God's Mercy Toward His People (Judges 3:1-4)

12/12/2009 5:57 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                              Focus:  God’s mercy toward His people

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Judges 3:1-4

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; 2  only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly). 3  These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4  They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses.”

            This SD begins a new chapter in Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on Judges, “Be Available” and the title of this chapter is “The Weapons of Our Warfare.”  The first division is “Othniel:  the power of God and it covers the first eleven verses of chapter three.  The first sub-division is the subject of today’s SD.

            God could have destroyed Israel for not obeying His commands in getting rid of the remaining Canaanite nations, but God had a purpose for Israel and so they remained, but there would be war in order for the Lord to “train Israel” and to “test Israel.”  War is not fun, but God used these wars against these Canaanites to accomplish these two purposes to the next generation of the children of Israel.

            As I read through the book of Judges I can see that God used people who became judges who were a lot of times weak, and the weapons that they used were a lot of times much weaker weapons that were available at the time, yet God was the One choosing the judges and the weapons of warfare.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I like the title of this SD, “God’s mercy toward His People” very much, and I was discouraged by these last subjects that I have been going over in recent SD’s.  I am so thankful for the mercy of God, that is God holding back what I truly deserve.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. I do not want to continue to sin in order for God to show me His mercy.
2. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.

12/12/2009 6:14 AM