Take Two: Psalm 73-75, Proverbs 17

First, please excuse me. I said yesterday that we would do these five at a time. As I began reading them this morning (and looking ahead), I was impressed that this may be a bit ambitious…so I am cutting back to three Psalms per day.

Psalm 73 focuses in on one of the great questions of humanity and experience. If there is a God who rewards the righteous, who do the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous seem to suffer? The thrust of this is very clear in vv.13-14, “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure…” It was not until the psalmist entered into the sanctuary of God that he realized that there was more to it than he was seeing in the moment (vv.17-20). He confessed his ignorance and arrogance and declared his allegiance to God (vv.21-28).

NOTE: Everyone I know goes through times of feeling like this. Praise God that He is gracious in revealing Himself and restoring us when we realize that we have Him…and in Him alone we take refuge.

Psalm 74 speaks of the times when trouble seems to be prevalent and God seems to be absent. The writer says that the people are oppressed and there is no apparent concern of God. What do you do when God seems absent in times of trouble? Simply…you run toward Him. You expose your heart to Him. You tell Him how you feel (not necessarily your neighbor or your small group…but maybe them if you are seeking information or encouragement in your weakened state.) Why? Because He hears and cares.

You ask God to deliver you (v.11), and you rest in the security of His nature and His commitment to His covenant which He made with His people (v.23). (Because…it really IS all about Him!)

Psalm 75 affirms the writer’s confidence in the fact that God is not unaware of the circumstances of His people. God is preparing and God stands ready to execute justice in which He will bring down the boastful, arrogant, and proud that oppose Him, while restoring those whom He loves and have been cast down (v.10).

NOTE: To really understand and find comfort in the words of these Psalms, there MUST BE a clear understanding of who God is and a firm trust in His sovereignty, His grace, His power, and His character. It reminds me of the old church song, “Trust and Obey…for their’s no other way. To be happy in Jesus….than to trust and obey.”

Proverbs 17:12 is the takeaway today. “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly.” At first read, this may seem like hyperbole or some other literary device, but it seems clear to me that the writer is making a bold and valid observation. It is better to meet a bear who will ravage you in her most unreasonable time, than to be in the midst of a fool who is acting foolishly.” Flee foolishness and those who engage in it!

Take Two: Judges 21, Proverbs 16

In this final chapter of the book, I would love to say that things start to look up and that everyone repents and God blesses… but as the final verse reminds us…”There was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes (v.25).

The fate of the Benjamite fugitives now concerns the leaders of the other tribes of Israel. They had taken an oath to not give their daughters to any Benjamite. As one commentator noted, by doing what was right in their own eyes, they have sworn to avoid marrying within their own tribes but seemed to have no problem intermarrying with Canaanite women which God forbade.

They immediately began looking for loopholes in their oath. Who didn’t come to swear the oath with us? So they determined that Jabesh-Gilead did not come and sent out a war party to slaughter them to fulfill another oath they had taken (vv.5-6). Not all though…they were going to leave the virgins of marrying age of which there were 400. Having wiped out Jabesh-Gilead, they would now give these virgins to the Benjamites and solve their dilemma…not wanting the entire tribe of Benjamin to be lost.

NOTE: Whenever you make oaths, they should be led of God. Never commit yourself to something in an attempt to provoke or manipulate God into acting. God acts according to His wisdom and by His Grace. The more these people negotiated, the deeper they got.

It is also clear that they are simply interested in fixing the issue in front of them…without great thought to long-term consequences. In fact, all they want to do is fix the problems they see in their own eyes. No where do they ask and wait on God to answer! (v.3). They are willing to wipe out a city to fulfill an oath which conveniently provides for them to give wives to a group of men who are where they are in life…because they gang-raped a woman given to them by a Levite in exchange for his own life. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

Someone sat down and did the math. 400 women for 600 men. They needed more. There were no other options, so they called the guys to find a loophole again. It was determined that there would be a dance in Shiloh of young women (whom their fathers swore not to GIVE to any Benjamite; but, if the Benjamites kidnapped them, then “technically” the oath would not be violated…the Benjjamite rapists would have wives…and the elders would no longer struggle with their own remorse over the lost tribe of Benjamin.

NOTE: I am not opposed to remorse over the plight of the Benjamites. I am not opposed to asking God for mercy. However, that is never the point here. What is the point is that everyone did their own thing. They developed a plan and worked to carry it out. When they encountered obstacles, they looked for a loophole rather than turning to God. PERHAPS what “bugs” me the most, is I see the same approach in my own life’s journey at many points along the way.

Perhaps, we can all learn from this tragic experience. No loopholes. No attempts to manipulate God. Work to know the will of God and then courageously pursue it.

Proverbs 16:25 is the takeaway today. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”

TOMORROW, we return to the Psalms and pick up in Book 3 (Psalm 73). We will read 5 Psalms per day (with a few modifications along the way…like Psalm 119). See you there!

Take Two: Judges 20, Proverbs 15

Chapter 20 is another heartbreaking chapter of sin run wild. The people who received body parts of the concubine came out and assembled at Mizpah (v.1). There the Levite “spun” his tale of how the men of Benjamin at Gibeah sought his life but took and raped and killed his concubine instead (vv.5-7). The Levite presented that his concern was for advice.

The people sought to execute vengeance against Benjamin so they went up against them in two different battles and lost 40,000 warriors in two events. (Keep that number in mind. It is more than 10 times the number lost in America at 9/11). This brought about a certain awareness of trouble on the part of Israel. They went and wept before the Lord (though this should be understood as remorse and not necessarily repentance) at Bethel (vv.26-28). It was there that the Ark was located.

NOTE: Something in their plight of losing 10% of their warriors in two days caused them to seek answers. (To put that in perspective…if the US Military is numbered at 2 million in Active and Reserve, then a corresponding number would be 200,000. So, if you read this in the context of our modern day…imagine that 200,000 soldiers were lost in battle in two days. How might we respond? How did our nation respond with 3,000 died on 9/11?)

When seeking the Lord, He revealed that the next battle would end in victory for Israel. So they went up against Benjamin again and this time destroyed 25,000 soldiers of this tribe as well as the city of Gibeah and its inhabitants. Only 600 warriors of the tribe escaped to the desert (v.47).

NOTE: In all of this no one saw their own sin or the consequences of their own sin. They could clearly see other’s sin, but not their own. The Levite acted as if he had done nothing wrong when it was he who gave the woman over to the mob. The mob acted as if they had a “right” to pursue their own passions…none of which seemed evil to them. The people of Israel saw no problem until a body part showed up in the mail and then they wanted to seek vengeance against another tribe for their sin. The Benjamites saw this as only an aggressive act against themselves and refused to give up the violators who had raped and killed the concubine (vv.12-13).

God is dealing with my heart about this very subject. I had a few conversations recently with folks who could clearly see what was wrong with other people’s actions, but were oblivious to their own sin (which was evident to me). So, I am asking myself today, “What sins in my life are evident to others…that I am oblivious of?” As I seek those answers, here is what I know…I do not want any sin in my life and I want God to identify them and cleanse me of them.

How about you? Do you desire and pursue holiness as well?

Proverbs 15:5 is the takeaway today. “A fool rejects his father’s wisdom, but he who regards reproof is sensible.”

Take Two: Judges 19, Proverbs 14

Chapter 19 accentuates the further decline of the moral compass of the Israelites. The Levite’s concubine abandoned her husband and returned to Bethlehem, to her father’s house, after being caught in adultery (vv.1-2). The Levite set out to get her and bring her back to himself. He remained at her father’s house for many days eating and drinking, but after the fifth day, the Levite decided to leave and go home.

NOTE: The focus of the father was on his continual fellowship. He spoke of eating and drinking and “let your heart be merry.” It is never stated that any other focus is ever discussed. The only focus the writer leaves for us to understand is a personal passion to please oneself and meet all of our personal needs, without respect to any moral standard.

The Levite, his servant, concubine and two donkeys traveled as far as Gibeah and, though it was far past night, no one exercised hospitality toward him. (NOTE: This is a huge cultural issue. In that day, it was expected that you would host any stranger who passed through for the night. Think “Little House on the Prairie” on steroids!) So the Levite simply remained in the square until a man invited him in.

The men of the city came that night to abuse the stranger, the Levite and commit homosexual acts with him.

(NOTE: We have personal gratification, a lack of hospitality, and outward and bold homosexuality so far…but the receptivity and acceptance of sin continues to mount).

The host tells the men of the city that this is so far from acceptable that the men should be ashamed to ask. He offers though, his young daughter and the Levite’s concubine as an alternative (vv.23-24). The Levite actually seized his concubine and handed her over to the men who raped her throughout the night while the man sat and ate, dark, and made merry until morning. When he arose to leave the next day, the concubine was at the doorstep unconscious (v.28). (She may have been dead at this point, but we are not told.)

NOTE: This is another sign of the degradation of the culture. The Levite sent her out because to him, she was damaged goods. She had committed adultery and had abandoned him. His heart toward her was not softened or restorative, but hardened and unforgiving. He treated her as property.

When he returned home, he cut the concubine into 12 pieces and sent her parts to the 12 tribes. His goal was to complain and cry out against the sin committed against him in the raping nad killing of the woman. He never took any responsibility for his own sin. He never addressed his own unforgiveness. He simply sought to be vindicated and justified. He wanted revenge.

Perhaps the most telling of all of the indicators of the culture’s slide into embracing sin is its attitude toward others who sin and the need for personal justice…as if that were the point. It is not. You may say, “Isn’t rape and incest, and murder the greatest tragedy…or homosexuality the most bold indicator of a people far from God?” These are all great and high sins…but they are sins we look at and check off as things we oppose and have not done. However, when we hold judgmental attitudes and unforgiveness in our hearts, we too have committed the greatest of sins. When we seek justice for ourselves rather than praise God for His mercy in not seeking justice against us (but justifying us through the sacrifice of our Jesus), we demonstrate that we have lost touch with what it is to walk on this planet as the people of God. It is easy enough to point to other sins in the world and we ought to…as they are offensive to a holy God. But, we must not find ourselves in a place where we feel justified as “good people” simply because we find no guilt pertaining to that sin. We all stand before a Holy God guilty and those who know Christ stand before Him justified…not by our efforts or our comparative righteousness (compared to the homosexual, murderer, or rapist) but by the work of Christ on our behalf at Calvary.)

Proverbs 14:5 is the takeaway today. “A trustworthy witness will not lie. But a false witness utters lies.” The discriminating factor that identifies a liar (or any other sin), is not in his intention or his own assessment; rather it is in his actions.

Take Two: Judges 18, Proverbs 13

In chapter 18 the downward spiral of sin continues in full force. The men of the tribe of Dan set out to find a land of their own (cross reference Joshua 19:40 ff; and Judges 1:34-36).

NOTE: This apparent discrepancy is explained by the passage in Judges 1. While the land was allotted (Joshua 19), it was not possessed; rather, the Amorites pushed the Danites back into the hill country.

When the Danites set out to spy out the land, the came across the house of Micah and the Levite priest who served as his priest. The priest offered a word of blessing on the Danites and they found a land that was undefended at Laish. So, the circumstances of “low hanging fruit” seemed to line up with the blessing of the priest for hire (vv.5-6)…which ultimately led to a new job offer for him (v.19), which he accepted (v.20).

Only in a twisted way can this be seen as the hand of God blessing a people or a priest. But “twisted” is the order of the day when everyone does what is right in his own eyes.

NOTE: The more I repeat that, they more I see the “rugged individualism” that characterizes America today. Everything from business, to community, to matters of faith seem to be hyper-vigilant in pursuing individual rights. We (in the church) have even taken an orthodox doctrine of “priesthood of every believer” which focuses on God and the universal right and responsibility to access with Him directly, and “twisted” it into some idea that we (the people) become the arbiters of truth…as if the doctrine were about us. It’s not. Christianity is about Christ…and those who follow Him.

So, the Danites swing back through on their way to conquer Laish and raid the house of Micah, stealing his idols and his priest (vv.18-20). When Micah objected, they rebuffed him and threatened to kill him if he did not go away (vv.25-26). So, the Danites erected a place of worship for their tribe at Shiloh and placed in it the idols.

NOTE: I wonder if things might have turned out differently had the priest taken a stand? WHat if he had been a man of integrity? What if he had refused the idols? In my mind, he bore much of the blame here because he refused to stand up and stand against the evil. He simply was moving on to a bigger assignment with little regard for the condition of the people…either those he left or those he was going to serve (and I mean that in the most critical way possible). The one man who was to represent the people to God and God to the people, failed to stand…and an entire tribe embraced evil and felt affirmed by God in doing so.

NOTE: If we believe in the priesthood of the believer…then you are a priest if you are a believer. How are you representing God to the people around you? How are you representing the people around you to God? Do you intercede for them? Do you proclaim truth to them?

Proverbs 13:3 is the takeaway today. “The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”

Take Two: Judges 17, Proverbs 12

The chapter is short but really accentuates a couple of key factors to me.

First, the spiritual decline in the land, while not sudden was certainly far-reaching. Micah steals money from his mother and then confesses. She praises her son and asks that God bless him for his new found honesty (v.2). She then dedicates all of the returned silver to the Lord but tells Micah to take 200 pieces and have idols made (vv.3-4). Micah (the son) then sets up a shrine, places the idols there and consecrates his own son to be a priest to him. [Can anyone say...preacher for hire?]

NOTE: I see in this man a deep element of “seeking” for answers that are elusive to him. He desires something that money could not provide, so he assumes that religion will do it. He seeks…but has no one to point him to the truth. Not even his mother points him to righteousness, but simply encourages his downward digression into sin and funds it. Where are the truth speakers? Where is the one who would care enough to point Micah toward righteousness? IN MANY WAYS, he is no different than many neighbors in our communities…seeking peace in the best way they understand (drugs, money, sex, carefree living) and wishing that they would satisfy the deep longing within.

Soon a Levite comes along and Micah hires him to be the household priest. If anyone should have been a truth speaker…it should have been this man; but, he chose to seek a “check” rather than approval by God (v.10). Micah thought that certainly his luck would change now…since he had a bonified “seminary trained” preacher to minister to him before his idols.

NOTE: I think this is the point that God is making in our culture. A stagnant church is not so because it has a “lukewarm” pastor, or has gone to “contemporary music” or stopped having Sunday night services. Churches that are not growing are declining and the only reason that churches decline is sin. When there is no brokeness over the lost or passion for the glory of God…bringing the greatest pastor on the planet to preach won’t cause real growth. Growth occurs because it is BIBLICAL and GLORIFIES GOD. God is not glorified by a long-term, sustained decline in membership, participation, giving, or ministry. He is not. (Now I know some would say, maybe God is seeking to purify a church. Sure, but purification is not a forever thing. It is momentous and then the pure church grows.) It is time that we stop seeking to justify our lack of fruit and cry out to God for His presence to weigh heavy on us…that we would be like Him! Might that cause a temporary decline? It often does…but not because this honors God. It often declines because the pressure of conviction is something that many will not yield to; therefore, they simply look for a more comfortable place to nest…or a new preacher to affirm that nesting where they are is good. (Both of these, by the way, are sin in themselves.)

There is much more I could say, but I think I will leave it there. Let me challenge us with this:

• Is there fruit in your life? Is God using you to reconcile people to Himself? Whether they are lost, unchurched, or de-churched, is there evidence that God is using you to connect people to Himself?
• If there is no fruit…why? Why isn’t God using you? Is it because your preacher is boring or your music is too fast or slow at your church? Is it because the economy is bad? (All of these sound patently ridiculous, don’t they?)
• Are you comfortable with no fruit? If so, why? If not, why?
• To start having fruit…what must change? Is it someone else…or is it you? What must you do or how must you change in your heart and in your actions for fruit to become evident in your life?
• Will you commit to change? Will you commit to the cleansing, the struggle, the pain, and the overwhelming joy that are all associated with seeing people reconciled to God? If you will, I PROMISE, He will!

Proverbs 12:1 is the takeaway today. “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.”

Take Two: Judges 16, Proverbs 11

In Chapter 16, Samson meets Delilah. The chapter is filled with irony. FIrst, this man who was aware that his great strength was from God and due to his Nazarite vow (v.17), lived like a man who had no moral compass at all (v.1). His downward descent in life landed him in the bed of another woman who was enticed by the Philistines to betray Samson for money.

On four different occasions, she betrayed him and set him up to be taken by the Philistines and yet he remained with her. One of the things that stuck out to me is the charge Delilah made that he had lied to her (vv. 10,13,15) and therefore could not love her (v.15)…all the while she was plotting to kill him. She seemed ambivalent to this and he seemed unaware.

NOTE: Our lifestyle in unrepentant sin leads us to be less sensitive to more sin in our lives. We become dull to it. We fail to miss the presence of God in our lives. Samson maintained his physical strength but he had no relationship with God…and did not seem to miss it. He began to look at his strength as his own…and not a gift from God (even though he acknowledged that His strength was due to his vow). The longer we live in sin, the more sin we can tolerate without it affecting us.

Also, I see the pride in the strength that God had given Samson. Three times he was awakened to “The Philistines are upon you” and he remained unconcerned. I cannot help but think that he must have suspected that Delilah was conspiring against him…but he slept with her anyway. He relied on his strength as his protector RATHER than the God who gave him great strength.

Third, it was not until his low point that we sense an earnest crying to God (v.28). Until this point, Samson relied upon himself and was aware of God. Now, his reliance was on God because he was aware that he had nothing in himself to give. The great judge of Israel was reduced to a circus act and a pack mule, led about by the hand of a boy.

NOTE: Most of us will not turn to God until we reach a point of desperation. And, God will take us to desperate places so that we will turn to Him.

Fourth, where was Israel? Their “judge” who had delivered them was captive in the enemy camp and they were home having pizza and wings. Where was the commitment to rescue their comrade? Where was their sensitivity to the reproach that Samson’s captivity brought on God (vv.23-24). “Every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

Fifth, God was in control. He did not abandon Samson. When Samson called out, God acted mightily and was glorified more in Samson’s death than in all of his life. And, Samson was willing that this would happen (though his motives may not have been absolutely pure (vv.28, 30).

APPLIED:

• If you are aware of sin in your life…places where you know you are not obedient to God’s will for YOU…repent now. Do not wait until you become desensitized to the conviction of God in your life.
• Do not take the gift of God for granted; rather, recognize it as an instrument that God entrusted to you for a purpose.
• Trust in the giver of strength, not in the strength itself.
• Seek to glorify God in life and in death.

Proverbs 11:3 is the takeaway today. “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them.”

Take Two: Judges 15, Proverbs 10

In chapter 15, we find Samson executing retribution on the Philistines. Make no mistake about it, his motives are self-serving in every respect. He is not interested in the Glory of God, nor is He interested in discerning and doing the will of God. He has concluded that God’s will is his will…keeping with the theme that “every man did what was right in his own eyes.”

In retaliation for his father-in-law’s actions of giving Samson’s wife to another man (no doubt after accepting the dowry), Samson sets out to destroy the crop of wheat of the Philistines. The manner he chooses to destroy is sensational…much like the killing of a lion with his hands and eating honey from the carcass. None the less, he chose to destroy the crops out of anger.

NOTE: This is not a surprise to God. God is working toward an agenda of upsetting the status quo between the Philistines and His people. Samson is unaware of this agenda, but God is using his sinful and fleshly actions to bring about the rupture of this relationship. That is not to say that God “authored” the fleshly and sinful response in Samson. God never tempts man to sin. Samson is not an innocent bystander…he is a carnal and self-fulfilled man who does what is right in his own eyes. God uses this to bring about a prescribed conclusion.

After the crop is destroyed, the Philistines kill Samson’s wife and father-in-law. They then turn their attention toward Samson who has fled to the cleft of the rock of Etam (v.8). His own countrymen, afraid for their own safety, set out to take him into custody and deliver him into the hands of the Philistines in order to protect the peace and preserve their property (vv.9-13). As one commentator noted, their response is almost comical since they amassed an army of 3,000 men to go after their own countryman, rather than amassing an army to fight the Philistines.

NOTE: This is somewhat reminiscent of the attitude present during the Exodus. At the various challenges after leaving Egypt, the people would cry out to Moses and observe that life in captivity was easier than this life as God’s “Chosen people” headed to the “Promised Land.” They had become COMFORTABLE in their own self-consumed captivity… and would do almost anything to prevent becoming uncomfortable again. For them, COMFORT was their “Promised Land.” However, as we saw there, what God desires for people is for them to experience His “Promised Land,” and to get there, they have to CHANGE. Yes, CHANGE (otherwise they would already be experiencing the “promised Land”). Most people will not embrace “change” until it is too uncomfortable to stay the same.

So, as the men of Judah brought Samson out, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. He broke the ropes, grabbed a donkey’s jawbone and killed 1,000 Philistines (vv.14-16). He then promptly accepted personal credit as the deliverer and asked God for a drink of water…to which God responded by providing.

This victory solidified Samson as the “deliverer/judge” of the people for 20 years.

NOTE: Certainly Samson’s character is not that of a great and godly man. In fact, this chapter records the first time that Samson called on God and then it was for a personal crisis…he was thirsty. Yet, God chose him and raised him up for a purpose…to make the relationship between His people and the Philistines uncomfortable so that His people would run to Him. Perhaps, God still operates in like manner in the selecting of some leaders on the world’s stage today. Perhaps He does it on a smaller scale in your community, in your church, or in your family…

Wouldn’t it seem more favorable to be willing to change without all of the consequences associated with being made “uncomfortable?” Discomfort is a powerful motivator. The great men and women of God in the past were very uncomfortable in their desire to see God exalted, magnified, and made known. Pray that God would create in you and in me a more intense desire to see this in our generation.

Proverbs 10:14 is the takeaway today. “Wise men store up knowledge, but with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.”

Take Two: Judges 14, Proverbs 9

Chapter 14 details the exploits of Samson and his marriage to the Philistine. Bear in mind that he has been a Nazarite from birth. As such, he is set apart in a more extreme and prominent way than even an “average” Israelite. (NOTE: We can dig further into the Nazarite vow at another time; however, it is profitable to not draw a conclusion that it is okay to live “carnally” or “marginally committed” to Christ unless you are a Nazarite. Such is not the case. Some might say that a pastor or a deacon or even a LIFE Group leader should live holy lives, but it is acceptable to live differently if you are not one of them. All believers are called to the same life and level of commitment to Christ. Whatever standard exists in one’s mind for a pastor…applies for a non-pastor (deacon. etc.). The difference in our contemporary culture would relate more to a James 3:1 concept of influence).

While Samson had been set apart from the womb, he had little regard for the calling on his life. He did not value the commitment of his parents to honor God’s command. He lived with a ME FIRST mentality, rather than a GOD FIRST mentality. LIke the theme throughout the book thus far, “he did what was right in his own eyes.” Insofar as that aligned with God’s will…GREAT. When it did not, so be it. It felt right to him and that in his view is the ultimate standard of righteousness.

Samson became enthralled with a Philistine woman. He saw her and she was beautiful (vv.2-3), so he demanded her for his wife. Never mind the admonition of God to not marry the Philistines. Samson wanted her.

NOTE: Some see the parents as blameless or at least “not at fault” in this matter. After all, they simply gave their son what he desired and allowed him to deal with the consequences. Do not be confused. They were as culpable (or more) for the actions of Samson because they had influence to stop the sin…but rather than do so, they enabled it. QUESTION: How do you and I act when someone close to us desires to sin? Do we refuse to be complicit when it is slander, gossip, moral failure…or do we ignore the sin so as to preserve the relationship under the guise that “who are we to tell them otherwise?” In God’s economy, let me tell you who we are. Children and ambassadors of the King! We are called to speak on His behalf and to not only be holy ourselves, but to promote holiness among others.

V.4 is somewhat curious. It states, “his father and mother did not know it was of the Lord, for He was seeking occasion against the Philistines.” This is not a statement that God tempted Samson to sin so that He would have an occasion to destroy the Philistines; rather, this is a statement that God sovereignly used the rebellion and sin of a man to bring about His desired results. God is NEVER, NOT in control.

Samson did not only violate God’s Law by marrying a Philistine, but also by touching a dead body (eating the honey from the lion’s carcass). This pattern did not bother his conscience at all, since he made a riddle about his sin, thus “bragging” about it in a certain way. He also gave his parents some of the tainted honey as well.

The consequence of his sin starts to come to bear. His new Philistine wife has divided loyalties and seeks to undermine him from the beginning. And this is only the beginning fo the troubles in his life.

NOTE: If we try to convince ourselves that there is no consequence for our sin or that we are in some way justified in our sin…we are greatly deluded.

Proverbs 9:12 is the takeaway today. “If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, and if you scoff, you alone will bear it.” Embracing wisdom (the will of God) is a personal choice requiring an intentional act of ones will. Ultimately, our fate is not a verdict of “the gods” but the byproduct of choices we make daily.

Take Two: Judges 13, Proverbs 8

Chapter 13 gives the account of the birth of Samson (Remember…the dude with the 80s hair!). There are a couple of prominent things about the chapter that jump out to me.

First, the sin and oppression cycle repeats (v.1). Just like the previous cycle, the people did what evil so God raised up the Philistines to oppress the people. This time, however, the people did not seek a champion, but God provided a champion. The period of Philistine oppression was forty years, but God announced the coming of a deliverer many years before when he announced the birth of Samson.

Notice that God had a divine calling on Samson’s life even before his birth. (Reminiscent of Jeremiah). God commanded the woman to avoid wine, strong drink, and unclean foods even during the pregnancy…so that the boy would be sanctified to the Lord even from birth.

NOTE: Interestingly…as we look at Samson’s life…he seems to be the only one who is in the dark regarding his calling. God knew, his parents knew…but he lived without any respect to the calling on his life.

Also, this chapter displays a “Theophany,” that is…a preincarnate manifestation of God in human events. God here is not a voice from a bush or a whisper in the wind; rather, He appears as an angel like man (v.6). (We have been studying angels in the class I lead on Sunday nights.)

The response of faith between the woman and the man is somewhat contrasted here. She seems to “get it” earlier on, while the husband/man seems to need more details. (NOTE: This is not material for a new “sit com” but is another feature of the degradation of faith and faithfulness of the people of God. See Judges 4:8-9)

The Angel gives some pretty telling insight into how God operates and intends for us to operate. Manoah wants more information about the calling on their soon to be born son so he prays and asks God to appear again to explain further (v.8). God did appear and essentially told him, “the instructions given to this point are all you need to know to be obedient (vv.12-14).

Manoah was simply functioning according to the rational nature of humans. He is not a faithless man…but he is living more by sight than by faith. It is not until the Angel ascends in the burnt offering flames that he realizes that he has been talking with God (v.20).

Then Manoah “freaks out” again, realizing that he has just seen God and expects that he will now die (vv.21-22). Fortunately, his wife reminds him that they will not die…or they already would have; rather, God accepted their offering and revealed to them these truths.

One last feature. “Why didn’t God simply give more information in response to Monoah’s request?” Certainly in Manoah’s mind…more info was necessary. We find the answer in vv.17-18. God says, “why do you ask my name seeing as it is “wonderful” (i.e. beyond understanding/ extraordinary). IOW…you don’t need more info because it would be beyond your comprehension.

I have often asked God for a 5 year plan. Show me what you have for me…what I will experience…what I will do…what You will require! He graciously declines. I say graciously because what God has in store in 5 years is likely too difficult or scary given my current context of understanding. What I NEED is to know what is required of me today. When I have obeyed and grown from that, then I am better prepared to experience what is next in the journey.

APPLIED: So, what has God called you to? Are you willing to trust Him by faith…or are you standing back asking more questions? Is it enough for you to simply know how to obey in the moment…or are you resisting obedience and claiming that your resistance/rebellion is only delayed until God makes you more comfortable?

Proverbs 8:8-9 is the takeaway today. “Wisdom” personified states, “All the utterances of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverted in them. They are all straightforward to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.”