The Incredible Hulk comes to mind when I read the story of this next judge for Israel. Samson was strong like the Hulk and his biggest weakness was losing his temper. When the Hulk’s blood pressure reached a certain level, or in times of extreme anger, he turned into this strong green creature. One of the famous quotes from the television series I watched when I was a little girl was: “Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”

This quote comes to mind as I read the story of Samson because, I must admit, I’m not a big fan of this judge of Israel. But God chose him before he was even born to be used by God to lead the people of Israel so I have to see the good in Samson’s life, even though he comes across as more full of himself than full of the Spirit.

When her son was born, she named him Samson. And the Lord blessed him as he grew up. And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him…His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at the time. – Judges 13:24-25; 14:4

Samson might have been a little spoiled by his parents. When a young Philistine woman caught his eye, he demanded his parents get this young woman for him. When they tried to change his mind and choose an Israelite woman instead of a pagan Philistine woman, Samson demanded “Get her for me! She looks good to me” (14:3b). Samson’s selfish nature would be his downfall but God would be sure to accomplish His good through Samson’s temper tantrums and foolish behavior.

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it easily as if it were a young goat….Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way – Judges 14:5-6a, 8-9a

Samson was physically strong but he was a player and his own games resulted in destruction. During his wedding celebration, he created a riddle related to the honey and the lion in order to gain material wealth for himself and brag about what he believed he had accomplished with his own strenth. He made a bet with the Philistine men in the wedding party, challenging them to solve his riddle. When they could not, Samson’s bride tormented and nagged him until he shared the answer with her. She in turn explained the riddle to the other men and Samson now owed them each the clothing he had hoped they would be giving him. Instead of taking the loss himself, Samson went out and killed thirty men, taking their belongings and clothing to give to the thirty men he owed a prize.

Furious with how this wedding celebration had ended, Samson went home to his parents and left his bride behind. Later he returned to collect his bride but his father-in-law had given her in marriage to the best man. In anger, Samson tied the tails of 300 foxes together in pairs, attached lit torches to each pair, and set them loose in the Philistine grain fields, vineyards and olive groves (14:19-15:5).

When the Israelites heard of how Samson was attacking the Philistines, they asked him to stop. Samson was picking a fight they were not prepared to finish for him so, in fear, they handed him over to the Philistines. When Samson arrived at the camp, the Spirit of the Lord again came powerfully upon him. He snapped the ropes, grabbed the jawbone of a recently killed donkey and killed 1,000 Philistines with it. Then Samson cheered for himself:

“With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve piled them in heaps!
With the jawbone of a donkey, I’ve killed a thousand men!” – Judges 15:16

Here is where I see Samson’s biggest problem. He thinks he is winning the battles. He sees himself as the hero in his stories but he is missing who the true Hero is. He does not recognize that his battles are won when the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him. He thinks he is avenging himself but God is using Him to bring trouble to the Philistines, who were oppressing God’s people.

Samson judged Israel for 20 years during the time of the Philistine domination but He did not follow the laws of God. Chapter 16 tells us of a night he spent with a Philistine prostitute – a night that ended with Samson tearing down the town gate of Gaza. Samson then fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah and he began to play games with her. Over and over again, Delilah would ask Samson what the source of his strength was. He would give her a wrong answer and she would attempt to hand him over the Philistines. Even though her lack of loyalty to him was obvious, Samson enjoyed the game and so he continued to give her wrong answers. Delilah nagged and tormented Samson until he was sick to death of it (16:16) and Samson foolishly gave in to her.

“My hair has never been cut,” he confessed, “for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite form birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” – Judges 16:17

And that is exactly what Samson became – weak and unable to save himself. Samson thought the source of his strength was due to the presence of his hair, but his failure to acknowledge God in his life was really the reason he lost his strength. His strength was never in his hair. The Lord left Samson to suffer the consequence of his games.

When Samson realized the foolishness of his ways, he prayed to the Lord. The Philistines had gouged Samson’s eyes out, leaving him a blind servant forced to grind grain in prison. One day they brought him out as a source of entertainment and leaned him against the pillars of the temple. Samson asked God to remember him again and to give him one more opportunity to destroy Israel’s enemy. Pushing the two center pillars with the strength he now realized was from the Lord, Samson caused the temple to crash down on all the Philistine rulers, killing everyone in the temple including Samson (16:28-30).

Praise the Lord! He has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield.
I trust him with all my heart.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.
The Lord gives his people strength. – Psalm 28:6-7-8a

The Israelites were so excited about their mighty hero, Gideon, that they asked him to become their ruler or king. Knowing God was the true Hero and King, Gideon denied their request. God blessed Gideon with 70 sons. After he passed away, the Israelites started worshiping false gods again, forgetting who had rescued them from all their enemies. Gideon’s son, Abimelech, revisited the idea of Israel wanting a ruler. To make sure none of his brothers rose to the occasion, Abimelech had all of his brothers killed, but his youngest brother, Jothan, escaped and went into hiding. Abimelech had the opportunity to be a hero but his greedy pride made him into a murderous villain instead (Judges 9).

More judges came and went for the people of God – Tola judged for 23 years and Jair for the next 22 years. Again the people did evil in the eyes of the Lord and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites, who oppressed them for 18 years. Next God used Jephthah, the son of a prostitute, to rescue the people of Israel, who had cried out in misery for God to rescue them again (Judges 11).

Next, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel for 7 years and then Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for 10 years. Abdon son of Hillel judges Israel for 8 years and then the people of Israel again starting sinning against God so He handed them over to the Philistines for the next 40 years. Again, God’s people needed a hero to rescue them from their troubles.

If you’ve ever seen the movie “The Amazing Spider-man”, perhaps you remember this famous quote from Peter’s Uncle Ben:

“Peter? I know things have been difficult lately and I’m sorry about that. I think I know what you’re feeling. Ever since you were a little boy, you’ve been living with so many unresolved things. Well, take it from an old man. Those things send us down a road…they make us who we are. And if anyone’s destined for greatness, it’s you, son. You owe the world your gifts. You just have to figure out how to use them and know that wherever they take you, we’ll always be here. So, come on home, Peter. You’re my hero…and I love you!”

Ben Parker saw that his nephew was special – that he had a larger purpose in life. In Judges 13, God reveals to a husband and wife that they are about to have a son who will be born for a special purpose.

In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant and they had no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” – Judges 13:2-7

She ran to her husband and told him all the angel had said. Manoah prayed for God to send the man of God back so he could receive more instruction about this son who was to be born. I love this portion of Scripture because it speaks to the heart of Manoah. He was so thankful that God was going to bless him with a child that he wanted to be the perfect father to this child, for whom God had a magnificent plan. He inquired of God and God faithfully responded by sending the angel back to appear to Manoah and repeat all that he had he had said to Manoah’s wife. Manoah responded in thanksgiving by offering to the Lord a grain offering and a burnt offering.

Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it on a rock as a sacrifice to the Lord. And as Manoah and his wife watched, THE LORD DID AN AMAZING THING. As the flames form the altar shot up toward the sky, the angel of the Lord ascended in the fire. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground. – Judges 14:19-20

Lord, we inquire of you today – What do you want us to do in order to prepare the way for your plan? How can we be the parent you have called us to be? Father God, we long to see you do AMAZING things for you are an AMAZING God! As I’ve heard Beth Moore say – make your word a holy fascination to us and a flame leaping upward to its sacred source. Be an all-consuming fire, Oh God! We love you so much! Amen.

After Deborah and Barak, there was peace in the land for forty years. Then the Israelites began doing evil in the Lord’s sight so he handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites found themselves hiding in caves and strongholds to protect themselves from the raiders, marauders and enemy hoarders that came through, devastating their crops and stealing their flocks. Once the Israelites were reduced to starving, THEN they cried out to the Lord for help.

Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree of Ophrah…Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” – Judges 6:11-12

“Here I come to save the day!” Well, that is what Mighty Mouse would have said but Gideon’s response was a little different. Before he stepped into this new leadership position, he wanted proof from God. When I read the dialogue between Gideon and the Lord, I am a little shocked by his bold accusations (“Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? … The Lord has abandoned us…” 6:13) and his demand for proof from God (“If you are truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me…” 6:17a). Then I think of times when I have argued and negotiated with God and I begin to relate a little to this not-so-mighty hero and the inner conflict with which he struggled.

God did give Gideon the proof he asked for and Gideon, humbly realizing what he had demanded of the Lord, built an altar and name it Yahweh-Shalom – which means “the Lord is peace” (6:24). Now Gideon had peace in his heart that he was truly being called by God, but he still struggled with fear. God told him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and break his Asherah pole. Gideon obeyed but he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of the family. God protected Gideon from their angry response and then something incredible happened in Gideon’s life.

Then the Spirit of the Lord took possession of Gideon. – Judges 6:34a

Now filled with the mighty Spirit, Gideon blew a ram’s horn and sent messengers out, calling all of Israel’s warriors to come together to fight the Midianites. Then Gideon went back to his natural tendency and spiritual weakness – he asked God for proof that he was truly going to use Gideon to rescue Israel as God had promised He would do. A great lesson for Gideon and a good reminder for me today is that God ALWAYS keeps His promises. We never have to ask him to repeat himself or prove His faithfulness.

“…I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning but the ground was covered in dew. – Judges 6:37b-40

Our reluctant hero was battling insecurity and our gracious God indulged him by responding, just as He so generously confirms His call to us when He knows we need confirmation of His presence. Oh, what a wonderful God we serve! But God was not done teaching Gideon. Gideon was asking God to show him how He would help Gideon rescue the Israelites, but God was going to show Gideon that He, Himself, would be the hero of this story.

When all the warriors gathered together, God told Gideon there were too many. If He allowed that many Israelites to go into battle, they would take the credit for the victory, boasting that they saved themselves by their own strength. So He sent home everyone who was timid or afraid and 22,000 men left, leaving an army of 10,000.

Next God told Gideon to watch how the men went down to the river to take a drink. If they cupped the water with their hands to drink, keeping their eyes up, they would be in one group; if they knelt down and placed their mouths directly in the river, they would be in the second group. This last group was sent home, leaving only 300 wise and alert warriors for Gideon to lead into battle.

God was ready for Gideon to move forward but, knowing Gideon so well, God allowed him to seek proof one more time. God told Gideon that, if he was still afraid, he could go down close to the Midianite camp and listen to their campfire conversations. Gideon took God up on the offer and came back with confidence. He split the remaining 300 men into 3 groups of 100, handing each of them a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. They surrounded the camp and, on Gideon’s count, they blew the horns and broke the clay jars, surrounding the enemy camp with noise and fire. God caused confusion among the Midianites and they began to fight each other (7:9-22).

And Gideon saw clearly that God was still performing miracles among the Israelites, just as He had for their ancestors and just as He continues to do today!

What mighty act is God calling you to participate in today? Do you have a “Here I come to save the day!” attitude or are you keeping your eyes looking up, watching for God to something mighty through and around you?

So, if the book of Judges can be seen as nonfiction comic book full of superhero stories, our next hero is Shamgar son of Anath. He rescued Israel next. The writer of Judges does not give us much information about Shamgar except to say that he once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. I had no idea what that was but (thanks to my Google search) I found out it is a long sharp stick used to prod animals. Now, that’s quite a claim to fame!

But the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight and he turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor and his commander Sisera, who ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years. Scripture says: Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help (Judges 4:3). Did it take them 20 years to cry out to the Lord for help or 20 years for Him to answer their cry for help? The way it is written it seems like there was a long delay before they asked for help.

Lord, forgive me for all the times I try to handle things on my own for a while before I finally give up and ask You for help!

The next normal, average person turned superhero by God is Deborah. This is the first time we hear in Scripture of a woman placed in a formal leadership position. She would sit under the Palm of Deborah and people would come to her for judgment. Obviously God had given her the gift of wisdom and trusted her with great responsibility. Deborah must have also strategically positioned herself in God’s presence because she heard from Him. He gave her a message to give to Barak, calling him to lead a group of 10,000 warriors into battle to set the people free of their current oppression.

One thing that stands out to me about this co-hero, Barak, is that he put conditions on his obedience to God’s call on his life. He would go into battle, just as God asked, but only if Deborah went with him. Does this hit close to home for anyone else? Yes, Lord, I’ll do what you ask as long as…

Lord, forgive me for all the times I have put conditions on my obedience to your call. Forgive me for my selfish desire to be comfortable while following your plan. Give me the strength to always say “yes” and never “yes, as long as…”

“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” – Judges 4:9

At first I thought Deborah was talking about herself, but as we read on we see that the battle was finished by a woman named Jael. Although Jael was not in leadership and was what we would maybe now call a “stay at home mom”, God strategically positioned her to do great things. He saw worth and value in a woman whom the current culture did not value.

When Barak led the warriors into battle, God caused Sisera and his warriors to go into a panic. Sisera leaped from his chariot and escaped on foot, ending up at the home of Jael. She invited him into the tent. He asked for water and she gave him milk. He laid down, exhausted from his flight, and she covered him with a blanket while she took watch for anyone approaching. As soon as he fell into a deep sleep, Jael took action. She saw that God had strategically positioned her and she was up for this opportunity to let God do super things through her. I believe God must have given Jael some extra strength as she picked up the tent peg and hammer, walked across the tent, and placed the end of the peg on Sisera’s temple. I believe God must have given her extra courage when she drove the tent peg into his skull, killing him and finishing the battle God had called the Israelites into.

So on that day Israel saw GOD DEFEAT Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him. – Judges 4:23-24

Deborah and Barak led the people of Israel in celebration of this victory. They recognized that when God marched across the battlefield, the earth trembled; when God was present, the mountains quaked. The people of Israel were living in fear until Deborah “arose as a mother for Israel” (5:7). I love it! The description of this superhero was “mother” – perfect! My mother is definitely a superhero in my eyes so I get this connection.

The song of celebration continues:
Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes.
They recount the righteous victories of the Lord and the victories of his villagers in Israel.
THEN the people of the Lord marched down to the city gates. – Judges 5:11

What a great idea – what a great example! Before entering into a battle God has called us to fight, let’s look back and remind ourselves of the many victories God has performed in the past. The God of our past struggles is the God of our current battles and our future victories.

Lord, we strategically position ourselves in your presence this morning. Fill us with your strength and your courage. We are ready to do what you have asked us to do. Lord, thank you for being the source of victory in our life. We trust you and we obediently follow you today. Amen.

I love superheroes! Maybe it comes from the cartoons I watched every Saturday morning growing up or from my love of Wonder Woman, but I enjoy the plot of a superhero coming in and saving the day. Therefore, when I read the book of Judges, I can easily see it as a book of superhero stories. The people get themselves into a mess and God sends a superhero (or judge) to come in and save the day!

Now these superheroes are not perfect. After all, even though Superman was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” he did have this aversion to green Kryptonite. He went from strong & powerful to pained & nauseous in the presence of this substance.

The heroes in the book of Judges do not have super powers but they are flawed like Superman. They are just regular people willing to let God do something with their lives. God called them into leadership and filled them with His Spirit so that God could rescue His people through them. The true Super Hero in this book is God Himself!

When the tribes of Israel went to conquer the land and defeat the Canaanites, they did not fully obey the Lord’s command. Most of the tribes failed to drive out the people living in the land, even though God’s command was to completely destroy them. Because of their disobedience, God declared he would no longer drive out the people living there but would allow them to stay and be thorns in the sides of the Israelites and a constant temptation with their false gods (Judges 2:2-3). These people would test the Israelites – would they obey the commands the Lord had given their ancestors through Moses? (3:4)

This first generation wept at their sin but the next generation did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. In His anger, the Lord allowed raiders to come in and steal their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies (2:10-14). After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, God’s plan was to give them a peaceful and beautiful land but, because of their disobedience, they would instead struggle – needing rescued over and over again.

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel and he turned them over to [their enemies]…But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer [superhero] to save them…The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. – Judges 3:1-10

First there was Caleb’s nephew, Othniel through whom God gave the Israelites victory over King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim after 8 years of suffering (don’t you wish you had that name?!!) Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and King Eglon of Moab controlled Israel for 18 years. When they cried out to the Lord, He gave them their second hero or judge – Ehud. Now here’s a superhero story for you:

His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin [I did not understand this detail at first but it makes sense later, I promise]. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in the cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand [see what I mean, surprise attack], pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied [yuck!]. Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine [double yuck!!]. – Judges 3:15b-23

Perhaps God is calling us to do super things with His help. The trick is to remember who the Super Hero truly is. In the moment I see myself as Wonder Woman, I forget about the Wonderful Counselor. When I believe myself to be Mighty Mouse, I forget who is the Almighty God! There is only one Savior in this world and His name is Jesus Christ! To God be the glory, great things He has done!

A covenant is a formal or serious agreement between two people or two parties. God had entered into a covenant relationship with the people of Israel. The agreement was that the people of Israel would obey God out of love for Him and He would be with them and bless them. If they chose disobedience, there would be curses instead. God affirmed to Joshua that his success was dependent on listening obediently to God for his every move.

After their victory at Jericho, God gave specific instructions to NOT take any of the things from Jericho but to destroy everything. If anyone disobeyed, it would bring trouble to the entire camp. A man named Achan saw a beautiful robe, 200 silver coins and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. He wanted them so much that he took them (7:21).

Unaware of this hidden sin, Joshua led a group of 3000 warriors to the next town, but they were defeated and lost 36 of their men. God’s people were so confident that God would bless them and give them victory, yet God did not work as they expected. The people were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events and their courage melted away. They tore their clothes in dismay and bowed down to the ground asking God “why?”

I relate to this description of fear this morning. When I hear that a strong believer in the faith dies of cancer or loses their battle against disease or injury, my world is rocked and I find myself scared. I tend to live with this confidence that nothing bad will happen to us and then, when I see something bad happen to someone else, I find myself in dismay, paralyzed with fear, courage melting away. I fall to my knees and ask God to strengthen my faith and to protect my family. I long to trust God in spite of the pain and suffering all around. If I’ve learned anything from Joshua, it is to be strong and courageous – to not fear but to recognize God’s presence with me and before me, holding tight to God.

When Joshua and the people came to the Lord, seeking an answer for their defeat, God revealed that the covenant relationship had been broken. Achan was found guilty – his sin not only destroyed him and the 36 warriors who died in battle, but also his entire family. His selfish decision affected those he loved most and brought trouble to the entire camp.

Now that the sin was confessed and taken care of, God renewed His covenant and helped the Israelites find victory of the town of Ai, wiping out everyone and everything. Joshua then took the time to read the blessing and curses laid out in God’s covenant, reminding the people of the importance of obeying God (8:34-35). In spite of this renewed covenant, we read in Joshua 9 that the people of Israel still had a lesson to learn. They made a decision and entered into a peace treaty with the Gibeonites without consulting the Lord (9:14). Their foolishness, like that of Achan’s, reaped negative consequences.

So why does God want us to inquire of Him? RELATIONSHIP – it is evident even in the Old Testament that God wants a relationship with each of us. He does not want us to live independently, but to inquire of Him – to call on Him. And He will listen! He does not want us to live in fear, but in faith.

“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “Be strong and courageous, for the Lord is going to do this…” – Joshua 10:25

When five Amorite kings united in hopes to attack Gibeon and defeat Israel, the Lord confirmed to Joshua that he would give them victory. They called on God and He listened to them.

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies….There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day! – Joshua 10:12-14

Not only will God listen to us, He will respond. Because God was fighting for them, the promised land of Canaan was conquered and divided between the tribes. Joshua knew the source of his victories because he had a relationship with God, the Victor. Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given Moses (11:15). He followed God wholeheartedly (14:8) and, at the end of his life, he had these words of advice for God’s people. Listen carefully for all the words that speak of RELATIONSHIP:

“Love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” – Joshua 22:5b

“Hold tight to God, your God, just as you’ve done up to now” (TM,23:8).

“So be very careful to love the Lord your God…Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord has come true. Not a single one has failed!” (23:11,14).

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly…Choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (24:14-15)

One of the last things Joshua told the people was to turn their hearts to the Lord, yielding to Him. Or, as The Message interprets Joshua 24:23: Say an unqualified Yes to God!

In many ways, Moses was a mentor for Joshua. Joshua served faithfully under the leadership of Moses and Moses took the time to teach him along the way. Moses would not be entering the Promised Land but God allowed him to be a part by investing in the future of His people, by training his successor. God had instructed Moses: “But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see” (3:28).

Now Moses was now gone and Joshua heard from God firsthand, making it clear that this was his God-appointed moment – that God had called him and would be with him.

“…the time has come for you to lead…I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you…No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people…Be strong and VERY courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command – be strong and very courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:2-9

Joshua was commissioned by God with very specific instructions:
– Be strong and courageous, I am with you
– Be obedient
Faith and fear cannot coexist. God wanted Joshua’s attention and his focus. He wanted him to study and be familiar with God’s law and listen obediently to God for his every move. Joshua’s success was dependent on this.

Joshua’s faith and obedience were tested in the first city they came to. God told Joshua – you have never been this way before, so follow Me for tomorrow I will do AMAZING things among you (3:3-5).

The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses. Give this command to the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river and stop there.’” – Joshua 3:7-8

Test #1 – the Jordan River was at flood stage and, in order to follow God, Joshua had to cross the Jordan. Fear or faith? God gave Joshua very clear instructions and told him to obey with strength and courage. They were to step into the rushing waters with confidence in the Lord. It wasn’t until their feet touched the Jordan that the river parted and dry ground appeared in front of them. They chose faith and not fear and experienced the AMAZING things God had promised (3:15-17).

Test #2 – Jericho was “tightly shut up” and God gave Joshua specific instructions. They were to march around the town once a day for six days. God’s people were told to not say a word until they were given the instruction. This was not a sneak attack but rather a six day display in front of their enemies. Fear or faith? They chose to be patient and obey and they experienced AMAZING things (6:2-20). On the seventh day, they marched around the town seven times with the priests blowing the horns. When they gave one final long blast, all the people began to shout as loud as they could, just as the Lord had instructed Joshua.

Suddenly the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it (6:20b).

Do you want to see God do AMAZING things in your life as much as I do? We have a choice – fear or faith. What will it be? When moments appear today that are obviously God-ordained appointments, let’s step forward in faith and obedience. Let’s be strong and VERY courageous!

Today we finish up the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Bible. This last month has given us a great opportunity to picture God’s relationship with humankind – from the Garden of Eden to crossing over into the Promised Land. He has clearly laid out how to enter into a covenant relationship and what will break that covenant relationship. We have a choice. If we truly love God, obedience will flow from that love relationship.

“When you go out to fight your enemies and face horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, do not be afraid. The Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, is with you.” – Deuteronomy 20:1

Moses told the people that he would not be going with them into the promised land but that God was not only going with them but going before them. As he handed leadership over to Joshua, he gave them words of encouragement to be strong and courageous.

“The Lord will destroy the nations living in the land, just as he destroyed Sihon and Og…So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors he would give them…Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deuteronomy 31:4-8

Then the Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun with these words: “Be strong and courageous, for you must bring the people of Israel into the land I swore to give them. I will be with you.” – Deut. 31:23

The reason Moses would not be going with them into Canaan was because he did not fully obey God’s instructions. When God told him to speak to the rock to make water flow, Moses struck the rock instead. I find it ironic that God gave Moses a song to sing and teach the people in his last moments – a song that speaks of a different kind of rock. The song warned the people that they would again abandon God and God would again respond to their disobedience. His hope was that they would know their fate and choose life instead of death.

“Listen, O heavens, and I will speak!
Hear, O earth, the words that I say!
Let my teaching fall on you like rain; let my speech settle like dew.
Let my words fall like rain on tender grass, like gentle showers on young plants.
I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God!
He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect.
Everything he does is just and fair.
He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!

“But they have acted corruptly toward him; when they act so perversely, are they really his children?…
They abandoned the God who made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation…
The Lord saw this and drew back, provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.
He said, ‘I will abandon them; then see what becomes of them.
For they are a twisted generation, children without integrity…
Israel is a senseless nation; the people are foolish, without understanding.
Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
Oh, that they might know their fate!
How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?
But the rock of their enemies is not like our Rock, as even they recognize…
Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people, and he will change his mind about his servants, when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free.
Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods, the rocks they fled to for refuge?…
Look now; I myself am he!
There is no other god but me!… – Deut. 32:1-5,15,19-20,28-31,36-39

Then Moses went up to Mount Nebo where he could see all of Canaan to the east. The Lord showed him the land he had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then Moses died, just as the Lord had said he would, and the Lord buried him in a valley but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was strong and his eyesight was clear when he died (34:1-7). The same Moses who had argued with God when called, who questioned his own ability to be used by God, and who had a moment of trusting more in his own strength than in God’s word – this Moses had an intimate relationship with God like no other man had ever had.

There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. The Lord sent him to perform all the miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt against Pharoah, and all his servants, and his entire land. With mighty power, Moses performed terrifying acts in the sight of all Israel. – Deut. 34:10-12

Thank you for being a personal and intimate God! Thank you for your grace and mercy that picks us up when we fall and gives us new opportunities to be used for your purposes. Father God, we praise you for your steady and faithful presence in our lives. May we see moments today when you make us strong and courageous, trusting in the Rock that goes before us and is with us. May it be said of us when we die that we had a personal relationship with the Rock of our Salvation! Amen.

“Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them WHOLEHEARTEDLY. You have declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you. The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.” – Deuteronomy 26:16-18

What a great description of the covenant relationship God set up with His people. If the people would declare their obedience, not just in word but with all their heart, they would be his special treasure. They could not love but disobey or disobey but not love. Love and obedience were both necessary in this covenant relationship with God.

God was looking for more than just token obedience – following a set of rules, doing the bare minimum required. He was looking for a wholehearted commitment. The psalmist put it beautifully when he declared, “I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free” (Psalm 119:32). Can you picture the path and the choice to run with vigor the path marked out ahead? God’s commands provide the boundaries for the path and He gives us direction as He calls us to walk this love journey with Him.

Moses laid out for the Israelites all the blessings that would be theirs if they would FULLY obey the Lord and CAREFULLY keep all his commands (28:1). He also laid out the curses that would come and “overwhelm” them if they chose their own path or walked outside of the boundaries God’s commands had established (28:15). In fact, he spent 14 verses describing the blessings and 54 verses describing the curses. All together these 68 verses laid out the terms of God’s covenant with the people of Israel (29:1,29).

Moses showed them that this covenant relationship was for all of them standing there that day and also for future generations. If they chose to break the covenant and disobey, it would affect the next generation and the generations to come. Someone will ask, “Why as the Lord done this to the land? Why was he so angry?” The answer will be because the people abandoned their covenant relationship with God. They thought they were safe and could follow the desires of their own stubborn heart (28:24-25,19). But if you return to the Lord, the Lord will have mercy and do a work in your heart. He will transform your heart so that you love him with all your heart and soul. He will give life and you will be successful in all you do.

“The Lord will delight in you if you obey his voice and keep the commands and decrees written in this Book of Instruction, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.” – Deuteronomy 30:10

This next passage is one of my favorites and I have been anticipating getting to it. I love how Moses lays out the choice before God’s people – the choice for life or death, for blessings or curses.

“This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, ‘Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?’ it is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, ‘Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?’ No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it.

“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you LOVE and OBEY the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” – Deut. 30:11-20

Have you ever sliced a pie and then eyed the piece you want for yourself? Have you ever looked at the cake and thought – I want the piece with the most icing? Have you ever rushed to the front of the potluck line to get your pick of the food before the best is gone?

The words of Moses to God’s people as they were entering the promised land hold great advice for us today. By studying these instructions, we increase our understanding of the holiness to which God has called us.

“Be careful to obey all my commands, so that all will go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and pleasing to the Lord your God.” – Deuteronomy 12:28

“The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love Him with all your heart and soul. Serve only the Lord your God and fear Him alone. Obey His commands, listen to His voice, and cling to Him.” – Deut. 13:3b-4

There will be those who will try to lead you away from your walk with God. They will try to talk you out of doing all that the Lord your God has commanded you to do. Do not give in or listen to them. Listen only to His voice and keep all His commands, doing what pleases Him instead of what pleases others (Deut. 13:5,8,18).

“You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be His own special treasure…you are set apart as holy to the Lord your God.” – Deut. 14:2,21b

If you carefully obey all the commands God has given you and if you always love the Lord your God and walk in His ways, He will give you “this land.” He will enlarge your territory (Deut. 19:8-9). And here is my advice to those in leadership – to the king or the one the Lord chooses to lead His people: Do not store up wealth for yourself. Do not build up a large stable of horses for yourself or take many wives for yourself, or accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold.

Your focus should be on God’s word. Keep a copy with you and read it daily as long as you live. Then you will learn to fear the Lord by obeying all His instructions and decrees. This regular reading of God’s word will prevent you from becoming proud and acting as if you are above those God has given you the privilege of leading (Deut. 17:15-20).

In fact, it is your responsibility to take care of those who are less fortunate – the poor, the widows, the orphans and the foreigners. If you truly love the God you are serving, you will serve those He calls you to serve – sharing your blessings with those in need.

“At the end of every third year, bring the entire tithe of that year’s harvest and store it in the nearest town. Give it to the Levites, who will receive no allotment of land among you, as well as to the foreigners living among you, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, so they can eat and be satisfied. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all your work.” – Deut. 14:28-29

“Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.” – Deut. 15:10-11

“Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns. You must pay them their wages each day before sunset because they are poor and are counting on it. If you don’t, they might cry out to the Lord against you, and it would be counted against you as sin.” – Deut. 24:14-15

Remember that you were once slaves and that God rescued you from your slavery. That is why I am commanding you to be generous with those in need, as you were once in need. When you are harvesting your crop, don’t take it all for yourself but set some aside for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do (Deut. 24:18-19).

Then take all that you have harvested from the land God has given you and put some of the first produce from each crop into a basket and bring it to the place of worship – the place where the Lord your God chooses for His name to be honored. In thanksgiving for all God has done for you, bring the first portion of the harvest to God. Then you may go and celebrate all of the good things the Lord your God has given to you and to your household. So, before you slice the pie and enjoy what God has blessed you with, give God His portion and share generously with those in need. Then you can enjoy what God has given you (Deut. 26:2,10-11, 13).

Father God, thank you for your words of wisdom for us today. As we sit in your presence and drink from your cup, fill our hearts with a spirit of generosity that we may think of others more than we think of ourselves. May our love for you increase and pour out toward others. Whatever you have called us to do, whatever land you have laid out before us, remind us that our calling is still about you and not about us. Lord, we love you and it is our heart’s cry to obey and please you in all that we do. We give today to you, recognizing that this day was first given to us by you. Show us the needs of those around us and give us opportunities today to bless others with the blessings you have given us. Amen.