NO. NO. NO. PLEASE. DON’T. LEAVE! THIS. IS. NOT. ABOUT. CYCLING.
However, if you want me to talk about cycling I can surely do that. I thought about calling this Circles, but then someone may start singing The Circle of Life or You Got Me Going in Circles or Spinning Wheel.
Seriously, I am going to talk about Cycles.
Have you ever studied or read the Book of Judges? I have found where I pastor that short bursts of studies actually work better than long, drawn-out affairs. What I mean is a study consisting of maybe 2-4 months works better than to say, “We are going to go through the book of Numbers until we are done.” 🙂 So, beginning February 1, I started a “Take a Trip on Route 66” class. You probably have figured out that the class is a trip through the 66 books of the Bible. Tonight, Wednesday, we are in Judges. Can I say this bluntly?
THEY ARE ONE MESSED UP GROUP OF CHRIST-FOLLOWERS ISRAELITES!!
Yeah, that was a Freudian slip there. 🙂 If you have ever studied the book, you know that it is “built around” cycles. There are six of them, and they go like this: Sin, Slavery, Shout Out, Salvation, Sin. Explanation:
Sin- “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”
Slavery- God raises up a foreign nation to overtake and make the Israelites a captive audience.
Shout Out- They get tired of being slaves and living in rotten conditions so they whine cry out to God.
Salvation- God raises up a judge to lead the Israelites against the foreign enemy that is holding them captive.
Sin- They enjoy the freedom and stick with God as long as the judge is alive. The judge dies and it repeats itself over again: “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”
It hit me how much like the Israelites Christ-followers I tend to be. I am fickle. I am hot/cold more than I like to admit. I waver. I compromise. I sometimes find myself doing “what is right in my own eyes.” So the message of Judges hits a bulls-eye located in the center of my chest.
Yep, nothing like God’s Word taking a shot and hitting its mark. Something else…maybe the Older Testament is not so dry and dusty after all. What about you? Do you find yourself in circles? Is there a favorite part of the OT that speaks to your heart? I’d love to hear from you.
I am like a dog chase my tail that I do so many circles!
I love to teach/preach the narrative of the Old Testament – use to think it was dry but it is more like an afternoon soap opera!
Sorry that I have not been around much – the crazy season of life continues for me.
Been there done that Jim. LOL about your description of the OT. No apology necessary my friend. I understand the ministry seasons. Go for it!
I recall in my youth reading the books of Judges and thinking, “How stupid were the Israelites?”
When I got older, and went through Judges again, I heard a voice coming from somewhere saying, “Thou art the [woman].” So, yeah. It was all written for our edification.
Good point Susan: written for our edification. Thanks.
I just finished reading through Judges earlier this week. I too had the same impression about the Israelites. I used to shake my head whenever I thought about them. I never will understand why they were covenant-worthy over any other group of folks on the planet. They certainly were no shining example. Then, I start to think about God’s place in my own life. Then I say, “Oh yeah, now I understand them a bit better.”
Point well taken Daniel. Sometimes hate looking into the mirror. 🙂
Good one, Bill. This is tough for me. I’ve been working on building up disciplines to help hone in on some consistency for my life… doesn’t always work, unfortunately. I still find myself in the same cycles on a all-too regular basis.
I find myself in one of those funks right now Stephen. Sort of the down funk of not firing on all cylinders. Know what I mean? I hate this part of the cycle. thanks for the input.
History repeats itself.
The thing that I’ve caught myself doing is judging the Isrealites. How can they be so thick headed? Why did they repeat the same ‘ole stupid sin over and over?
Why did they get caught in a cycle like that?
How can they NOT trust God after seeing His miracles?
But I do the same thing.
I love the OT. Judges is a great book. 1&2 Samuel. Joshua. Ruth. All great books.
I’m like you Craig. History repeats itself all too often with me. Of all the OT I love this section because I like history. Thanks.
I hope to break the cycle… Still working on it.
Me too Dusty. I think mine take a lifetime. 🙂
I believe the people of Israel are a shadow of the church today. We are also a “stiff-necked” people and hard to lead. Thankfully, God is the Lord of Patience.
Well said Moe. Personally I am glad He is patient. If not…I don’t want to even think about it. thanks.
Hi Bill,
We see the end of the Israelites in the time of Jesus. Jesus said to them that their father was the devil. The Jews believed that their father was Abraham. John 8:42 -47
Jesus states in vs 47 ‘The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.’
The nation continued but not with the (fallen) Jews and the law. The nation continued with Jesus through faith in his redeeming acts of death and resurrection. Acts 25:25-30
I think the Israelites continued to sin because they did not have the outpouring of the Holy Spirit from God upon each person individually. The judges did. They received an annointing from God individually for their calling and purpose.
And we also have experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon each one of us. We have received annointing. Or, we should have. If we are not sure of having received this baptism of the Holy Spirit we need to ask God for it. If we ask God for the Holy Spirit we are not going to get a snake. This is the teaching in Scripture. Luke 11:11-13 Matt 7:7-10
God states in scripture that the baptism of the Holy Spirit provides power to believers and enables believers to be wittnesses for Jesus.
Right now I like the books of the Prophets in the OT. Especially books like Isaiah. He prophesied hundreds of years into the future right down to a detailed description of the death of Jesus on the cross. He prophecied the name of a ruler (Cyrus) from Medo-Persia who would release the Jews from captivity and allow them to return home and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Amazing.
The fact remains however, that only a remnant returned to their land. It was not easy to return home. There were dangers and hardships, opposition, fear and intimidation. There was nothing but ruins there. There was no temple of God there. The returning Jews had to build a new temple and hope that God would come back to them, in a fire from heaven. Many Jews stayed in other nations and raised their children in those places.
In my own life I am quite consistent. My devotional times waver here and there, but my love for God doesn’t. I experience temptation now and then, but somehow God gets me through these times without me sinning. At least, I don’t believe that I have sinned during these times. I have not acted on my impulses to sin. I experienced one of these impulses in early 2011 that took me for a roller coaster ride for several months.
This is rare for me in my life. I usually nip sin in the bud (in my thoughts, very early). As quickly as it comes it goes.
I wish I could say….”without sinning”. My life has been one of continued confession and repentance.
As has mine.
I will simply say real quickly Linda (since it Friday, Jo is almost home from work and i suspect we will be going out) that there are some things in your comment that I disagree with…some strongly…but don’t have the time to go into them.
I see the similarities in the OT to America now. This country was given a miracle from God, proof is that it came into existence. Now we turn to sin just like the Israelites. Maybe some bloodline issues?
I just finished an in depth study of every book in the BIble, it took a couple of years… Rewarding to say the least.
Interesting thought Floyd. I suspect it will take us some time going through the “66” course. 🙂
That’s so true. I tend to have these crises emerge, and I buckle down and really pray and concentrate on my spiritual growth. As soon as the adversity lifts, I cool off and am off to something else. I start to get lazy. And then the cycle repeats.
So totally know what you are saying Loren. Life gets in the way. 🙂 Thanks.
I would have to agree about the shorter studies. I lead womens bible study and I tend to lean toward studies that only require a 6 or 7 week commitment. I tend to have more people willing to commit when it’s shorter.
Also, I can SO relate to the Israelites. I’ve been reading through the Bible this year and I am reminded that I am just as stubborn and forgetful some times.
I think it is the trend these days to forego the longer ones Eileen. The Israelites remind me way too much of me.
Any OT story with King David just gets me every time. I can read them over and over and not lose a grain of interest in them.
He is a powerful individual for sure.
We are not much different. We can only build golden calves quicker and with fanciar designs. I love Joseph, David, Solomon,the crying prayers of Nehemiah..We still must cry out as who is really faithful? What takes us away is also what brings us back…sounds like a cycle only solved by grace…
Your first line will preach Tom. We just don’t form golden calves. We form other idols. True about grace being the answer. Thanks Tom.
It’s amazing though very true. What goes on in the Bible has been repeated at some point in our modern day history. I know that I tend to do things I’ve done before, but slowly I am beginning to actually THINK about what I am doing. Hope that makes sense.
Sure helps to think before we act doesn’t it Ed? I would have saved me a bunch of hot water if I had practiced that more. 🙂
I recently finished reading Judges, also. So Sunday at church for our “welcome and prayer” time, I spoke about how the Israelites would follow that cycle and God would let them…He gave them the free will to “do what was right in their own eyes”… And when they suffered the consequences of that nonsense and turned back and cried out to God, He would redeem them. He does the same for us today, yet He has already provided the ultimate redemption through His Son, Jesus. So when we go on our own and do what is rit according to our justification, instead of what God requires…and then suffer the consequences of that sin….when we cry out to God, He forgives, not because of our worthiness but because of His grace.
*right…stupid auto-correct…
It is so important to know that crying out to God in repentance gives us forgiveness. Powerful thought Tammy. Thanks for visiting.