Judges 3:7-11.  This is the first of seven cycles in the book of Judges.  In verse 7 we see the people turing away from God and worshipping false gods.  The first part of the cycle is sin.  The word for sin in the Bible means to miss the mark.  It was used in archery tournaments when some one missed the bulls eye the score keeper would yell, “Sin.”  The Israelites had missed God’s mark, He alone is the true God and worthy of honor.  Verse 8 is the second step in the cycle, servitude.  God would allow one of the nations around the Israelites to conquer them.  They would then be subject to the king of that nation and be his servants.  Verse 9 contains the next step, supplication.  That English word means to humbly beg. It comes from two Latin words “under” and “favor or grace”.    The Israelites would beg and plead with the true God for help.  They had broken God’s law and the only real hope was if God would be gracious and give them mercy.  And that is just what God did.  He sent a deliverer, in this case, Othniel.  You might think of God’s actions as salvation.  Othniel beat the  oppressing king and then was governor over the Israelites.  The word for judge in the book of Judges has a different meaning from our word judge.  Judging was a part of what it means but in languages similar to Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament) it was also used for kings.   Now we will see several times that there was no king in Israel at this time (although God was supposed to be their king) but these “judges” did act as rulers, like governors.  As long as the deliverer was alive the people would have peace, there would be a sort of silence.

What impresses the me most is that God was merciful.  They had earned His wrath and were suffering for their sins but as soon as they turned back to God he helped them.  Also, it is interesting that as long as the deliverer was alive all went well.  Perhaps the deliverer was to them what the Holy Spirit is to us, a constant reminder to follow God.  And the Holy Spirit is forever.  Finally, it is interesting how each generation was sort of a new start and a new challenge.  We don’t go to Heaven because we were born in the right family or live in the right country.  That message is clear in books like Jonah and 1 Corinthians.  And it’s not good enough that God worked in the past.  We all need to walk with him today.  Just before Joshua died  he challenged the people to choose that day whom they would follow (Joshua 24:15).  We each need to decide how and for what we will live, God or our selves.

God thank you for your mercy.  I don’t deserve Heaven but you have made it possible for me to go there.   Thank you for the Holy Spirit who helps me live for you.  Help me listen to Him.  Let me choose to live for you each day not for myself.