Summary:
It was a time of no king in Isreal. The promise land had been taken through war or compromise. The tribes had mingled with other religions, beliefs and peoples. The priesthood was weak and so where those who followed God. It is good to note that in these days Isreal was oppressed by other nation because of there sin. Prayers would rise to God for help and because of this God rose up Judges.
Things I Noticed:
1. The five lords of the Philistines. (They had five rulers. Is that like five great houses?)
2. Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. (So Caleb's nephew was a judge.)
The Journey this year has taken me to places where I could not get word out. I final gotten to a place where I can get word out to you my dear friends. Isaiah and I are still traveling together. I do know what else we will talk about next but this prophet is strange company. Till we meet again, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.
Things I Noticed:
1. The five lords of the Philistines. (They had five rulers. Is that like five great houses?)
2. Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. (So Caleb's nephew was a judge.)
3. Ehud... the Benjaminite, a left handed man.
4. Has not the Lord God commanded you,
5. March on my soul, with might!
6. Have they not found and divided the spoils?- A womb or two for everyman;
7. Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide from the Midianites. (Is this cowardice or cleverness?)
8. Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am least in my farher's house. (God likes using the least.)
9. He was too afraid of his family and men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.
10. And Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his city, in Ophrah. And all of Isreal whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. (Instead of leading his people to righteousness his ignorance lead them to a false priesthood and adultery.)
11. Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitue. (God use those who are shunned.)
12. Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. (A party of alcohol, food and who knows what else!?)
13. Samson's wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.
14. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him...And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey...
15. Samson went to Gaza, and there he saw a prostitue, and he went in to her. (Samson has relations with a whore. What kinda of judge is he?)
16. The Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bond him in bronze shackles. And he ground the mill in the prison. (It is ironic that his eyes which drew him into so much sin where taken by his enemy.)
17. Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him. (Sodomites said such things, this tells us the depravity of which the tribe of Benjamin had reached during this time.)
18. So the man seized his concubine and made her go out to them. And they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. (This was wrong on both sides. The man giving up his lover to be raped and abuse rather then protect her.)
19. In those days there was no king in Isreal. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
The Journey this year has taken me to places where I could not get word out. I final gotten to a place where I can get word out to you my dear friends. Isaiah and I are still traveling together. I do know what else we will talk about next but this prophet is strange company. Till we meet again, Read up, Post up, and Shalom.
