO!!!!!" too Stacey for Jephthah's daughter! I wanted to cry after I read you did too. Then I thought, like Staci, does God want me to offer grand things? Or just me? Who He thinks is grand!! In the way that He wants to hold me near, I want to be near, and just go to Him, not to use Him, but to unconditionally love Him too- no matter what is going on, good or bad. I never thought about this idea really of unconditionally loving Him back. I pray for this love to grow and grow!
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