The Greatest Judge

Bible Reading:  John 5:19-47

Key Verse: Verse 22– “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:”

Key Words: hath committed all judgment unto the Son

Dr. John Phillips, who has since gone home to be with the Lord, said about John 5:22: “The fact that the Lord Jesus is the universal judge means that He has personal knowledge of all the countless human beings in all the ages of history.  He has detailed acquaintance with the endless variety of circumstances of each and every individual.  He knows the character of each one of us.  He knows our motives, opportunities, hidden passions, mental ability, thoughts, desires, words, and acts.  He knows the lasting influence for better or for worse of our every act and look.  Moreover, He has a perfect grasp of all the laws of God by which to judge the world.  And He has the absolute right to pass eternal sentence, with no court of appeal and with no cases dismissed.  In other words, the Lord was claiming, in no uncertain terms, to be God over all.”

Dr. Arthur Glasser quotes an anonymous rabbi who has said, “A time is coming for all men when they will be either wish they were born again, or wish they had never been born at all.”

Batesville, Arkansas, resident Johnny Harrington lost his mother in 1991.  Before the funeral he threw a party for his dead mother.  He propped her up in the casket and put a beer in one hand and a cigarette in her other hand.  When questioned about what he had done, he simply said, “I did exactly what she told me to – and I would do it again.”  Although many would not espouse to Mr. Harrington’s actions, many are adopting his trivialized view of death.  Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that a beer can and a cigarette aren’t what await us after death.

No one will escape standing before the greatest of all judges.  The question is: Will you stand before Him at the Judgment Seat as a believer or at the Great White Throne as a non-believer?  The choice is yours.

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞ Live your life as if the judge is watching, because He is.

The Judge Who Lost His Power

Bible Reading:  Matthew 25:1-28

Key Verse: Verse 25 – “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.”

Key Words: hid thy talent in the earth

Everyone knows the story of Samson and Delilah.  It just seems as though Samson couldn’t resist the Philistine women.  So now we find Samson with this Philistine harlot, Delilah, which eventually leads to his death.  The story and life of Samson is filled with sorrow, but to me the saddest part is when Samson was so far away from God that he didn’t even know that God had departed from him.

I believe today we have many believers who sit in our church pews in just such a spiritual condition as Samson.  They are trying to fight spiritual battles never realizing the power of God has departed from them because they are living in sin.  How sad!!

Reminds me of a story I read recently.  “In his book Spiritual Stamina, Stuart Briscoe tells the story of a man who bought a new computer.  Bringing his new prize home, he carefully opened the box, gingerly took the machine out, studied its manual, and connected the wires.  Eagerly he flipped on the power switch – but nothing happened.  Puzzled, the man switched the computer off and rechecked all the connections.  He rounded up a screwdriver and fastened the wires more securely.  He read again the relevant portion of the manual.  Satisfied that he’d followed directions, he flipped the computer on – and again nothing happened.  As his anger rose, the man’s little girl walked into the room.

“’Hi, Daddy!’ her cheery voice rang out.  ‘What a pretty computer!  Can I plug it in?’”

 

 I trust today you are plugged in to the right power source.

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞ Evaluate your power source today.

1. How’s your prayer life?  Are you living with unconfessed sin?
2. Are you currently living in sin?
3. Do you have a close relationship with God?  Do you walk with Him and talk with Him and witness for Him?
4. Is your relationship with fellow believers right?

Pastor’s Note:  The Scripture does not specifically state that Delilah was a Philistine, but she lived in the valley of Sorek (verse 4) which was a region of Philistine-held territory.

The Judge Who Married Out Of God's Will

Bible Reading:  Judges 15

Key Verse: Verse 2   – “And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.”

Key Words: I gave her to thy companion

There are two events in Chapter fifteen which immediately grabs our attention.  The first event is when Samson catches three hundred foxes and ties their tails together and sets them on fire sending them running through the Philistine corn fields.

His second act that grabs our attention is when Samson takes the jawbone of an ass and slew a thousand Philistines.

But understand, this conflict all began when he went down to Timnath and took a Philistine to be his wife.  All of this began when he married out of God’s will.

Four-year-old Suzie had just been told the story of “Snow White” for the first time in her life.  She could hardly wait to get home from nursery school to tell her mommy.  With wide-eyed excitement, she retold the fairy tale to her mother that afternoon.  After relating how Prince Charming had arrived on his beautiful white horse and kissed Snow White back to life, Suzie asked loudly: “And do you know what happened then?”  

“Yes,” said her mom, “they lived happily ever after.”

“No,” responded Suzie, with a frown,”...they got married.”

A lady wanted to marry four different men in her lifetime.  She said each one would help her with the four things she needed the most.  First, she wanted to marry a banker – second, a movie star – next, a clergyman – and finally, a funeral director.  When asked why, she answered, “One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go!”

Marrying out of God’s will is disastrous.  Charles Wesley once said that his wedding day was the beginning of the worst days of his life.  Marry in God’s will.

                                                                                         Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do before you marry:

✞ Get your parents’ approval of who you want to marry.

✞  Get your pastor’s approval.

✞ But most of all, make sure you have God’s approval.

Samson Went Down

Bible Reading: Judges 14

Key Verse: Verse 1 – “And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines.”

Key Words: And Samson went down

Anytime you’re going down, it’s never a good thing.  Samson did several wrongs. 

 

First of all, he married a woman of the Philistines, no doubt marrying out of God’s will.  Secondly, on his way to Timnath Samson was attacked by a lion, which he killed; but on his second journey to Timnath, he came across the carcase of this dead lion and found a swarm of bees and honey in it.  He scooped the honey out and ate it, but remember his Nazarite vow – he was to have no contact with the dead, thus he broke his Nazarite vow to God.  Samson had sinned.  

Today we try to be politically correct when talking about sin.  We call it a mistake, an error in judgment, a slip, a weakness; but the truth is, it is sin.

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard, from Australia who preached very strongly on the subject of sin.  After the service, one of the church officers came to counsel with him in the study.  “Dr. Howard,” he said, “we don’t want you to talk as openly as you do about man’s guilt and corruption, because if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject they will more easily become sinners.  Call it a mistake if you will, but do not speak so plainly about sin.”  The minister took down a small bottle and showing it to the visitor said, “You see that label?  It says strychnine – and underneath in bold, red letters the word ‘Poison’!  Do you know, man, what you are asking me to do?  You are suggesting that I change the label.  Suppose I do, and paste over it the words, ‘Essence of Peppermint’, don’t you see what might happen?  Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die.  So it is, too, with the matter of sin.  The milder you make your label, the more dangerous you make your poison!”  

Now isn’t that the truth?  Today we need to love people and part of that love is being truthful and calling sin what it is – sin.

 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Remember, it’s easier to go downhill than it is to go uphill.

Samson, the Nazarite

Bible Reading: Judges 13

Key Verse: Verse 5 - “For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Key Words: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God

The Nazarite vow consisted in a person consecrating their life to God for a fixed period.  As for Samson, it was a lifelong vow.  The vow consisted of abstaining from wine and the fruit of the vine from which wine could be produced.  Secondly, a Nazarite was not to cut his hair.  Now while Paul said it was a shame for a man to have long hair (I Corinthians 11:14), the vow of a Nazarite was to have long hair in order to bear the shame.  Last of all, the Nazarite vow consisted of not going near a dead body as the dead body was considered unclean.  This was a vow to keep God first, to keep oneself clean from worldly defilement, and to live humbly for God.  It was a promise to God which Samson failed to keep.

I am afraid today we are a lot like Samson: a lot of empty promises.  

Reminds me of a story: “A pilot and his navigator had been shot down and were adrift at sea in their tiny lifeboat.  After several days without food, water, and any hope of rescue, the pilot began to pray.  He said, ‘God, you know I haven’t lived a very good life.  I’ve been a miserable husband and a terrible father, I’ve cheated, lied and stolen, and haven’t had any use for the church.  But God, if you’ll save us from dying out here, I promise I’ll never – .‘  The navigator interrupted, ‘Don’t say another word!  I think I see land!’”

So before you get too hard on Samson, think about some of the promises you’ve made today which you’ve not kept!

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞ Rededicate yourself to fulfill your “vows” to God.

Abdon

Bible Reading: Judges 12:13-15

Key Verse: Verse 14 – “And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.”

Key Words: And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts

Abdon did nothing except “out-Jair” Jair.  Talk about keeping up with the Jones family!  As we have seen in chapter 10, Jair had thirty sons – but Abdon had forty sons and also thirty nephews.  It must have been quite a sight to see that man ride out of town with his sons and nephews.  You would have a parade of Jaguars, Mustangs, Pintos, and Cougars like you had never seen before.  They call the little donkey the “mocking bird” or “lark” of the desert because he can really bray.  Just think of all those braying donkeys!  That is all Abdon contributed.  That isn’t much, friend.

All of us leave behind a legacy, something for which we are remembered...reminds me of the concert impresario, Sol Hurok.  He liked to say that opera singer, Marian Anderson, hadn’t simply grown great, she’d grown great simply.  He says, “A few years ago a reporter interviewed Marian and asked her to name the greatest moment in her life.  I was in her dressing room at the time and was curious to hear the answer.  I knew she had many big moments to choose from.  There was the night Italian conductor Toscanini told her that hers was the finest voice of the century.  There was also a private concert she gave at the White House for the Roosevelts and the King and Queen of England.  She had received the $10,000 Bok Award as the person who had done the most for her hometown, Philadelphia.  To top it all, there was that Easter Sunday in Washington when she stood beneath the Lincoln statue and sang for a crowd of 75,000 which included Cabinet members, Supreme Court Justices, and most members of Congress.  Which of those big moments did she choose?”  “None of them,” said Hurok.  “Miss Anderson told the reporter that the greatest moment of her life was the day she went home and told her mother she wouldn’t have to take in washing anymore.”

What is the greatest moment of your life?

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Gather your family or your Sunday School class or your school class or some friends together and discuss the greatest moment of their lives.

Elon

Bible Reading: Judges 12:11-12 and Proverbs 14:23-27

Key Verses: verse 11 & Proverbs 14:23 –  “And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.” (vs 11)  “In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.” (vs23)

Key Words: And after him Elon (vs 11)  In all labour there is profit (vs 23)

Two things are said about Elon: he judged Israel for ten years; and Elon, the Zebulonite, died.

Apparently, all Elon did was twiddle his thumbs because we know “in all labor there is profit.”

In his book The Normal Christian Worker, the Chinese teacher Watchman Nee listed the character qualities needed for effective Christian service.  Chapter one is devoted to “Diligence.”  Noting that our Lord criticized the man in his parable in Matthew 25:24-30 as being both “wicked” and “slothful,” Nee warns his readers about laziness, saying: “Look at the apostles.  How diligent they were!  Think of the colossal amount of work Paul accomplished in a lifetime.  See him traveling from place to place, preaching the gospel wherever he goes, or reasoning intently with individuals; even when he is put in prison, he is still buying up opportunities – preaching to all who come in contact with him and writing to those from whom he has been cut off.  Read what he writes to Timothy from prison: ‘Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.’  Imprisonment might restrict Paul’s outward movements, but it could not limit the effectiveness of his ministry.  What spiritual wealth he ministered through his prison epistles!  There was not a shred of laziness about Paul; he was always taking time by the forelock.”

Evidently Elon had no diligent spirit at all to accomplish things for God – which makes me wonder: what will people say and write about us years from now?

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞ Be diligent in your service for God.

Ibzan

Bible Reading: Judges 12:8-10 and Matthew 6:31-34

Key Verses: Judges 12:9 and Matthew 6:33 – “And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.” (vs 9)  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (vs 33)

Key Words: And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters (vs 9) But seek ye first the kingdom of God (vs33)

Ibzan, the tenth judge of Israel, seemingly accomplished nothing other than finding mates for his family.  Ibzan, according to some authors, gave his full concentration to family.  Now, there’s certainly nothing wrong with spending time with our family, but that was not all he was called to do – nor is it all we are called to do.

We should each focus more on that which is eternal rather than that which is temporary.

Over the triple doorways of the cathedral of Milan there are three inscriptions spanning the splendid arches.  Over one is carved a beautiful wreath of roses, and underneath it is the legend, “All which pleases is but for a moment.”

Over the other is sculptured a cross, and there are the words, “All which troubles is but for a moment.”

But underneath the great central entrance to the main aisle is the inscription, “That only is important which is eternal.”

If we always realize these three truths, we will not let trifles trouble us, nor be interested so much in the passing pleasures of the hour.  We should live for the permanent and the eternal.

Evidently Ibzan didn’t apply this principle.  I trust you will.

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞ Spend time with your family; but remember, we are here to live for that which is eternal.

Ephraim and Pride

Bible Reading:  Judges 12:1-7

Key Verse: Verse  6  – “Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.”

Key Words: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand

Jephthal’s victory over the Ammonites was followed by a quarrel with the Ephraimites who challenged his right to go to war without their consent (which he did not need).  A battle ensued between Jephthah and his army and the Ephraimites.  Jephthah and his army slayed forty-two thousand from the tribe of Ephraim.  That’s quite a huge price to pay because of their pride.

A pastor friend said to me on one occasion, “You know, I preached this terrific message one Sunday, and afterward, boy, the comments were terrific.  There was one great comment after another.  I was so glad to see the people realized it was an outstanding message.”

Then he went home.  His wife was busy trying to get lunch on the table and the five kids seemed to be everywhere at once.  Rather than “Welcome home, O great orator (or whatever else she might want to say),” he heard from the kitchen, “Honey, the baby’s dirty.  Would you change him?”  That’s the first comment he got when he got home.  So he thought, “That’s an awfully lowly task for someone who just preached such a fantastic message.”  But he got the baby cleaned up.  Then she said, “The garbage needs to be dumped too.  It’s been here for a couple of days.”  He thought, “This is terrible.”  But he did it.

Finally lunch was ready and they came to the table, and sat down, ready to eat.  He said, “Well, what did you think of the message?”  He was all ready for her to just go wild over it.  She said, “Honey, I heard them at the door today and they said enough to last for two weeks.”

Sometime when you’re feeling important,

Sometime when your ego’s way up;

Sometime when you take it for granted

That you are the prize-winning “pup;”

Sometime when you feel that your absence

Would leave an unfillable hole,

Just follow these simple instructions,

And see how it humbles you soul.

Take a bucket and fill it with water,

Put your hand in it up to your wrist.

Now pull it out fast and the hole that remains

Is the measure of how you’ll be missed.

You may splash all you please as you enter,

And stir up the water galore,

But STOP and you’ll find in a minute,

It’s back where it was before.

                                                                                     Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Remember that pride does come before destruction.  Really, it does!!

Jephthah and His Hasty Vow

Bible Reading:  Judges 11:12-40

Key Verse: Verse 30 – “And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,”

Key Words: And Jephthah vowed a vow

 

Jephthah’s vow to God  was in essence “if you will allow me to lead Israel to victory, I’ll sacrifice to you ‘whatsoever comes forth of  the doors of my house to meet me (verse 30).’”  And in verse 34 we read, “...and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him.”

There are two schools of thought here.  First of all, there are those who believe that Jephthah’s vow was his daughter would remain a virgin all the days of her life.  Secondly, there are those who believe that he literally sacrificed his daughter.  Whichever one you believe, we do know that Jephthah kept his vow.  

That reminds me of the wealthy oil tycoon who laid on his deathbed, his pastor talked of God’s healing power.  “Pastor,” he gasped, “if God heals me, I’ll give the church a million dollars.”  Miraculously, the man revived and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital.  One day, several months later, he and the pastor chatted on the sidewalk in front of a hardware store.  “You know,” the pastor said, “when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well.  We haven’t got it yet.”  “Did I say that?” the tycoon asked.  “I guess that goes to show how sick I really was!”

I’m afraid today that our churches are filled with more tycoons than Jephthahs.

 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it...”  Ecclesiastes 5:4a

Jephthah and Revenge

Bible Reading: Judges 11:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 6 – “And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that we may fight with the children of Ammon.”

Key Words: Come, and be our captain

Jephthah was an illegitimate son of Gilead.  Because of this, he was rejected by his brothers and banished from his father’s house.  Jephthah took up residence at Tob, a district of Syria.  Here he became the leader of a marauding party and when war broke out between Israel and the Ammonites, his brothers had to eat crow and come begging for his help.  Jephthah consented on one condition: if he led Israel to victory, he automatically became their leader, which they willingly agreed to.

Now the moral of the story is this: be careful how you treat others for one day they may have the opportunity to get even.

“Some fellows were stationed in Korea during the Korean War.  While there, they hired a local boy to cook and clean for them.  Being a bunch of jokesters, these guys soon took advantage of the boy’s seeming naivete.  They’d smear Vaseline on the stove handles so that when he’d turn the stove on in the morning he’d get grease all over his fingers.  They’d put little water buckets over the door so that he’d get deluged when he opened the door.  They’d even nail his shoes to the floor during the night.  Day after day the little fella took the brunt of their practical jokes without saying anything.  No blame, no self-pity, no temper tantrums.

“Finally the men felt guilty about what they were doing, so they sat down with the young Korean and said, ‘Look, we know these pranks aren’t funny anymore, and we’re sorry.  We’re never gonna take advantage of you again.’

“It seemed too good to be true to the houseboy. ‘No more sticky on stove?’ he asked.

“’Nope.’

“’No more water on door?’

“’No.’

“’No more nail shoes to floor?’

“’Nope, never again.’

“’Okay,’ the boy said with a smile, ‘no more spit in soup.’”

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Treat people with kindness.  You never know when and where you’ll see them again.

The Judge With Thirty Donkeys

Bible Reading: Judges 10:3-5

Key Verse: Verse  4 – “And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.”

Key Words: And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts

Now Jair isn’t known for much but his grandson killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath.

J. Vernon McGee says of Jair.

“In Jair’s story I can see three things: (1) prosperity without purpose; (2) affluence without influence; (3) prestige without power.

“In that day a donkey was a mark of prosperity.  That was the thing that denoted a man’s wealth.  For example, Judges 5:10 says, ‘Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.’  This verse speaks about the upper echelon, or the establishment.  The donkey was a mark of wealth and was the animal that kings rode upon.  There has always been a question about whether or not they had horses in that day.  In Scripture the little donkey is the animal of peace and the horse is the animal of war (the horse was imported into that land).  But the little donkey was actually the mark of prosperity and the mark of a king.

“Jair was obviously a man of wealth and prominence to be able to afford thirty donkeys.  He gave each one of his sons a donkey, so he must have had a thirty-car garage!  This was the mark of a benevolent father.  He was generous, and I think he spoiled his sons.  He got them what they wanted.  They lived in the lap of luxury and with golden spoons in their mouths.  Donkeys probably came in several models, and Jair bought each son the latest thing.  But did these donkeys bring glory to God?  Did they make Jair a better judge?  Did they bring blessing to the people?  Did any one of these boys go out as a missionary?  No.  They lived in Gilead.

“Years ago a high school class in the state of Washington came up with this motto for their graduating class: ‘Pep without purpose is piffle.’  Well, it is not much of a motto but it certainly expresses present-day conditions.  We have prosperity but without purpose.  May I ask you what the goal of your life is?  Is it pointless?  Is it aimless?  Have you found life pretty boring?  Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, ‘How stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me the uses of this world.’  What we need today is direction and dimension in our lives.  We need a cause, and the cause of Jesus Christ is still the greatest challenge any man can have.  Old Jair was some judge, wasn’t he?”

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse                                                                                                                                                                                    

What to do: 

✞ Live your life, not for worldly goals, but for God’s glory.

Do Something

Bible Reading: Judges 10:1-2 and I Chronicles 7:1-5

Key Verse: Judges 10:2 – “And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.”

Key Words: And he judged Israel twenty and three years

Maybe you’ve never heard of Tola.  If not, it’s perfectly fine for he did nothing noteworthy.  The only thing said about Tola is that he judged Israel twenty-three years, and he died and was buried.

You know, I know a lot of Tola’s.  They have within their power and ability to accomplish great things, but they rest in their lofty palaces and do not do one thing for God’s kingdom.  Our churches are filled with Tola’s.  What a shame!

Many are like Tola because they fail to answer five basic questions about their life.

1. Who are you?

2. Why are you here?

3. Where are you going?

4. How do you get there?

5. What will you do when you get there?

How you answer those questions will determine what you accomplish for God.

An article in Newsweek titled “Advice to a (Bored) Young Man” sheds light on the life of one individual whose life was one of exploration and discovery.

“Many people reading this page are doing so with the aid of bifocals.  Inventor? Benjamin Franklin, age 79.

The presses that printed this page were powered by electricity.  One of the first harnessers?  B. Franklin, age 40.

Some are reading this on the campus of one of the Ivy League universities.  Founder?  B. Franklin, age 45.

Others, in a library.  Who founded the first library in America?  B. Franklin, age 25.

Who started the first fire department?  B. Franklin, age 31.

Who invented the lightning rod?  B. Franklin, age 43.

Who designed a heating stove still in use today?  B. Franklin, age 36.

Wit.  Conversationalist.  Economist.  Philosopher.  Diplomat.  Printer.  Publisher.  Linguist (he spoke and wrote five languages).  Advocate of paratroopers (from balloons) a century before the airplane was invented.  All this until age 84.

And he had exactly two years of formal schooling.  It’s a good bet that you already have more sheer knowledge than Franklin ever had when he was your age.

Perhaps you think there’s no use trying to think of anything new, that everything’s been done.  Wrong...Go do something about it.”

 

                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞ Something that brings glory to God!

Abimelech, Part 3

Bible Reading: Judges 9:50-57

Key Verse: Verse 54 – “Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.”

Key Words: And his young man thrust him through, and he died

As you read the verses in today’s devotion, you read in verse 56 that God brought wickedness upon Abimelech because he had disgraced his father in killing seventy brethren.

You simply do not disgrace God or the man of God.  That’s not just a fact of life, it’s a fact of Scripture (I Timothy 5:19, Numbers 12).

Abimelech was the only judge to win leadership by “force.”  Every other judge was raised up to stand against evil – Abimelech was that evil.

The wheels of God’s justice sometimes grind slowly but they grind surely.

The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong disdain for “religious” things.  As he plowed his field on Sunday morning, he would shake his fist at the church people who passed by on their way to worship.  October came and the farmer had his finest crop ever – the best in the entire county.  When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local paper which belittled the Christians for their faith in God.  Near the end of his diatribe he wrote, “Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper.”  The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite.  In the next edition of the local paper, a small ad appeared.  It read simply, “God doesn’t always settle His accounts in October.”

 Amen!

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞ There is an old saying, remember it well: “I have met the enemy and it is me.”

A Treacherous Judge, Part 2

Bible Reading: Judges 9:22-49

Key Verse: Verse 45 – “And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.”

Key Words: and beat down the city

Merrill Unger, a noteworthy archeologist and theologian, says in regard to these verses.

Zebul, the ruler of Shechem, sent word to Abimelech of the revolt, and requested him to place himself in ambush that night, and be prepared to surprise Gaal in the morning.  As expected, Gaal started out in the morning, was met and defeated by Abimelech, and prevented by Zebul from entering the city.  The next day the people went out into the field, possibly to continue their vintage, and Abimelech slew them with two of his companions, while with his other two he seized the city gates.  After fighting against the city all day he took it, destroyed it utterly, and strewed it with salt.  When the inhabitants of the town of Shechem heard of the fate of the city, they took themselves to the temple of Baal-berith.  Their purpose in so doing was evidently not to defend themselves, but to seek safety at the sanctuary of their god from the vengeance of Abimelech.  When he heard of this, Abimelech went with his men to Mount Zalmon, and brought from thence branches of trees.  These were piled against the building and set on fire.  The building was consumed with all its occupants, about one thousand men and women.

Selfish men are the most treacherous and dangerous of all men for they think only of themselves and destroy anything or anyone who they see as “the enemy.”  Eventually this always comes back to haunt them.

Ralph L. Woods: An ambitious farmer, unhappy about the yield of his crops, heard of a highly recommended new seed corn.  He bought some and produced a crop that was so abundant his astonished neighbors asked him to sell them a portion of the new seed.  But the farmer, afraid that he would lose a profitable competitive advantage, refused.

The second year the new seed did not produce as good a crop, and when the third-year crop was still worse, it dawned upon the farmer that his prize corn was being pollinated by the inferior grade of corn from his neighbors’ fields.

When we think only of ourselves, trouble is right around the corner.

 

                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Abimelech, Part 1

Bible Reading: Judges 9:1-21

Key Verse: Verse 6 – “And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.”

Key Words: and went and made Abimelech king

Abimelech is the only judge in the Bible to win leadership through treachery.

Abimelech knew that the nation wanted Gideon to rule over them. Since he was the son of Gideon, he wanted to become their king.  He goes to his mother’s people who are in Shechem and persuades them to follow him.  Amid all this, he kills his seventy brothers so that he would have no competition or confrontation.  However, we do reap what we sow as we will see in a future devotion.

The moral of the story is this: make sure you know who you befriend as they may turn out to be your undoing.

In one of Aesop’s Fables is “The Man and His Two Sweethearts.”

“A man, whose hair was turning grey, had two sweethearts, an old woman and a young one.  The elder didn’t like having him look so much younger than herself; so, whenever he came to see her, she pulled the dark hairs out of his head to make him look old.  The younger didn’t like him to look older than herself, and pulled out the grey hairs, to make him look young.  Between them, they left not a hair in his head, and he became perfectly bald.

Abimelech is about to find out that those who sided with him are about to pick him bald.

 

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞ Follow the lead of your Godly father and you’ll stay out of trouble.  Just ask Abimelech.