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    April 4th Chronological Bible Readings

    Judges 11:29-15:20
    ~ Click here to read today’s Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~ // Mobile Site Link
    ~ Listen to today’s Scripture on ESV Online.org ~

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    Today we read about Jephthah and his daughter – and the related vow.  It is interesting to note that some Biblical scholars do not think that Jepthah actually killed his daughter, but that she simply died a virgin, as verse 38 says.  However… verse 38 also says he kept his vow. Keep in mind that oftentimes the Bible reports “just the facts,” which does not necessarily mean the “facts” or actions of what us humans did was pleasing in God’s sight.  Human sacrifice was not part of God’s laws or plans.  It is clearly forbidden in Leviticus chapter 20 verses 1-5 and in Leviticus chapter 18:21 – ” ‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.”


    Judges_11_37_jephthahs_daughter_1

    Today we begin reading four chapters about Samson, the last of the judges.  You’ll notice that the author of Judges often compares the story of Samson’s birth and life with the story of Israel.  Samson was a Nazirite, which meant he could drink no alcohol, could not cut his hair, and could have no contact with the dead.  I found it interesting that Samson’s mother was commanded by the angel in Judges 13 today to not drink any alcohol during her pregnancy.  Obviously this is important for health reasons, but also it seems it is important because Samson was a Nazirite – whose life began in his mother’s womb.  More info on Nazirite’s is at this link.


    Samsonlion

    Judges chapter 13 verses 19 & 20 are awesome to consider – “Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the LORD. And as Manoah and his wife watched, the LORD did an amazing thing. As the flames from the altar shot up toward the sky, the angel of the LORD ascended in the fire. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground.”


    Manoah

    Interesting story today about Samson & the lion!  Pretty gross that he ate the honey made in the lion’s carcass on the way to his wedding!  🙂   You’ll note in our readings of Samson that he is drawn to Philistine women, which was against God’s law and the Philistine’s were Israel’s enemies then.  Hence, his parents did not approve of the marriage early in chapter 14.  Okay – back to the lion, and verses 5 & 6 – “As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. At that moment the Spirit of the LORD powerfully took control of him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it.”


    Samsonlion

    Judges 15 today is quite a chapter!  Whew…  Samson is a whirlwind in this chapter… I know I probably should not chuckle about this – but a donkey’s jawbone??  Who would have ever thought this could be a lethal weapon.  Well, now we all know it can be indeed.

    Donkey_jaw


    Worship God: Today’s readings in Judges reminded me of the Hillsong song “God of Ages:”



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgRXYfDVgiw

    Do you know our God of ages? Click here and meet Him!


    Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.” Judges 13:1 NIV


    Prayer Point: Pray that you won’t ever do evil in the eyes of the LORD.


    Comments from You:  What verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings?  Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!

    God bless,
    Mike

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    One response to “April 4th Chronological Bible Readings”

    1. Ramona Avatar
      Ramona

      Judges 11-12:15
      What jumped out at me today, in this book that records that “every man did that which was right in his own eyes (21:25),” was the reversal of relationships in doing what was evil. Yesterday and Thursday we read about Abimelech, son of Gideon, aka, Jerubbaal, the illegitimate son, killing his seventy brothers, save but one, and ruling or judging as a political judge, not a spiritual one. Today we have the legitimate sons of Gilead not killing but forcing out the illegitimate son, their half-brother. Is it just me but has anyone notice that the judges have moved from have any kind of spiritual influence to just plan brut force? It seems God is using them in spite of themselves.
      I am only guessing as to why they didn’t kill him but it could have been that he was a “great warrior,” and with all great warriors they usually have a “posse.” Regardless of illegitimacy or legitimacy I saw that the perversion of God’s commands and wickedness does not dwell in a particular family, neighborhood or person. We sometimes try to compartmentalize “sin” by giving deference to a particular time, place, space and people as being sinless. Folks run from neighborhood to neighborhood, state to state looking for “good” places and communities which to raise their young, when in reality the danger that we think dwells without, really resides within.
      Each one did what was right in his own eyes implies that what everyone else did was wrong, but what I do is right. This sets up the individual as his or her own god. So even though we read in this book about Israel swinging from god to God, like a trapeze artist swinging from bar to bar, the gods they really served were the gods of their own self interest, the gods that lived in their hearts.
      Are we guilty of serving our own gods and calling them something else, swinging from bar to bar, from god to God thinking we are safe because the mercy of God has formed a net underneath us? If the net or when the net is removed, do we cry out to God, “Where were You? When in reality we were grabbing for the wrong trapeze.
      Judges 13:1-14:20
      In verses three through five in the 13th chapter of Judges it seems, Mike, in my understanding of the text in the NLT, and I went to other translations also, except in the Message translation, Manoah’s wife is told before she is to become pregnant that she is to either cease from consuming unclean food, or not eat any at all, as well as eating/drinking fruit from the vine. Reading this brought to mind the words spoken to Jeremiah in the first chapter,
      Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5 KJVR)
      The implication here is that conception begins in the mind of God and not at the moment of conception. That is way DEEP!
      In also reading about Samson, I wonder if his family rehearsed within his hearing the calling upon his life? Did they tell him of the circumstances of his birth; and if they did, did he think they were just some crazy nuts who gave birth to him in their old age? The fact that he killed the lion, ate the honey out of the carcass of a lion, and didn’t tell them may mean that had warned him, told him about the laws governing his life.
      I’m wondering if Samson was a little arrogant and impressed with his own “press” because of his strength. Did he not understand that who he was and what he was able to do came from God? Did he think he was “all that?” When he turned in to see the state of the lion, while going to his wedding, was it to see his handiwork. Knowing that human nature and our tendencies to “dance” at the goal line when we make a big score is not a new phenomena, leads me to think Samson was not very humble, like Moses. Which begs the question, Am I like Samson?
      Grace and peace,
      Ramona

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