Saturday, January 19, 2008

Judges of all things...



I flipped my bible open to Judges this morning...can you believe that? Judges, of all places! Guess that's what you get when you "flip" open scripture...:)


You know what? I read stuff I don't ever remember reading or hearing before...it was all about the time in the early days of the Israelites settling in the promised land....they sort of wondered around and did as they pleased...and some of it was terrible..they made war and killed unsuspecting villiagers and kidnapped women and consulted priests on the mind of the Lord...one guy actually hired a priest, made an ephod and a teraphim and then made a couple of graven images too, just to cover all his bases, then some members of another tribe came along and stole them...all of them including the priest...?? What was up with that? and somehow God still actually directed them and blessed them...even in their misguidedness...because they were the children of Israel....yet repeatedly its says two things in the passages of scripture that I was reading..it says..."In those days there was no king in Israel"...and it also says "every man did that which was right in his own eyes". Of course I've heard numerous sermons on this subject however this time I was very struck by those two things.


To me it is obvious that the one is very dependent on the other...it seems to me that because there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes....they tried pretty hard actually to do whatever it was they thought they were supposed to do...and God actually blessed them and their efforts...but it was a very sad effort indeed...almost humorous if you could overlook the death and destruction that followed everywhere. It was strongly implied that things would be different with a king in charge.


The arrival of The King certainly changes everything... even though we may dwell in the place He has led us and are trying really hard, crying out to Him for help and advice...(He may even have bailed us out a few times...He is very merciful that way, you know...)

Still, having The King reigning supreme is the thing that is truly necessary. Having Him in charge relieves us of the necessity of doing what is right in our own eyes.....His eyes replace ours...it frees us to simply live under His banner. How incredible is that!?!


I'm so thankful I don't have to figure it all out myself...that is His job!



Boy did I get an eyefull flipping open to Judges like that!

11 comments:

jayjay said...

Very good thoughts, Cheryl. Our meeting today we 'turned' some Scripture - Isaiah 55 "Ho everyone who thirsts come to the water. . ." and "My ways are not your ways, nor your thoughts, my thoughts". Made me think that I'm so glad my King lives within and in His great mercy and grace leads and directs me in His paths.

Anonymous said...

A bit of old fashioned 'bible dipping' (letting your Bible fall open to where it may) always seems to get me to where I need to be in scripture.

Gina said...

Wow, that really is interesting Cheryl. I remember my grandfather saying that was how he read the Bible ...by flipping. His insights were amazing too.

Vicki said...

Well, I'm glad you DID land in Judges like that. Did my heart good to read this post. There are so many still doing what they think is right in their own eyes, and even calling it Christian, but life is never the same once we know The King.

love ya,
V.

dille2@cableone.net said...

That Freedom is so much needed on some days and is there for the taking.
Reading Rob Bell's Velvet Elvis and he talks about how when we share our faith, what we are sharing is our interuptations of truth, not truth itself. I need to keep that in mind - that the only truth comes from Him and hope that makes me more tolerant of other people's interuptations and my own, remembering that none of us have it right and hopefully, are doing they best they can. Great post, my friend - thank you...

Scott said...

My aunt tells me I'll go to hell unless I accept Jesus as God. I'm not a religious person, but I want to believe that is true, and I allow that it might be true. But that's not enough to get into heaven. From reading this passage, it seems to be another message altogether.

Pat said...

It's so incredible - to be free under the King! Great post, Bible flipping was very enlightening!

Mrs. Mac said...

Cheryl ... you seem to have touched Scott's heartstrings by flipping through the Bible and posting :) That's a tough book (Judges) to flip open ... the King has enlightened you and shown you something to share with us. I used to attend Calvary Chapel (for about 17 years) ... they teach chapter by chapter, line by line ... which is a great way to get a grasp of the Bible ... Thanks for sharing.

Gina said...

Hi Cheryl,
I just wanted to drop in and say hello. I hope you're having a good weekend.
Love, Gina

Becky said...

...of all things

Goody said...

Without a king, hmmm. Sometimes I do what is right in my own eyes instead of looking inward to the king. Very good thoughts Cheryl indeed. Oh Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!!!