Little Messages with Big Impact
Yesterday we started looking at the period when the Prophetess Deborah, was Judge of Israel, and how by obedience she instructed Barak according to the Word of God to lead Israel to battle against Jabin, the King of Canaan. Barak responded by saying that he will go, but on a condition. The condition is if Deborah was going with him. Why would he say this?
After the death of Ehud, the people of Israel disappointed again and went their own way, and this time put under service to Jabin, King of Canaan for twenty years. This time around, the Judge was the Prophetess Deborah. But what did she do?
After Othniel, Caleb’s brother, served as a judge over Israel for forty years, he died. This time again, the people of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon, the king of Moab against Israel. He gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms. So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
Yesterday, we saw how God left some of the Canaanite nations, so that he might test Israel. This was a result of their very own choice to not fully obey God. As they continued in their disobedience, the Lord gave them up to these nations. The Lord strengthened the other nations, and they subjected Israel to servitude. This was a reminder of Egypt – where they had come from.
In Judges chapter 3, we see that God left a couple of the Canaanite nations behind because Israel was not faithful in driving them out. God had initially told Israel to drive out these nations, and they had failed to do so, instead they collected tributes from them. Therefore, God decided to use their very own disobedience as a medium of training for them. One might rightly say that it was a combination of both their choice and God’s will.
The story of the Israelites here in the book of Judges is an interesting, yet fascinating one. Judges 2:11-13 shows us how rebellious, disobedient and godless the people became after the Elders were gone. They did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and they forsook the Lord God. They did wherever pleased them and lived for themselves, even after all that God had done for them. As a result of this, the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So God delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
Judges chapter 2 begins by showing us that an Angel of the Lord appeared to the Israelites and gave them a brief history of where God had taken them from and how far He has brought them, reminding them that God’s Covenant with them will never be broken from God’s end. But they have to preserve this covenant by not making any other covenant with the people of the land, but destroying their altars. But the Israelites have failed to do this, which means that they have held up to their end of the covenant. This led the people to repent and walk in the ways of the Covenant.
When God gives us a territory to inherit, He expects us to bring forth His rule and Kingdom in that territory. This is man’s ordination since the beginning. Therefore, it is not just about receiving what was promised, but also about bringing the will of God into what was promised.
This was not the case of the Israelites.Prior to their entering the land, God had told them in Exod 23:29-32, Num 33:51-53 that they must drive out the inhabitants of the land and their idols. Instead, what did they do – they put them under tribute.
Even though God had given the people of Israel the Promised Land, it did not mean that every nation and people there were just going to disappear. Whatever is given has to be collected. God has given, but the Israelites must collect it. This is the same we have trusted God for so many things, and when they finally arrive, we end up relenting. But the reality is that “answered prayers” usually means “more responsibilities”. For to whom much is given, much is expected. We are not supposed to go back to sleep after we have received the things we strived so hard for. It is like a man who worked so hard to impress everyone in his office that he is deserving a promotion. When the promotion is finally given, the next step is not to relax, it is actually an introduction to “more work”. This is exactly the same thing with answered prayers, because when we receive that which we are asking for, we have become stewards of more than what we used to have, so it implies more responsibility.
Caleb had promised his daughter in vs 12 to whoever conquers Kirjath Sephar. Othniel his brother had held unto this word and taken Kirjath Sephar, and he was given the daughter of Caleb as wife. Caleb is a man of integrity and trustworthy, so Othniel knew he was going to do what he said.