Judges 20
Today’s Passage: Judges 20
Have you ever been in a place where your sin has gotten so bad that God actually used it to open up your eyes to how bad it is? Took the calluses off your heart? Turned your heart from numb to feeling? Sometimes we actually have to hit the bottom to look up.
This is what is happening here. During the time of the Judges the people of Israel have rebelled. Judges can be summarized by Judges 21:25...
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
This led them, as it does us, down some dark paths. But maybe none darker than what took place in Judges 19. This chapter is a response to what took place. They can’t even believe that something like this could happen (v.3). But that is what sin does. It always takes us further than we expected to go. We always think that we have sin under control but we never do. It tears apart our life.
But in this case, at least for this chapter, God used this darkness to pull their hearts back to Him. Has God ever done this in your life?
There was...
1) Mourning for sin (v3)
2) Righteous anger toward sin (v.8-11)
3) A desire for repentance (v.12-13)
4) A seeking of God’s desires (v.15-28)
But the tribe of Benjamin did not repent. They went to war. As the people inquired of God, God sent them against Benjamin. It cost them dearly because the judgment of God was against them. Sin doesn’t just take us further than we want to go. Sin costs us more than we want to pay.
There is a lot to be discouraged from in the book of Judges and this chapter is no different. But what is encouraging to me is two things (1) Brokenness for sin and (2) an inquiring of God. God had used sin to bring people back to Him, at least for now.
A couple questions to consider for you today:
1) Is there a brokenness for sin in your heart and life?
2) Is there sin in your life that you need to deal with that you think you have under control?
3) How do you need to seek God’s face and will today?
Written By: Nick Parson
Have you ever been in a place where your sin has gotten so bad that God actually used it to open up your eyes to how bad it is? Took the calluses off your heart? Turned your heart from numb to feeling? Sometimes we actually have to hit the bottom to look up.
This is what is happening here. During the time of the Judges the people of Israel have rebelled. Judges can be summarized by Judges 21:25...
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
This led them, as it does us, down some dark paths. But maybe none darker than what took place in Judges 19. This chapter is a response to what took place. They can’t even believe that something like this could happen (v.3). But that is what sin does. It always takes us further than we expected to go. We always think that we have sin under control but we never do. It tears apart our life.
But in this case, at least for this chapter, God used this darkness to pull their hearts back to Him. Has God ever done this in your life?
There was...
1) Mourning for sin (v3)
2) Righteous anger toward sin (v.8-11)
3) A desire for repentance (v.12-13)
4) A seeking of God’s desires (v.15-28)
But the tribe of Benjamin did not repent. They went to war. As the people inquired of God, God sent them against Benjamin. It cost them dearly because the judgment of God was against them. Sin doesn’t just take us further than we want to go. Sin costs us more than we want to pay.
There is a lot to be discouraged from in the book of Judges and this chapter is no different. But what is encouraging to me is two things (1) Brokenness for sin and (2) an inquiring of God. God had used sin to bring people back to Him, at least for now.
A couple questions to consider for you today:
1) Is there a brokenness for sin in your heart and life?
2) Is there sin in your life that you need to deal with that you think you have under control?
3) How do you need to seek God’s face and will today?
Written By: Nick Parson
No Comments