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Judges Chapter Fifteen（ESV）
1 After some days, at the time of wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife with a young goat. And he said, “I will go in to my wife in the chamber.” But her father would not allow him to go in. 2 And her father said, “I really thought that you utterly hated her, so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister more beautiful than she? Please take her instead.” 3 And Samson said to them, “This time I shall be innocent in regard to the Philistines, when I do them harm.” 4 So Samson went and caught 300 foxes and took torches. And he turned them tail to tail and put a torch between each pair of tails. 5 And when he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines and set fire to the stacked grain and the standing grain, as well as the olive orchards….
14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. 15 And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. 16 And Samson said,
“With the jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps,
with the jawbone of a donkey
have I struck down a thousand men.”
REFLECTION
When Samson learned that his bride has been given to someone else, he took revenge and said: “This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines”. Escalation followed each time with the same kind of thinking that Samson uttered above. It seems that Samson gave no thought to the oppression experienced by the people he led. His vendetta with the Philistines was personal. He hated the Philistines not for what they had done to his people but for what they had done to him personally.
God used Samson’s selfishness to “begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (13:5). But Samson himself is revealed to be a shallow person, without the spiritual depth or concern for the special calling from God of the deliverance of his suffering people.
PRAYERLord, You fulfill Your plans through varied and unexpected means and people, even selfish Samson. “Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.”(Ps 72:18)
Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Judges+014
Judges Chapter Fourteen（ESV）
1 Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.” 3 But his father and mother said to him, “Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.”
4 His father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he was seeking an opportunity against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines ruled over Israel.
5 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done….
19 And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon and struck down thirty men of the town and took their spoil and gave the garments to those who had told the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father's house. 20 And Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
REFLECTION
As Samson’s parents suggest, it is a problem that Samson wants a Philistine wife (v3). His desire probably violated his Nazirite status, which obligated him to keep separate from uncleanness and clearly violated God’s stated intent that the Israelites not collaborate with the peoples of the land. Samson’s rationale is “she is the right one for me”, this self-assertion actually is the preface of the condition of the people in chapters 17-21.
Apparently, God sees Samson’s desire as an “opportunity” (v4) to oppose oppression; but Samson proves ineffective in this regard. His gifts, represented by God’s Spirit are squandered on impressive deeds that have nothing to do with deliverance.
PRAYERLord, You are able to accomplish Your purposes in spite of human shortcomings. Though Samson was physically powerful, he was frail in character, and it was only in the power of Your Spirit that he prevailed. I too have many weaknesses. Holy Spirit, please illuminate my deepest darkness, forgive my sins. Help me to ride with Your wave to accomplish Your will.
Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Judges+013
Judges Chapter Thirteen（ESV）
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” 6 Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. I did not ask him where he was from, and he did not tell me his name, 7 but he said to me, ‘Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb to the day of his death.’”
8 Then Manoah prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, please let the man of God whom you sent come again to us and teach us what we are to do with the child who will be born.” 9 And God listened to the voice of Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field. But Manoah her husband was not with her. 10 So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “Behold, the man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.” 11 And Manoah arose and went after his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.” 12 And Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the child's manner of life, and what is his mission?” 13 And the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Of all that I said to the woman let her be careful. 14 She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
REFLECTION
Like the births of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, Samson’s birth is announced by an angel to a barren woman. Furthermore, Samson is to be set apart from birth as a Nazirite, and God blessed him (v24) including with the presence of God’s Spirit (v25). Expecting a baby is exciting. And it’s even more so to a barren couple.
Both Manoah and his wife were godly people who believed the prediction and asked God to show them how to bring up their son. The angel instructed them once again “your wife must do all that I have told her”.
We who are parents cannot guarantee our children will love the Lord when they grow up for each will have to make their own decision, even if they are a part of the community of faith. After finishing our job to bring up the children as best as we can according to God’s word, no matter how they turn out, we will learn to trust, commit and let go. And we will continue to love them with God’s love.
PRAYER
Lord, sometime I feel very inadequate in bringing up my children (or any other matter of my primary concern). I am petitioning You, for it’s said “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
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Judges Chapter Twelve（ESV）Jephthah's Conflict with Ephraim
1 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand. 3 And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” 4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” 6 they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city in Gilead.
REFLECTION
Jephthah’s unfaithfulness results in a legacy of violence within both his own family and the larger Israelite family, as a bloody civil war claims the lives of forty-two thousand Ephraimites. Consequently, there is no “rest” for the land. Persistent unfaithfulness and disobedience yield increasingly violent and chaotic results as Judges proceeds.
Open today’s newspaper or browse a few news websites, try to make a count of the number of reports on war, murder, robbery for one day. What’s the difference between the society we are in today and that of the era of the Judges? Why is it that despite of the progress in science, medicine, economics, social development and education in the past few thousands of years, our world is still full of violence, oppression and suffering?
Though the Israelites often rebelled against God, God in his unchanging love and mercy has always been with them and deliver them—when they turned and called out to Him for help. This was their hope then, and this is our hope today.
PRAYER
But You, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD, and He answers me from His holy mountain.
I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. (Ps 3:3-6)
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Judges Chapter Eleven（ESV）
30 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, 31 then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the Lord's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.” 32 So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord gave them into his hand. 33 And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.
34 Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; besides her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot take back my vow.” 36 And she said to him, “My father, you have opened your mouth to the Lord; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the Lord has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites.” 37 So she said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions.” 38 So he said, “Go.” Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains. 39 And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel 40 that the daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.
REFLECTION
The actual content of Jephthah’s vow remains a difficult question. Many scholars think he did offer his daughter as a burnt offering while the others think that he dedicated his daughter for the service in the Taberncle and she remained celibacy all her time. Whatever the real answer is, this vow and its fulfillment brought great pain and stress to Jephthah, his daughter and her friends and all the young women of Israel.
Some have misguidedly commended Jephthah for keeping his word, but there is no virtue in keeping a vow that was both unnecessary and unfaithful. And his rash action caused enormous grief to many. His daughter’s weeping and that of her friends (vv37-38) recall the weeping near the beginning and end of Judges (2:4-5; 20:23, 26; 21:2). This reveals the sad state of affairs that inevitably results from unfaithfulness and disobedience to God.
God does not need us to make promises for the future; he wants us to obey NOW.
PRAYER
I desire to do Your will, my God; Your law is within my heart. He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Ps 40:8; Micah 6:8)
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Judges Chapter Ten（ESV）Further Disobedience and Oppression
6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. 7 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8 and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
10 And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” 15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.
REFLECTION
The depth of the apostasy preceding Jephthah is suggested by (1) the list of five nations whose gods Israel served along with the Canaanite Baals and Ashtoreths (v6), (2) severe oppression from both the western Philistines and eastern Ammonites, and (3) God’s expressed unwillingness to save His people even though they repented (vv11-13). All this displays not only Israel’s sin but also God’s compassion in the end. Even though the punishment was deserved, God “could bear Israel’s misery no longer” (v16).
How comforting to remember when we fall that the Lord “does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps 103:10).
PRAYERGod, I praise You and thank You for “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us”. (Ps 103:8-12)
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Judges Chapter Nine (ESV)
7 When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’ 12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’ 14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
16 “Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved— 17 for my father fought for you and risked his life and delivered you from the hand of Midian, 18 and you have risen up against my father's house this day and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative— 19 if you then have acted in good faith and integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. 20 But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the leaders of Shechem and from Beth-millo and devour Abimelech.”
REFLECTION
Gideon’s youngest son, Jothan, escaped when his brothers were slaughtered. His parable about trees was pointed. Those trees which were beneficial to men refused the title. Only the thistle, which was useless, wanted the crown. But the thornbush was not only useless, it was dangerous, for its dry branches were quick to catch and spread fires. Jotham warned the citizens of Shechem. If they had not “acted honorably and in good faith” in making Abimelech king, “let fire come from Abimelech and consume you…and let fire come out from you… and consume Abimelech!” In the end, Abimelech and his coconspirators in Shechem had destroyed each other, just as Jotham predicted.
Jothan’s prediction required no supernatural source. Evil acts always have evil consequences for the perpetrators. Anyone who fails to act honorably and in good faith spreads around his own feet the fuel that will burst into flame and destroy him.
PRAYERHave mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise. (Ps 51:1, 10, 7)
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Judges Chapter Eight (ESV)
Gideon's Ephod
22 Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the Lord will rule over you.” 24 And Gideon said to them, “Let me make a request of you: every one of you give me the earrings from his spoil.” (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) 25 And they answered, “We will willingly give them.” And they spread a cloak, and every man threw in it the earrings of his spoil. 26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was 1,700 shekels of gold, besides the crescent ornaments and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and besides the collars that were around the necks of their camels. 27 And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.
REFLECTION
When Israel broke free of Midian, they requested Gideon and his descendants to rule over them (v22). Gideon refused their request citing God’s exclusive claim on the people (v23). However, after that, Gideon’s ego, rather than God’s law, became his guide. He collected gold jewelries from the Israelites and made an ephod which is the vest worn by the priest. Later on, the Israelites worshiped it. This was the beginning of another of the Israelites’ returns to idolatry.
An overview of Gideon the judge allows us to see that though we may be limited, God still uses us. However, if I do not continue spend time and effort to know and obey God’s law, I can easily become rebellious of God and mislead others.
How much do I know God’s law? How willing am I to obey it? How do I discern God’s will and to follow? How does the Bible help me to listen clearly to God’s voice so that I may follow Him wholeheartedly?
PRAYERTeach me, LORD, the way of Your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep Your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of Your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward Your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to Your word.（Ps 119:33-37）
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Judges Chapter Seven (ESV)
Gideon's Three Hundred Men
1 Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod. And the camp of Midian was north of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ 3 Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.’” Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.
4 And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall go with you,’ shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ shall not go.” 5 So he brought the people down to the water. And the Lord said to Gideon, “Every one who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, every one who kneels down to drink.” 6 And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. 7 And the Lord said to Gideon, “With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.”
REFLECTION
The spiritual perspective of the reduction of Gideon’s fighting force is expressed in v2. It involves the issue of the “credit” for Israel’s victory, and the strategy is meant to ensure that only God gets the “credit”. In Deut 20:1-9, it stated that the Israelites were specifically commanded by God to go to war, they could be assured that God would go with them and secure the victory. They did not need superior weapons or vast numbers of troops. Therefore, when God used Gideon to lead the nation into battle for his purposes, God cut Gideon’s army down from thirty-two thousand men to ten thousand, and eventually to three hundred. God wants to show His power through Gideon. He wants Israel to credit Him and not to be able to take any of the credit themselves.
When have I accomplished things in what I thought was my own strength and taken all the credit while forgetting about God? When have I accomplished things that seemed big and impossible, knowing I did so only because God intervened?
PRAYERLord, I realize that it is not possible for me to wage spiritual warfare effectively in the power of the flesh. Help me remember to stand firm in Christ, to submit to You, and to resist the world, the flesh, and the devil in Your strength.
Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Judges+006
Judges Chapter Six (ESV)
The Call of Gideon
11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”
REFLECTION
Have I gone through a long period when God seemed distant, silent, and stoic to the set of circumstances that have ground the life out of me? When I cried out to Him, did an answer come? If so, how did it come? What scripture did God bring to mind that helped take the focus off of me and put it onto Him? What promise did He give me to trust? What command did He give me to obey?
PRAYER
Dear Lord,
How hard it is for me to see myself as a mighty warrior,
me the runt of the litter.
So often I’ve seen myself as someone merely grinding out my daily bread,
not someone going off to battle.
And yet You’ve singled me out not to farm but to fight.
Help me to go forward in the strength You’ve given me,
trusting Your promise to be with me,
obeying Your command that has sent me,
and focusing on Your adequacy rather than my inadequacy.
Please help me with the image I have of myself as so small and weak…
