Today's reading gives us a quick summary of the Book of Judges. Israel turns away from God to worship idols. Then God is angry and allows their enemies to oppress Israel. Before long God can't stand to hear Israel's groaning and sends a judge to save them. The people turn back to God under the judge and are victorious over their enemies. The cycle repeats several times during the book, and by the end it is clear that Israel needs a king chosen by God to lead it. Even this is challenging, it will turn out, because kings inevitably become corrupted by the power God gives them for ministry. May we follow the Lord and be faithful to our calling today.
God bless,
Sam
Judges 2:14-19
14So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers who plundered them, and he sold them into the power of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. 15Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was against them to bring misfortune, as the Lord had warned them and sworn to them; and they were in great distress.
16Then the Lord raised up judges, who delivered them out of the power of those who plundered them. 17Yet they did not listen even to their judges; for they lusted after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their ancestors had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord; they did not follow their example. 18Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them. 19But whenever the judge died, they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them. They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways.
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