Category: Book of Judges

The tribe of Benjamin was guilty, but Israel dealt them an extreme judgement leaving only 600 men, also with an oath not to give them wives from their daughters! Jdg 21:1!

Jdg 21:3, and said, “O LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, WHY HAS THIS COME TO PASS IN ISRAEL, THAT TODAY THERE SHOULD BE ONE TRIBE MISSING IN ISRAEL?” 

Pro 19:3 NLT, PEOPLE RUIN THEIR LIVES BY THEIR OWN FOOLISHNESS AND THEN ARE ANGRY AT THE LORD.

The LORD gave them a path to blessing if they obeyed, and a path of cursing if they forsook the LORD. It was their own choice! They did what was right in their own eyes!

Jdg 21:15, … THE LORD HAD MADE A VOID IN THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. 

Jdg 21:25, In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 

BLAMING THE LORD WAS EASIER THAN BLAMING THEMSELVES! BENJAMIN DID SURVIVE, BY SLAUGHTERING A CITY IN ISRAEL WHO DIDN’T JOIN THE FIGHT!

Jer 4:22, “For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”

WITHOUT THE LORD FOOLISHNESS AND IGNORANCE IS KING TO PERVERTED MEN!

As all of Israel gathered together they ask the children of Benjamin to hand over the guilty!

Jdg 20:13, … deliver up the men, the perverted men who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death and remove the evil from Israel!” BUT THE CHILDREN OF BENJAMIN WOULD NOT LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THEIR BRETHREN, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. 

Twice Israel came before the LORD and said “which of us shall go up first to battle” & again “Shall I again draw near for battle”!  ASKING OF THE LORD, YET WITHOUT REPENTANCE! ISRAEL. Israel fought and lost 22,000 men the first time and 18,000 men the second!  Yes, Benjamin was guilty but so were the rest of Israel! “FOR THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL!”

Gen 49:27, “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; In the morning he shall devour the prey, And at night he shall divide the spoil.” 

Jdg 20:26, Then all the children of Israel, that is, all the people, went up and came to the house of God and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening; and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 

GOD ALLOWED TWO DAYS OF DEFEAT TO HUMBLE HIS PEOPLE! THIS IS THE PROPER WAY OF GOING TO THE LORD!

Joe 1:14, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD. 

Jdg 19:1, And it came to pass in those days, WHEN THERE WAS NO KING IN ISRAEL, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. 

Jdg 19:20, And the old man said, “Peace be with you! However, let all your needs be my responsibility; ONLY DO NOT SPEND THE NIGHT IN THE OPEN SQUARE.” 

On the way back home to Ephraim they looked for shelter in Gibeah, a city of Benjamin!

Jdg 19:22, …SUDDENLY CERTAIN MEN OF THE CITY, PERVERTED MEN, SURROUNDED THE HOUSE AND BEAT ON THE DOOR. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “BRING OUT THE MAN WHO CAME TO YOUR HOUSE, THAT WE MAY KNOW HIM CARNALLY!” 

Jdg 19:24, Look, HERE IS MY VIRGIN DAUGHTER AND THE MAN’S CONCUBINE; LET ME BRING THEM OUT NOW. HUMBLE THEM, and do with them AS YOU PLEASE; but to this man do not do such a vile thing!” 

ISRAEL WAS NOW AS BAD AS SODOM AND GOMORRAH! BECAUSE THEY DID NOT FOLLOW THE LORD! ONE DAY THE RESTRAINER WILL BE REMOVED AND THE WORLD WILL RETURN TO IT’S SADISTIC WAYS!

2Th 2:7, For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

WITHOUT GOD RESTRAINING THE WORLD IS GOING TO FALL INTO CHAOS! IT’S NEAR AND THE SIGNS OF IT’S COMING ARE NOW VISIBLE! PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD!

Jdg 17:4-5, …Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and HE MADE IT INTO A CARVED IMAGE AND A MOLDED IMAGE; and they were in the house of Micah. THE MAN MICAH HAD A SHRINE, AND MADE AN EPHOD AND HOUSEHOLD IDOLS; AND HE CONSECRATED ONE OF HIS SONS, WHO BECAME HIS PRIEST.

Psa 115:4-8, Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they DO NOT SPEAK; Eyes they have, but they DO NOT SEE; They have ears, but they DO NOT HEAR; Noses they have, but they DO NOT SMELL; They have hands, but they DO NOT HANDLE; Feet they have, but they DO NOT WALK; Nor do they mutter through their throat. THOSE WHO MAKE THEM ARE LIKE THEM; SO IS EVERYONE WHO TRUSTS IN THEM.

THOSE WHO MAKE AND TRUST IN THEM ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD, JESUS SAID, LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD! Luke 9:60

Jdg 17:12-13, So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, “NOW I KNOW THAT THE LORD WILL BE GOOD TO ME, SINCE I HAVE A LEVITE AS PRIEST!”

Pro 14:12, THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT ITS END IS THE WAY OF DEATH. 

Jdg 16:4, Afterward it happened THAT HE LOVED A WOMAN IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK, WHOSE NAME WAS DELILAH. 

Pro 4:23, Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 

Jdg 16:15-16, Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.” And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death,

She made it clear to him “WITH WHAT YOU MAY BE BOUND TO AFFLICT YOU”! YET, Samson trusted in his strength rather than his GOD, and he told her the truth!

Jdg 16:28, Then Samson called to the LORD, saying, “O LORD GOD, REMEMBER ME, I PRAY! STRENGTHEN ME, I PRAY, JUST THIS ONCE, O GOD…

The strongest man alive is now a circus act to the Philistines because of the choices Samson made in his life! YET, HE CALLED OUT TO THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY; THE SOURCE OF HIS STRENGTH! GOD KNEW HIS END FROM THE BEGINNING AND ALLOWED HIM TO DO HIS

OWN WILL! JUDGES 14:4. CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD! STOP THE FOOLISHNESS!

Psa 116:4, THEN I CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD: “O LORD, I IMPLORE YOU, DELIVER MY SOUL!” 

Jdg 15:11, Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE PHILISTINES RULE OVER US?

God empowered Israel to drive these pagans out of the land, yet Israel didn’t follow through completely and became slaves to them! They tied Samson with ropes and gave him over!

Jdg 15:14, When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. THEN THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME MIGHTILY UPON HIM; AND THE ROPES THAT WERE ON HIS ARMS BECAME LIKE FLAX THAT IS BURNED WITH FIRE, AND HIS BONDS BROKE LOOSE FROM HIS HANDS. 

Samson, STRENGTHENED BY GOD, killed 1000 men by himself!

Jos 23:10, ONE MAN OF YOU SHALL CHASE A THOUSAND, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE WHO FIGHTS FOR YOU, AS HE PROMISED YOU. 

Jdg 15:18, Then he became very thirsty; so he cried out to the LORD and said, “YOU HAVE GIVEN THIS GREAT DELIVERANCE BY THE HAND OF YOUR SERVANT; AND NOW SHALL I DIE OF THIRST AND FALL INTO THE HAND OF THE UNCIRCUMCISED?” 

Psa 56:11, IN GOD I HAVE PUT MY TRUST; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME? 

WITH HIM WE CAN DO ALL THINGS, BUT WITHOUT HIM WE ARE LIKE A TWIG THROWN INTO A FIRE! QUICKLY CONSUMED!

Judges 15:18, reminds me of what JESUS endured on the cross of Calvary! BUT, WHILE GOD QUENCHED SAMSON THIRST, HE DIDN’T FOR HIS ONLY SON WHO PAID THE PRICE BECAUSE OF US!

Psa 22:14-15, I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death.

THANK YOU JESUS!

Jdg 14:2, So he went up and told his father and mother, saying, “I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, GET HER FOR ME AS A WIFE.” 

A Clear violation of Deu 7:3-4, “NOR SHALL YOU MAKE MARRIAGES WITH THEM”

Jdg 14:4, BUT HIS FATHER AND MOTHER DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS OF THE LORD—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

Although it was evil in the sight of the LORD to marry a pagan woman, God allowed it for a greater plan!  he didn’t care if it violated God’s law! A STRONG MAN WITH A WEAK WILL!

Jdg 14:8, After some time, when he returned to get her, he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion. And behold, a swarm of bees and HONEY WERE IN THE CARCASS OF THE LION.

HE EAT THE HONEY THAT CAME OUT OF THE DEAD LION’S CARCASS! ANOTHER VIOLATION OF THE NAZIRITE VOW, Num 6:6-7!

YET, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD CAME UPON HIM SEVERAL TIMES! GOD’S WILL, WILL BE DONE EVEN THOUGH SAMSON HAD NO CLUE WHAT GOD WAS DOING! HE WAS DRIVEN BY THE DESIRES OF HIS HEART RATHER THAN THE DESIRES OF THE LORD!

Pro 4:23, KEEP YOUR HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE, FOR OUT OF IT SPRING THE ISSUES OF LIFE. 

Jdg 13:17-18, Then Manoah said to the ANGEL OF THE LORD, “WHAT IS YOUR NAME, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?” And the ANGEL OF THE LORD said to him, “WHY DO YOU ASK MY NAME, SEEING IT IS WONDERFUL?”

At this point Manoah didn’t know who was this man before him! So he asked for HIS name!

Isa 9:6, For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. AND HIS NAME WILL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE.

The Angel of the LORD is JESUS the Son of GOD!

Jdg 13:20-21, …the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND. …then Manoah knew that He was the ANGEL OF THE LORD.

All doubt was removed, this is the living GOD before their presence! AND ONE DAY WE SHALL SEE HIM FACE TO FACE! BE READY!

Php 2:10-11, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.

Jdg 12:1-3, Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, … and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, AND DID NOT CALL US TO GO WITH YOU? WE WILL BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN ON YOU WITH FIRE!” And Jephthah said to them, “MY PEOPLE AND I WERE IN A GREAT STRUGGLE WITH THE PEOPLE OF AMMON; and WHEN I CALLED YOU, YOU DID NOT DELIVER ME OUT OF THEIR HANDS… I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; AND THE LORD DELIVERED THEM INTO MY HAND. WHY THEN HAVE YOU COME UP TO ME THIS DAY TO FIGHT AGAINST ME?”

Ephraim wanted the glory without actual work, and did the same to Gideon in Jdg 8:1!

Mat 12:30, He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 

WE HAVE TO CHOSE WHETHER TO GET IN THE FIGHT OR NOT! THOSE WHO WIN SOULS SHALL SHINE LIKE THE STARS, BUT IF YOU DON’T SHINE DON’T BLAME IT ON THE LORD! DON’T LET FEAR GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR BLESSING! IT’S A CHOICE GIVEN TO US!

Dan 12:3, Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.