ESOCS Devotional 20 August 2024 – Pay Attention to the Scripture
MEMORY VERSE: “But the Israelites paid no attention to their leaders. Israel was unfaithful to the Lord and worshipped other gods. Their fathers had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but this new generation soon stopped doing so.”Judges 2:17 GNV
TEXT: JUDGES 2:11-23
11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; 12 and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. 13 They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15 Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed.
16 Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. 18 And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. 19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.
20 Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, 21 I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, 22 so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not.” 23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.
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The scripture is an authentic collection of God’s inspired words revealing the righteousness of God to human kind (Rom. 1:16, 17). It contains many examples of godly lifestyles lived by early elects and servants of God. The teachings and great exploits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the early Apostles and missionaries are replete in the scriptures. In it, we see how men of faith attracted, performed and enjoyed signs and wonders by prayer and supplication to God. Rules of righteous living and instances of sinfulness abound in the Bible account. We see how lovely God is and how powerful God is in giving victory unto His people.
There is a command from God that parents are under obligation to teach their children the words and commands of God (Deut. 6:7). It is the tradition of the Church to teach the word of God in church services and that is why we have Bible class sessions on Tuesdays, Sunday school on Sunday mornings, words of exhortation during weekly activities and sermon during Sunday services. We also have street preachers, radio and television preaching sessions. There are tracks and books teaching various topics in Christian doctrine. These and many other avenues have been made available for every Christian who cares to know much more about what God’s message.
Those who avail themselves of these opportunities will escape the danger of committing sin out of ignorance. But the worst of it, is the act of neglecting what you know about the gospel message and deciding to live life according to your wish and desires. This was the case of Israel in our text today (Judges 2:11-13)
God is a holy God. He will not spare wilful sinners (Judges 2:14-15). But before God punishes, He warns. He sends His messengers (Judges 2:16-23). For us today, we have them in our churches: teachers, prophets, elders, etc. We have to listen to them, receive and practice the lessons from their messages. We have to make time to study and meditate on the word of the scriptures too.
- How do you react on messages that speak against your wish?
- Father, give me the will to hear, trust and obey your word, in Jesus name. Amen.
Further Reading: Ezra 1:1-end; Luke 7:24-35; Acts 2:11-16
ESOCS Devotional 20 August 2024
