One More trip around the Mountain

 

Judges 10:6-18

 

Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him,  he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites.   The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim; Israel was in great distress.   Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”

The Lord replied, “When the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines,  the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you and you cried to me for help, did I not save you from their hands?   But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you.   Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!”

But the Israelites said to the Lord, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.”   Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.

When the Ammonites were called to arms and camped in Gilead, the Israelites assembled and camped at Mizpah.   The leaders of the people of Gilead said to each other, “Whoever will take the lead in attacking the Ammonites will be head over all who live in Gilead.”

As I read this, my thoughts were those goofy Israelites, they are slow learners. How many times do they have to go into captivities?  Then my mind went to the Church, not a building, but a body of people who go by the name of Christian, and are just as goofy as those Israelites.  Unlike the Jewish people, the Churches idols or little gods are not so obvious, is not an idol anything that comes before God.  The one that defines many is a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revealed, above God or takes His place in your thoughts and heart.

 

All sin leads us into captivity and steals our joy and peace, it also breaks fellowship with the Father, but never the relationship.  I recall my pastor in Spring sharing a meeting he had with a mother whose son was breaking her heart, and Harlon, said you do not like that boy very much, and the lady was shocked and he was quick to say it ok, not to like them when they are in rebellion, but that does not keep you from loving them.  Often I’ve had to do as those Israelites, go into captivity before I remember, I was not about me, but about the Lord.

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice