Read Judges 10:6-16
Teenagers are continually saying, "why can't we study a passage we've never read before?" My answer to that is that the Bible is living and active, which makes it different than an ordinary book (Heb 4:12). The Bible is not like a textbook you can read once and then know everything there is to know about it. The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God to speak to our hearts. He illuminates the words and makes them pierce our hearts, bringing us the instruction, conviction, or encouragement that we need. Because of this, you can read the same passage countless times and still hear the Lord speak to you and touch you in different ways. I just wanted to make that clear! However, despite this truth, today I have picked a passage that is unfamiliar to you and that I'm pretty sure you've never studied before. So get excited!
In Judges 10:6-18, we see an incredible story of Israel's disobedience, repentance, and forgiveness. This is a recurring theme in the Old Testament. The Israelites just can't seem to stay out of trouble, and continually repeat the same sins over and over again. Their sin is punished, they repent, and God patiently forgives them again and again. The same general thing is happening in this passage.
In verse 6 we see that the Israelites turned away from the Lord to worship idols and other false gods. Because of their wickedness, God punishes them by giving them over to their enemies (7-9). They suffer for 18 years under their oppressors before they finally repent. It seems unfathomable that they would be so obstinate and unwilling to give up their sin! How often do we hang on to sin, despite the consequences, because we are too stubborn to give it up?
In verses 11-14 God reminds them of His work of deliverance in their lives. Time after time He has intervened and saved them from their enemies. Despite these clear acts of God's work in their lives, they still forsook Him. He tells them in 14 to go and cry out to their idols and false gods for help instead of Himself! After this rebuke, they finally feel conviction of their sins and come to God in repentance. They didn't just passively confess their sins, but they actively turned away from them and got rid of their idols. This is true repentance!
This next statement blows me away. Verse 16b states, "and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer." I love this picture of God. He is not a mean overseer like your school principal, trying to catch you doing something wrong so He can punish you. He deeply loves you and takes no delight in seeing you suffer! He longs for you to repent and come back to Him. He passes judgment on the wicked because He is a righteous and just God, not because He enjoys it. Sin simply must be punished.
Oftentimes I hear people describe distorted pictures of God that are nothing like Him in reality. This passage reveals that our God is just, hates sin, and will certainly punish it. However, we also see that He is a forgiving God who shows mercy on repentant sinners, and that He is grieved over the misery of His people. What an amazing depiction of God that is! Thank Him today for His mercy and forgiveness~
