Bible Reading Judges 1 – 4
Today’s reading (found on the right side of the Jesus Moment site) starts the Book of Judges. The book has a recurring theme that is actually mentioned in the second chapter.
Judges 2:16-19 (NIV)
16 Then the LORD raised up judges, [a] who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way in which their fathers had walked, the way of obedience to the LORD’s commands. 18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
The theme or recurring cycle of the book is this, Israel will be doing good, following the Lord, and then they get complacent and begin to follow other gods and do evil things. God allows one of the surrounding countries (that Israel was supposed to have driven for the land and didn’t) to take Israel captive. After living like that for awhile, the people of Israel will cry out to God and He will raise up a judge to deliver them. This process reminds me of our own sin cycles. Do good for a while, get complacent, do things we shouldn’t do, get hammered by the enemy, and then cry out to God who is faithful to give us another chance.
What do you think about Jael, the wife of Heber in chapter 4? Talk about sleeping with one eye open! The tent peg went all the way through the guy’s head and into the ground!
Today I will be thinking about our proclivity to fall into the sin cycle, and I will be thanking God for His mercy and grace.
Related posts:
- Bible Reading Judges 17 – 21
- Bible Reading Judges 9 – 12
- Bible Reading Judges 13 – 16
- Bible Reading Judges 5 – 8
- Bible Reading Isaiah 31 – 33
Category: Bible Reading Thoughts
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