Day Nineteen
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit"
Judges 15:13 to Judges 21:25, Ruth, and 1 Samuel 1:1 to 1 Samuel 2:29
The last of the Judges, Samson, is certainly a larger-than-life figure. From his angel-announced birth to his final act of pulling down the Temple of Dagon, it is harder to identify with him than with any of the other judges that God raised up. After him there is strife and open warfare among the tribes of Israel and I finished the book feeling less than hopeful for the Israelites. So, I was glad to read through the Book of Ruth with its story of devotion, love and redemption. There is also the wonderful twist that Ruth is a Moabite (descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot), an outsider to Israel, who ends up being the great-grandmother of [SPOILER ALERT] --- the great King David whom we will eventually meet in the upcoming Books of Samuel.
And so the reading on this day ends with the birth and dedication of Samuel to the LORD. Have you noticed how many times already that God has answered the prayers of women or couples who are childless, and those children go on to do great things for the LORD and God's people? We all are dedicated to the LORD's service in one way or another. Perhaps you and I don't stop long enough to acknowledge the part that God played in the wonder that was our own birth.
The last of the Judges, Samson, is certainly a larger-than-life figure. From his angel-announced birth to his final act of pulling down the Temple of Dagon, it is harder to identify with him than with any of the other judges that God raised up. After him there is strife and open warfare among the tribes of Israel and I finished the book feeling less than hopeful for the Israelites. So, I was glad to read through the Book of Ruth with its story of devotion, love and redemption. There is also the wonderful twist that Ruth is a Moabite (descendants of Abraham's nephew Lot), an outsider to Israel, who ends up being the great-grandmother of [SPOILER ALERT] --- the great King David whom we will eventually meet in the upcoming Books of Samuel.
And so the reading on this day ends with the birth and dedication of Samuel to the LORD. Have you noticed how many times already that God has answered the prayers of women or couples who are childless, and those children go on to do great things for the LORD and God's people? We all are dedicated to the LORD's service in one way or another. Perhaps you and I don't stop long enough to acknowledge the part that God played in the wonder that was our own birth.
As I think I see it, God of the Pentateuch's first four books is not only jealous, but like a first-time parent. He expects perfection in worship from his children, but "step out of line, kid, and you've had it." Moses can temper God's reaction sometimes. In Deuteronomy, the love of God for his children is stressed for the first time, although the punishment for sins remains the same.
ReplyDeleteConcurrently, God directs affairs to the Israelites' benefit. Questions: How do we know today what is truly God's will (or grace) and not our own desires? Are we to demand proofs of God's will, a la Gideon? Would we even believe the proofs? How do we "let go, and let God"?
The book of Judges helps me feel that God's love for those who love him can overlook a multitude of defects (i.e. Sampson). And, Ruth is a love story for all.