Judges 9-12 Naughty Children Experience God’s Tough Love
There is a pattern that becomes very evident in this book, and it is what we read in Judges 10:10-16 “The Israelites cried out for help to the Lord: “We have sinned against you. We abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.” How often do we like the Israelites have to face tragedy to know that God is God and He will not share His glory with another? Yet, just like them, we too have to experience the tough love of God when we are in sin. There is a truth here: even in our sin, God is still patient, wooing us back to him, and, yes, sometimes it is with his tough love.
These chapters reveal a nation that started correctly but soon diminished into chaos and idolatry. Just like naughty children, they come back to God in tears and repentance only to remain that way until the judge dies and the people have no man of God to lead them. The patience of God is remarkable! He allows us to wallow in the mire but is ready to forgive and reinstate us. God has placed these chapters to learn and apply biblical principles to our lives.
What lessons is God teaching you as you read this book?
Exodus 11 to 13 As we have watched, there were two camps of people in Egypt; those who believed and obeyed. In the hail plague, those who believed took their animals and families in and were spared while those who did not lost animals and people alike. God was merciful nine times but this tenth time was God’s last and final call to Pharaoh.