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"The Geography of Grace" by Duane Brush
Judges:1 Now the angel of Adonai came up from Gilgal to Bokhim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt, led you to the land I swore to your fathers and said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you; 2 you, for your part, are not to make any covenant with the inhabitants of this land but must tear down their altars.’ However, you have paid no attention to what I said. What is this you have done? 3 This is why I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will be on your flanks, and their gods will become a snare for you.’” 4 When the angel of Adonai spoke these words to all the people of Isra’el, they began crying and wailing at the top of their voices. 5 So they called the name of that place Bokhim [crying] and sacrificed there to Adonai.
6 When Y’hoshua had sent the people away, the people of Isra’el had gone each one to his assigned property in order to take possession of the land. 7 The people served Adonai throughout Y’hoshua’s life and throughout the lives of all the older men who outlived Y’hoshua and who had seen all the great work of Adonai which he had done for Isra’el. 8 When Y’hoshua the son of Nun, the servant of Adonai, died, he was 110 years old; 9 and they buried him near the boundary of his property in Timnat-Heres, in the hills of Efrayim, north of Mount Ga‘ash.
10 When that entire generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation arose that knew neither Adonai nor the work he had done for Isra’el. 11 Then the people of Isra’el did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective and served the ba‘alim. 12 They abandoned Adonai, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, selected from the gods of the peoples around them, and worshipped them; this made Adonai angry. 13 They abandoned Adonai and served Ba‘al and the ‘ashtarot. 14 The anger of Adonai blazed against Isra’el; and he handed them over to pillagers, who plundered them, and to their enemies around them; so that they could no longer resist their enemies. 15 Whenever they launched an attack, the power of Adonai was against them, so that things turned out badly — just as Adonai had said would happen and had sworn to them. They were in dire distress.
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The first two chapters of Judges set the course for the rest of the book. The “angel of the LORD” journeyed from Gilgal to Bokim (2:1-5). Gilgal was where Israel camped after crossing the Jordan. Joshua set up the monument of 12 stones there, marking God’s faithfulness in bringing them into the land (Joshua 4:19ff.). Bokim, meaning “weepers,” was perhaps near Bethel, where the ark of the covenant was kept at this time. The angel’s journey reflected Israel’s journey: from blessedness and victory to sorrow and weeping.
It is a sad tale, too often repeated even today. God is looking for a people to call His own. People who will display His holy love and faithfulness before a fallen world. However, generations spiral into apostasy, patterning their lives after their pagan neighbors, opening themselves up to the suffering and sorrow that sin inevitably brings. Victors become weepers on that broad path.
The good news is that God remains faithful. He hears the cry of His fallen people. He sends judges to defeat their enemies and to lift the yoke of their oppressors. When they turn back to Him, the Lord is there, ready to bring redemption and restoring grace. He still is. Hallelujah!
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Hymn for Today: "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" by William Williams, translated by William Williams and Peter Williams
1. Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,
[or Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer…]
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak, but Thou art mighty;
Hold me with Thy powerful hand.
Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,
Feed me till I want no more;
Feed me till I want no more.
2. Open now the crystal fountain,
Whence the healing stream doth flow;
Let the fire and cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey through.
Strong Deliverer, strong Deliverer,
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield;
Be Thou still my Strength and Shield.
3. Lord, I trust Thy mighty power,
Wondrous are Thy works of old;
Thou deliver’st Thine from thralldom,
Who for naught themselves had sold:
Thou didst conquer, Thou didst conquer,
Sin, and Satan and the grave,
Sin, and Satan and the grave.
4. When I tread the verge of Jordan,
Bid my anxious fears subside;
Death of deaths, and hell’s destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan’s side.
Songs of praises, songs of praises,
I will ever give to Thee;
I will ever give to Thee.
5. Musing on my habitation,
Musing on my heav’nly home,
Fills my soul with holy longings:
Come, my Jesus, quickly come;
Vanity is all I see;
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
Lord, I long to be with Thee!
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Thought of the Day: Psalm 30:6 (5) For his anger is momentary,
but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.
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Please Pray: For the development of Christian leaders in the Bahamas.
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but his favor lasts a lifetime.
Tears may linger for the night,
but with dawn come cries of joy.
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Please Pray: For the development of Christian leaders in the Bahamas.
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