God, even in the days before Jesus, was a merciful God. After Joshua died the next generation of the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. This generation had not witnessed the deliverance from Egypt. They didn’t see all the exploits of the Lord with Moses. They didn’t witness the victories with Joshua. It is still strange to me that they didn’t learn from the stories that must have been passed down from their ancestors. However, God does not include these stories of Israel’s failures for nothing. We and I included, in this generation have done the same as the children of Israel. I have a habit of saying to myself when I read these stories, “How could they fall away from God so quickly?” What an idiotic thing to ask? I live in a generation of people who have decided that they don’t want God meddling in our affairs at all. And even in my own life, some of the decisions I make are so contrary to God’s will it’s not even funny. Yet I call myself a believer. Thank God for His mercy.

Because the children of Israel were not faithful, and began to intermarry and follow the customs, and worship the gods of their enemies, the Lord God had to turn against them as He had with the nations were supposed to drive out. Even still, He found a way to help them in their time of need. Judges 2:16 says ..Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them. God would raise up one man or woman who would listen to Him, through whom He could bless Israel and, even then the children of Israel would not even listen to the judges. They still went after other gods. They turned quickly away from the ways of their fathers.

Verse 18 says ..And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. So even though Israel continue to disobey God He found a way to deliver them. He could not bless them as a nation but, if He could find one who would follow His laws, through that one He was able to bring deliverance to his people. These are the judges of Israel.

Judges 3:9-10…But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel and went out to war.. against whatever enemy there was at the time.

In our day we are sometimes quick to judge the children of Israel. We fail to see that we are just like them. We also have our gods, things, and people that we serve, rather than the God brought us out of the kingdom of darkness. We also, just like the children of Israel, had to have a deliverer. God raised up another judge, born without sin, one who could keep His law perfectly and sacrificed Him as the lamb of God for our sin. Even though it is true and, we believe with all our hearts, we still miss the mark and end up serving other gods, just like the children of Israel. Just like Israel, when we get in trouble doesn’t God, because of Yeshua (Jesus) come to our rescue?

In the old testament, God used the judges to deliver Israel from their enemies. Today our souls are delivered from the consequences of our rebellion through the shed blood, death, and resurrection of the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus), the Lord Himself. And just as God remained with the people of Israel for the duration of the life of the judge, so He is with us for the duration of the life of the Messiah. And just so you know, Romans 6:9 says ..knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death has no more dominion over him. For in that He died, he died unto sin once; but in that He lives, he lives to God. As long as Jesus lives, His Spirit remains in me and I live.?All PRAISE AND GLORY TO GOD!