Skip to main content

March 13 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 72

Are you familiar with Gideon?  Do you know why the people who leave Bibles in hotel rooms call themselves the Gideons?  

Well, let's read about Gideon first and found out about the Gideons later.

Image result for Gideon

DAILY READINGS

Judges 6-8 & Psalm 72

DAILY NOTES

Judges 6:1-10

  • The Israelites are oppressed by the Midianites.  They are forced to flee to the mountains and caves.  The Israelites were "impoverished" and the land was "wasted."  
  • The Israelites call out to God.  A prophet arose to confirm their current situation is due to their turning away from God.  Scripture doesn't tell us who the prophet was, but Jewish commentary offers a name.
Judges 6:12
  • Gideon is approached by an angel of the Lord.  He is called a "mighty warrior."  
Judges 6:22
  • After the sign Gideon asks for comes to pass, he believes he has seen the angel of God and believes what he has told him.  
Judges 6:25-27
  • God commands Gideon to pull down an altar to Baal.  The altar belongs to his father.  
  • Gideon follows through, but is fearful of his family.
Judges 6:32
  • Gideon's name is changed.
Judges 7
  • This chapter outlines Gideon's defeat of the Midianites.
  • Gideon takes 32,000 troops.  God told Gideon to tell the troops who were scared to go home--10,000 remained.  Afterwards, God told Gideon to watch for another sign to sift them out: those that drank water like a dog--300 troops remained.
    • Gideon and 300 troops would battle against the Midianites.  It was God's way of ensuring Israel would not be able to take credit for the victory.
Judges 8:4-12
  • Gideon seeks help from two cities.  They refuse him and his troops.  Consequently, Gideon promises he will return in victory and repay their refusal with destruction.
Judges 8:22-27
  • Gideon is victorious again.  He requests the people of Israel to give him earrings of gold.  He makes an ephod of them.  It becomes a part of idol worship.  
Psalm 72
  • All but the final few verses of this psalm are about a king.
  • Most likely, this was psalm was used for a coronation service or blessing of a new king.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

The Israelites cried out to God because they thought the Midianites were their problem.  And why not?  The Midianites caused all kinds of trouble for them.  It was because of them they were in hiding.  But God sends an unknown (unknown to us) prophet to tell the Israelites that the Midianites are not their problem.  They are their own problem.

How easy it is to look to others for our troubles.  How often it is that are troubles are caused by our doings.  That takes a great deal of wisdom and faith to receive that message.  When we stop blaming others, we can allow God to focus our healing and restoration.

We'll never know who that prophet was, but he sure didn't pull any punches.

Stay blessed...john

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

March 31 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 90 David's family situation continues to spiral.  In today's reading, David's family is torn apart by rape.  As a consequence, David's son sets his eyes on his father's throne. DAILY READINGS 2 Samuel 13-15 & Psalm 90 DAILY NOTES 1 Samuel 13:1-14 Amnon was David's first born son (3:2).  That may shed light as to why David seems to deal with him so easily (Verse 21).  Although he does kind of the same thing later with Absalom. Tamar is Absalom's full sister, half sister to Amnon.  Amnon is lovesick with her.  He devises a plan, with the help of a friend, to have her enter his chamber (bedroom).   Since she was a virgin, she didn't go out and about.  She remained in her house, perhaps protected.   Tamar knows what will become of her if Amnon goes through with his wishes; she will be left aside, unable to marry (see Verse 20).  She seems willing to have become married to Amnon, but his lust clouds h...

January 27 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 27 We'll be reading about atonement today.  T oday's video helps make sense of that biblical theme. DAILY READINGS Exodus 30-31 & Psalm 27 DAILY NOTES Exodus 30:6 Everything has its place.   Exodus 30:10 Once a year would be Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Exodus 12-15 The Lord's offering is required of everyone equally (of the appropriate age).  Strangely enough, there is a designation of rich and poor.  Everyone has just come from Egypt.  How has that distinction arisen?   Exodus 31:13 It's interesting to compare how the idea of sabbath here relates to previous mentions of it.   Exodus 31:18 Moses had written the words down.  Now, with merely his finger, God has provided the tablets for all to remember the covenant that has been made.   Psalm 27 Have you ever prayed and prayed and prayed for something?  The psalmist seems to know the feeling.  His final adm...

June 19 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 170 DAILY READINGS Jeremiah 7-9 & Psalm 15 DAILY NOTES Jeremiah 7 Notice the emphasis of God's house having God's name.  It belongs to God, but the people, through their unrighteous actions, have made it theirs.  God's house has been turned into a "den of robbers" (vs. 11).  Remember when Jesus said that (Matthew 21:13)? According to Jesus, what was the Temple supposed to be called? Remember when the people tried to use the ark of the covenant as a weapon against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4)?  That was at Shiloh.  Jeremiah brings that event to our minds again as a sign (vs. 14).  God says that human sacrifice was not his command, nor did it come to his mind.  You'll have to do some wrestling with the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22). Jeremiah 8 Jeremiah (God) says to unearth the kings' bones and lay them before the sun and moon and all the other gods they served and worshiped.  Ouch. Even animals ...