Editor’s Note: We continue our series of blogs for those who are reading the Bible with us cover-to-cover this year. Interspersed with our thoughts on our daily reading, we want to provide some tips about reading the Bible in general. Today we want to explore …
Judges
Israel Fights in Cycles to Conquer the Canaanites (Judges 3-16)
As Israel drops into the disastrous consequences of their evil ways, God allows them to repeat a cycle time and again in these chapters that can be seen by these specific steps:
- The evil disobedience of the nation to follow other gods, known as idolatry.
- The quick oppression by a Canaanite King for years.
- The reluctant request by the people of Israel for deliverance.
- The merciful provision of a deliverer by the God of Heaven.
- The victorious deliverance by the judge sent by God.
- The counterfeit obedience of the nation until the death of the judge.
- The evil disobedience of the nation to follow other gods, known as idolatry.
When you read through these chapters and see the failures of the people of God, be sure to resonate with them. These are people for whom God loves. While they have chosen a path of rebellion, they pay with wasted lives. Also note, years are passing and their pain and oppression is all of their own creation.
It is our hope that this background information helps a bit as you read on in the Bible.
For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.
You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.
For Our Los Angeles County Friends!
Dr. Matthew Smith will be speaking on Sunday, March 27th in Long Beach and would like to invite you to attend. He will be speaking on the subject, “Are We Living Jesus’ Ultimate Purpose?” There is no fee for this event and all are welcome. Here are the details:
March 27 – 10:45 am Worship Speaker @ University Baptist Church, 3434 Chatwin Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90808 – (562) 425-0912
