February 28 - Judges 4-6
I am late in posting this entry today, because I am sick with the bad cold that is going around. I must have overdone it yesterday during our services, so today I don't feel well. I say all of this to make a point. There are days when we have a hard time with our "Unhurried Time" because of physical ailments. I urge you not to skip your time with the Lord on those days, but to modify what you do. If concentrating or reading is difficult, emphasize praying or meditating on a verse of Scripture. If you need to have your time later in the day, do that, but go ahead and meet with the Lord. After all, He is the source of all you need, especially when you have a special need like a sickness.
Today we have accounts of two Judges, Deborah and Gideon. I probably should mention Barak, too, but I don't because he was a wimp. In the case of both of these people God used as judges we see that God chose unlikely people for his service. Deborah was unlikely because she was a woman, and Gideon came from a very obscure family in the tribe of Manasseh. It shows us that we can't make excuses for not allowing God to use us when He calls us.
Deborah was a prophetess, which means she was able to speak forth God's word as He revealed it to her. We don't see too many prophetesses in the Old Testament, so it must have been rare, and it could have been because of the general spiritual condition of the people being in such disarray. However, all ladies who are believers can have just as close a relationship with God as men. The difference between men and women is that God wants the men to take the leadership positions. In this passage even Deborah wanted Barak to take the lead, but he would not, so God gave the victory to Deborah and to Jael, the woman who actually killed Sisera, the opposing general. The song of Deborah even shows the shame it was that the men did not step forward to take the lead, so God used women to win a military victory. I think God was trying to teach Israel a lesson through this.
Gideon was very unsure of himself, and he was constantly asking for a sign. This is where we get the saying, "putting out a fleece." God did not punish him for asking for these signs, and He probably won't punish you for doing that either. However, it is much better for us to be able to hear the voice of God, so that we don't have to test Him by asking for a sign. The closer the relationship we have with Him, the clearer His voice is to us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Judges 7-9.
Today we have accounts of two Judges, Deborah and Gideon. I probably should mention Barak, too, but I don't because he was a wimp. In the case of both of these people God used as judges we see that God chose unlikely people for his service. Deborah was unlikely because she was a woman, and Gideon came from a very obscure family in the tribe of Manasseh. It shows us that we can't make excuses for not allowing God to use us when He calls us.
Deborah was a prophetess, which means she was able to speak forth God's word as He revealed it to her. We don't see too many prophetesses in the Old Testament, so it must have been rare, and it could have been because of the general spiritual condition of the people being in such disarray. However, all ladies who are believers can have just as close a relationship with God as men. The difference between men and women is that God wants the men to take the leadership positions. In this passage even Deborah wanted Barak to take the lead, but he would not, so God gave the victory to Deborah and to Jael, the woman who actually killed Sisera, the opposing general. The song of Deborah even shows the shame it was that the men did not step forward to take the lead, so God used women to win a military victory. I think God was trying to teach Israel a lesson through this.
Gideon was very unsure of himself, and he was constantly asking for a sign. This is where we get the saying, "putting out a fleece." God did not punish him for asking for these signs, and He probably won't punish you for doing that either. However, it is much better for us to be able to hear the voice of God, so that we don't have to test Him by asking for a sign. The closer the relationship we have with Him, the clearer His voice is to us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Judges 7-9.