May 15, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Judges and Titus? Here’s today’s reading:
Judges 3 (NIV)
1 These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath.……Continue Reading
I read that the term judge, used here, is from the Hebrew word shaphat which is not what we think traditionally think as a person in a courtroom situation, but is actually more the idea of a heroic leader. The Hebrew word Shophetim is derived from a word meaning to put right, and so to rule, and this is obvious as we start to learn about these “judges”. The people get to a desperate point as a result of their own disobedient mess and cry out to God. God hears them and provides a hero to step in and save them. Judges certainly is a sad book when we consider man’s role but it is also a great testament to God’s love, mercy, and abundant grace that He keeps providing despite man’s disobedience and sins.
How interesting that God let’s enemies remain among the Israelites to test them and see if they will obey. I think we should expect God to do the same to/for us. To be proven, faith has to be challenged, right? How can we say we believe if we are not obedient to what we believe? So be glad when things and people come against you, because it is your chance to show God and you where you stand, and God may very well have provided it for you to do just that. And the Israelite follow the pattern that we find in Judges. But I find it interesting that the time of relief under the judges here is longer than the time under discipline for their defiance of God. It is surprising that they don’t get it and break out of the pattern and stick with being faithful to God…
Enemies left to test the Israel nation will they hold on to their faith or fall to their gods. Choice daily for us. Always loved reading this chapter as Ehuds was left handed. Considered to be a gift and strength back then. They search him before he entered the kings palace on the right side only. Going to catholic school for first 8 years always felt inferior being left handed. Certain things were not allowed being left handed. Could not be an alter boy. Remember priest coming into class room asking if any boys were interested I would always stand. And then told to sit down. Never knew why. The priest at our school in north Attleboro was James porter who sexually abused many children at our school in the 60’s. God was watching over me. Here I was thinking once again I was inferior. Quite the opposite. A Child of the living God!!!!!!!!!
Judges 3
Judges 3
Judges 3
Judges 3
Titus 1-2; Joshua 23-24; Judges 1-3
Judges 3
I have been doing research on the book of Judges and I just lost what I typed out.
Judged 3
So important to go to the lord with our sins and repent. Sins known and unknown. Time and time again forgiveness was given to Israelites. Even when they knew 30 years peace and another 80 yrs of peace. Same with us. We do not need any detours to knock us out of God’s word and grace and his promises!
I am going to write down some information with out details this time. Author is believed to be Samuel. Written between 1040 and 1020. Many scholars believe that it was written in the early days of Saul`s monarchy and before the conquest of Jerusalem. Saul became king in 1051BC. Time of Judges after Joshua `s death until Saul was made king. If you add up the time of the Judges you would come to 410 years. But some of the times we don`t know. Most scholars think that the judges overlapped their time when they were oppressed and then had victory for they were in different areas. They think that it was around 300 years or so. My source is [The Bible Knowledge Commentary]. God bless.
Israel integrates with the people who live in the land, they worship other gods and do evil in the sight of the Lord. God allows them to be conquered, and they are subject to abuse and mistreatment. But when they cry out to the Lord, he raises up for them a deliverer. And the cycle repeats itself over and over…
Judges is an interesting time. The Israelites as individuals were responsible for their own obedience. Their “leader” was to be the Lord Himself, but the people strayed from Him. I can’t help but draw a parallel to now. Each is responsible for their own walk of faith and God gave us the church to help. Some churches lead well, others are leading the people astray. The judges were given the Holy Spirit to deliver the people. We are given the Holy Spirit as a deposit and a guide.