King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Tuesday, April 02, 2019
Chapters: Judges 8-9
Message: Pursuing Victory In Christ
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today I could not help, but keep thinking about the terrible state of our own nations. All over the world people are doing what is right in their own eyes, they want leaders that agree to their immoral and wicked behaviors, and if they do not get them are willing to do anything to stop them. To be a Christian in this day and age is about as dangerous as it was in the early days when so many were martyred for their faith. This is all the more reason that faithful Christians need to unite as one to stand up to these reprobates, and stop living in fear, we should all have the faith of Stephen, the first Christian to be martyred, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” – Acts 7:55-56,59-60.
“Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” If I was about to lose my life in the hands of those that despise me for my faith in Jesus I do not know if I could say the same thing. Even when Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, “Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34), but let me tell you, forgiving those who wrong us is never about a person not getting the justice deserved for what they have done, it is always about getting our heart right so that God can do His work. Remember, He gets the vengeance. Yesterday we read about Gideon, and how he led three hundred men into a battle that God oversaw, and successfully defeated thousands of Midianites. The two kings fled, Gideon and his men pursued after them.
“And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them. And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army? And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the host. And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks.” – Judges 8:4-7,12,15-16,21.
“faint, yet pursuing them.” Why did Gideon punish these men for refusing to give them food? They mocked him, which was why he brought the kings back with them to show them he captured them. This was a chastening meant to teach them to be more compassionate and wiser in their treatment of Israel, who by the way, was freeing them from the oppression of the Midianites as well. Faithful Christians have a race to run, are often faint, and yet keep pursing after the promises of God. The “Christian” world has no idea the struggle a true Christian faces as they fight a never ending battle to maintain their faith, but find every bit of strength they can to keep going knowing that it is Jesus who will supply their every need, and above all, is their strength to keep reaching for the victory. Praise God! “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.” – I Corinthians 9:24.
“that ye may obtain.” Gideon ran his race, and all of Israel won because of it. After their victory, the people were eager for a king, they urged Gideon and his son to reign over them. While flattered, Gideon declined the offer, he would not rule nor wanted any of his sons to rule over them either. And for forty years there was peace for Israel, but in those forty years something was brewing that would form quickly the second Gideon died.
“Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you. Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon. And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for he had many wives. And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech. And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and made Baalberith their god. Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal, namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto Israel.” – Judges 8:22-23,28,30-33,35.
“as soon as Gideon was dead,” This is where it was really becoming apparent that the people of Israel did not care to have God rule over them, they wanted a king, and only one that would benefit them. The world does not want what God has to feed them, they want what feeds their lust, and they will forsake God in a heartbeat to have their lusts fed. So, now we come to the sad event in which Abimelech, Gideon’s son killed all his half brothers, but one so that he can become a king.
“And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself. And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem. And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands; But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.” – Judges 9:1-2,5-7,16,20.
“and made Abimelech king,” And this is how, we as a nation fall into a wicked and corrupt society. There are three things that fuel this world, lust, greed, and covetousness, people are never satisfied with what they have, always wanting what someone else has, and are willing to do whatever it takes to get it. Abimelech paid the men of Shechem to help him kill his brothers so he could take the throne his father refused. However, God was watching all this, waiting for the right time to get vengeance, it took three years, but God’s justice was served.
“Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren. Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull. Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died. And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.” – Judges 9:23-24,50-55.
“Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem;” The evil spirit behind all evil is the devil himself, and I believe this is why God has not cast him into hell just yet, there is too much evil left in this world that God uses the devil to fight among each other. Jesus said, “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.” – Mark 3:25-26.
“he cannot stand, but hath an end.” While faithful Christians do have a race to run, we must never forget that, to be absent from this body means we will be present with Jesus, and no matter what happens to us we have an amazing eternal life planned for us that will begin with Jesus. Praise God! However, the devil cannot say that, and his people are so divided that they are going to literally kill each other until none will be left. Of course, all evil will have an end when Jesus returns, and gathers all His saints to their forever place, but until them we must not live in fear, but rather in faith, knowing that we have eternity awaiting us. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:1-2.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.” – Judges 8:23.
Today’s Prayer: God, It truly is amazing that You have not sent Your Son already as the world is becoming so dark and wicked. However, You are patient in that not one soul who believes in Your Son should not perish, but have everlasting life, and until that time You have Your faithful witnesses here to keep spreading the Gospel, to find those lost souls. Lord, You know that there is evil all around us, and that Your people are being martyred more than ever, we tired, faint, and worn out, but we keep going, pursuing the enemy so that we can led as many as we can to victory in Christ. Lead us and guide us, put Your hedge of protection around us, give us Your strength to stand by our faith, and let us boldly proclaim Christ, and not be intimidated by the devil, and his minions who are out to stop us. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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