2019-12-24

Judges 3:1-31

Most people do not like test, however in life, tests are a way to make sure we truly know what we have learnt.
God left the nation of people ending with “ites” on the promised land to test the Israelites if they would obey His commandments. The Israelites needed to depend on the Lord to oust the natives who were stronger than they were. Not only does this generation of Israelites had no experience in warfare, they have not experienced the mighty act of God for themselves. God wanted them to obey His commandments and depend on Him to conquer the land.

The Israelites failed miserably. They intermarried with the locals and serves their gods! Because of their evil behavior, God sold them to the kings of neighboring nations who oppressed them for a number of years. God in His compassion raised up judges when the people cried out to Him.

Each time a judge was raised to deliver the people, peace came to the land for periods far longer than the time when the Israelites were oppressed.
Each time the judge who delivered the Israelites pass away, the people once again returned to their evil ways.
The cycle of oppression, crying out to God and deliverance through a judge repeat itself.

God in His patience and love did not abandon His people when they were unfaithful to Him. He allowed His people to suffer oppression in order to draw them back to Him because He loved His people. And He did it over and over again!
When we stray away from God, He will discipline us by allowing us to go through periods of hardship, so that we will return to Him.
“Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, but His hands also heal.” Job 5:17-18.

Men have no excuse, we are indeed wretched, deserving our punishment because we are all prone to sin.
Thanks be to God for His love, mercy and grace in the form of Christ who took our punishment so that we no longer have to carry the burden of our sins.
We are now free to live our lives for Christ knowing that His blood has washed us from all our sins.        —- Lai Yee Leong