It's what we do with life that matters.
And the people paid no attention to God when life was going their way.
Then, comes war.
Now, we read 40 years of blessing.
And, once again, the people pay little attention to God.
Didn't they really believe, way down deep, that a good life on earth was their greatest good? Cause that's how they acted. What about what happens at my hand? That's what matters when the Bible reads me. Evidently, Abimelech believed life was his greatest good. He murdered his 70 brothers. Judges 9:5. He connived and massacred so he could become king.
Gideon, in Judges 8:27, believed that an ephod held the answer for him. "Gideon made an ephod and put it in his city and all Israel went a whoring after it; which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house." Do we have ephods that we just can't depart with? Things too precious. More than what God intended. And what if God takes things away from us? Do we whore after them?
"My people never looked deeeply into themselves to identify what they most deeply feared. They never realized that there is something worse than a difficult life." Something worse than feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Something worse than discomfort and pain. The worst fear that they faced was the loss of the blessings. 66LL. They wanted their own personal peace in this world, alongside of comfort, and just enough. Always, just enough in this life. Yes, they returned to God in their pain---but was it for relationship with their Maker or for their own peace and comfort and kingship?
PRAYER FROM PSALMS
Psalm 33:22
God, You fashioned our hearts for Yourself.
We are not fashioned for crowns and comfort and complacency.
Kings are not saved by a great army.
Warriors are not delivered by their great strength.
War horses do not rescue us.
It's You. Your Eye. Behold.
The Eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him.
Those whose Hope is in Him,
Not in what happens here.
Wait, o my soul, on God Alone.
You are Our Help & Our Shield.
Let Your Love be upon us. Psa 33:22
BIOGRAPHICAL READING PLAN - Abimelech Judges 9
OVERVIEW: Judges 8-9
"All the men of Shechem and all]Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar which was in Shechem."
ReplyDeleteI was reading a commentary on Abimelech, and it pointed to this verse, reminding us that the oak of the pillar where Abimelech's coronation took place was the same place Joshua had solemnly placed a copy of the Law of God. Ironically, they are right next to the Law and fail to read or heed it. (http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0709.htm)
Jotham's parable became reality. Bramble became king because the people demanded a ruler, but failed to seek God.
from Joshua 24:26.
DeleteI looked up the word, Ephod, and found the following:The Jewish Encyclopedia: "As an Image.
ReplyDeleteThe word "ephod" has an entirely different meaning in the second group of passages, all of which belong to the historical books. It is certain that the word can not here mean a garment. This is evident in Judges viii. 26-27, where it is recorded that Gideon took the golden earrings of the Midianites, weighing 1,700 shekels of gold, and made an "ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah," where it was worshiped by all Israel. In Judges xvii. 5 Micah made an ephod and teraphim for his sanctuary. I Sam. xxi. 9 records that an ephod stood in the sanctuary at Nob, and that Goliath's sword was kept behind it. In these passages it is clear that something other than a mantle or article of attire is meant. Even where the phrase "to carry" the ephod occurs, it is evident from the Hebrew "nasa'" that reference is made to something carried in the hand or on the shoulder (comp. I Sam. xxiii. 6).
The most natural inference from all these passages is that "ephod" here signifies an image that was set up in the sanctuary, especially since the word is cited with Teraphim, which undoubtedly refers to an image (comp. Hosea iii. 4). This assumption obtains strong confirmation from the fact that in Judges xvii. 3 et seq., which is compiled from two sources, the words "pesel" and "massekah" (graven image and molten image) are used interchangeably with "ephod" and "teraphim.
God delivered his people from pagan practices and they went right back to it, melting the gold which was a reward for overcoming evil and instead of using it to glorify God, they made new idols.
I need to remember this and not let "things" get in the way of my relationship with God. Just like spring cleaning my house, I need to spring clean my heart. I need to ruthlessly get rid of all the things that take my focus away from Him.
Thanks Jan.
ReplyDeleteHey Jan, I can respond a little more now that I am at a computer. Yes, David's ephod was clothing; Gideon's ephod was shekels of silver. My thought came from a cross-reference I came upon. I looked at the ephod as a metaphorical word. We all have ephods that distract us from our relationship with God. It was not the same word. So, I took out the line that read that David wore an ephod as it really didn't apply other than I was thinking how broken David was as king. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteHi Bev, I hope you didn't feel my comment was critical. I didn't intend it that way.
DeleteYour posts are God inspired and amazing. I was curious and thought the article was interesting. I can't even list all the times my ephods distracted me. Thanks again for sharing. Love you!
Jan