The Lord Tests Israel

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

The Lord Tests Israel

Date: Jan. 19, 2024

Passage

Judges 3:1-11 (ESV)

1 Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.

7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 3:4

They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

When the Israelites came to the border of the Promised Land, they were expected to go in and drive out the unbelieving inhabitants. But the Israelites didn’t live up to the Lord’s expectations of them. They complained that they were too strong with their iron chariots of war. The Lord then left those tribes in the Promised Land to teach obedience to the Lord’s word and to teach the Israelites warfare. So, many of the tribes ended up sharing the land with the Israelites. They intermarried with them and took their gods as their own. The Israelites’ compromised with the Lord’s enemies. They paid a price for that.

The Lord became angry with Israel for their disobedience and their turning away from him toward other gods. So, he sent Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Aram Naharaim against them. The Israelites were defeated and suffered under them for eight years. But when they cried out to the Lord, he sent Othniel to them in the Spirit of the Lord. He defeated Aram Naharaim and the land had peace until Othniel died. When they turned to the Lord, he sent them a deliverer.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, may you grant us the Spirit of the Lord by which we may fight against the true enemy—the sin of the world. Thank you for your mercy on repentant sinners.

One Word: One Word: By the Spirit of the Lord, drive out the enemy

God Blessed Abraham’s Son Isaac

Genesis 25:1-18

Key Verse: 25:11

After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

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