Judges 8:1 – The men from Ephraim strongly protested Gideon’s actions. They said, “Why did you do this to us? You didn’t invite us to go fight Midian with you.”
First up, what? Ephraim got a message to go into battle against Midian (Judges 7:24-25) and they went. Defeated the enemy. They were called to fight, how you gone be mad? Gideon had to remind them of what they had done (all two minutes after doing it). So often in our lives, we are busy looking at others answering their call that we forget our own. We belittle our contribution in comparison to othrs, but Gideon and Ephraim were fighting the same battle just from different sides. We are all Yahweh’s servants in different parts of the field. Focus on what he wants us to do and not on what he has called someone else to do.
Judges 8:6 – The generals at Succoth replied, “We shouldn’t give your army food. You haven’t captured Zebah and Zalmunna yet.”
Succoth was part of Israelite territory belonging to Gad. This was family. Family who refused to help. Sometimes the places you expect help from, we don’t get it. But move like Gideon and move on in confidence with what Yahweh has called us to do.
Judges 8:27 – Then Gideon used the gold to make an idol and placed it in his hometown, Ophrah. All Israel chased after it there as though it were a prostitute. It became a trap for Gideon and his family.
Why Gideon? Why? Now the “idol” was made in the shape of an ephod. Part of the priestly garments. Gideon did this because he did not follow through on his calling. He was to lead the people still and he said no. It’s not enough for us to start strong, we have to finish strong (I know easier said than done, especially when you consider the magnitude of what Yahweh is calling, but consider today, not the whole thing, just today).
Judges 9:57 – God also paid back the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal, came true.
Yahweh don’t sleep. We may think we got away with our evilness, but Yahweh don’t sleep.
Judges 11:36 – She said to him, “Father, you made a promise to the Lord. Do to me whatever you promised since the Lord has punished your enemy Ammon.”
This story always made me cry growing up. Like why? That’s why we need to be careful about promises that we make. But the other part was: she was truly a daughter of Yahweh. She humbled herself and decided to keep her father’s promises. Not hers. Her father’s.
Judges 13:22 – So Manoah said to his wife, “We will certainly die because we have seen God.”
Now I was not gonna comment about Samson because this story is known the world over, but seriously Manoah? I don’t even have to imagine the look on your wife’s face to know that it was either a look of exasperation or incredulity. Like really? After what he just promised, you think he would kill us?
And I just had to pause cause, sigh. We do the same thing even now. Yahweh spoke to us, made us a promise and then two minutes later think that we’re gonna die because of whatever we’re going through or that he has left us. I roll back my look of incredulity (cause that’s the one I had). I’m sorry.
And why name Manoah and not his wife? That’s not nice. She had great faith #sayhername.
Judges 14:18b – Samson replied, “If you hadn’t used my cow to plow, you wouldn’t know my riddle now.”
Solomon says, “Don’t give your strength to women.” (Proverbs 31:3). This is probably the precursor to this scripture because Samson really gave his strength to women and he knew that. They were his downfall. Though, “used my cow to plow”? Samson, that was not nice.
Samson
Samson was a judge for twenty years which most likely means he did a good bit of good. But we only “note” the bad and outrageous. Samson was only married once. He ruled for twenty years. Most likely his wife was early in the twenty years. He wasn’t married to Delilah. Judges 16:4 says that he fell in love with her. Falling in love is still dangerous though.
Dan
No! No! No! No! No! No! Dan! How could you?!!
So as tempted as I was to research it at the time, I didn’t. But the tribe of Dan is missing from Revelation 7. I was puzzled by it, but withheld my curiosity. As I started reading Judges 18 and saw that Dan did not receive/accept their portion of the land and I thought it had some thing to do with that. And then I kept on reading. Oh Dan. You stole a priest (granted the “priest” was doing wrong, but still). You stole a man’s idol. He was wrong to have an idol, but two wrongs don’t make a right. You threatened the man. Destroyed a peaceful city, set up idols, renounced Yahweh and Jonathan (God has Given), Moses’ grandson served as your priests until?! What? This is the most tragic story. Dan, how could you? Jonathan, how could you?
And Judges 19-21
Always makes me cry. I have no words. But…nope. No words. I honestly forgot that Judges ended with that story or I would not have finished Judges tonight. Imma read over Ruth. Cause no. Just no.