Time with Jesus - 22 Nov 2013
In this regard, we notice that the ongoing
Chinese one child per family policy has resulted in an entirely predictable situation.
On TV recently we were told that their population split is 60% male and 40%
female. That’s great if you happen to be female. But men, being what they are, are
soon likely to be fighting over who has whom! It may seem like a win-win
outcome, but that’s not the case. The losers will always be the ladies.
One of the more popular movies of 1954
was called, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. It was an excellent movie based loosely
on the story of the abduction of the Sabine Women in ±750BC. How the Sabine
women enjoyed the experience is not stated. However, in the movie, the seven
men and women were not entirely unhappy with the situation. The seven good
looking young men and seven very attractive women (Hollywood - remember) ended
up in the log cabin of their elder brother and His wife. The ladies had protested
loudly and wildly. (Hollywood) Nevertheless they were quickly reconciled to the
fact that they would have to remain where they were until the spring thaw; the
snow melted and their respective family would “sort out” the seven brothers
and, presumably, the eldest brother.
Hollywood never gives serious consideration
to times and dates in romantic musical comedies. So when the eldest brother’s
wife gives birth to a beautiful baby, the seven “brides” “coo and fawn” over
the baby in typical Hollywood female fashion.
During the final third of the
movie, the seven brides fall madly in love with their seven abductors. All of a
sudden their longing for rescue evaporates and each in turn falls in love with
their respective brother. The great concern of the 14 lovebirds is how to deal
with the rampage of the families of the cheated “brides”. In the end, Hollywood
came up with a brilliant solution. The families are confronted with the eldest
brother and wife’s baby. “Whose baby is this?” the families ask. The seven brides
all look at each other; smile and in unison say “Mine”! As a result, they all
live happily ever after! Hollywood did a great “snow-job” on the situation. The
music and dancing were excellent and I’d love to see it again. What few know is
the episode has a counterpart in the Bible; in the last 3 Chapters of Judges.
To some extent the book of Judges
is a misnomer. Certainly the first 16 chapters focus on the men and women like Gideon,
Samson and Deborah, whom we know as the people whom God raised up after Joshua
as judges. A number of them were local men, functioning in a definite part of
Israel. From chapter 17 to 21 the picture changes somewhat and we start looking
at some of the social conditions in Israel. Read them if you get the chance. If
nothing else, it will reveal to you how desperately the nation needed a
national Judge/Prophet such as Samuel. In that sense, Samuel is sometimes seen
as the last judge of Israel before the Nation decided it wanted a king.
In a nutshell, the social conditions
of that time were desperate. A central theme is, “In those days, Israel had no King, all the
people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes”. The final three
chapter focus around the tribe of Benjamin and what happened to them. I don’t
want to spoil your reading of these three chapters. Here we find the tribe of Benjamin
hated by all the other tribes. So much so, there is a war in which the Benjamites
are almost annihilated. Almost the entire tribe gets slaughtered, men, women
and children. The dislike by Israel for the Benjamites has an interesting development.
The leaders of the other tribes vow they will never give their daughters to a
Benjamite. Then, when there were few Benjamite fighting men; 1 The Israelites had vowed at Mizpah, "We will never give our daughters in marriage to a man from
the tribe of Benjamin." Judges 21:1 NLT
However, it was not that simple. The
Israelites were convicted that the entire nation of Israel was about to cease
to exist unless they could find wives for the remaining Benjamites. This then
is what they did: 7 How can we find
wives for the few who remain, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them
our daughters in marriage?" 8
So they asked, "Who among the tribes of Israel did not join us at Mizpah
when we assembled in the presence of the LORD?" And they discovered that
no one from Jabesh-gilead had attended the assembly. 9 For after they counted all the people, no one from
Jabesh-gilead was present. 10 So the assembly sent 12,000 of their best warriors to
Jabesh-gilead with orders to kill everyone there, including women and children.
11 "This is what you are to
do," they said. "Completely destroy
all the males and every woman who is not a virgin." 12 Among
the residents of Jabesh-gilead they found 400
young virgins who had never slept with a man, and they brought them to the camp
at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. Judges 21:7-12 NLT
Sadly, this didn’t solve the
problem (Not Hollywood) 400 of the men took these 400 women as wives. But there
were still Benjamites who didn’t have a wife. This is what Isreal decided to
do: 17 There must be heirs for the
survivors so that an entire tribe of Israel is not wiped out. 18 But we cannot give them our own daughters in marriage
because we have sworn with a solemn oath that anyone who does this will fall
under God's curse." 19 Then they thought of the annual festival of the LORD held in Shiloh,
south of Lebonah and north of Bethel, along the east side of the road that goes
from Bethel to Shechem. 20 They told the men of Benjamin who still needed wives,
"Go and hide in the vineyards. 21 When you see the young women
of Shiloh come out for their dances, rush out from the vineyards, and each of
you can take one of them home to the land of Benjamin to be your wife!
22 And when their fathers and brothers come to us in protest,
we will tell them, 'Please be sympathetic. Let them have your daughters, for we
didn't find wives for all of them when we destroyed Jabesh-gilead. And you are
not guilty of breaking the vow since you did not actually give your daughters
to them in marriage.'" 23 So
the men of Benjamin did as they were told. Each man caught one of
the women as she danced in the celebration and carried her off to be his wife. They returned to their own land, and they rebuilt their
towns and lived in them. Judges 21:16-23 NLT
I’m not sure even Hollywood could
depict this the way it is described in the Bible. Young maidens of South
Africa, mind where you go dancing! You just might be abducted as someone’s
wife! (Don’t all rush at once)
Shalom
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 22 Nov 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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JIMERICKS
- DISCIPLINE
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All
over the world, particularly the Western World, Satan is attacking the
family. He hates any form of family life. It reminds him of the Unity within
the Trinity. It’s a love relationship and all love is a contradiction of everything
he represents. We know the Father loves The Son; The Son Loves the Spirit;
The Spirit loves the Father. And so on it goes, in a never ending circle of infinitely
perfect love and understanding from eternity to eternity. To you and me, it’s
incomprehensible. But it’s probably the most beautiful thing eternity has
known.
Before
his fall, Lucifer was considered to be the most beautiful “thing” in creation.
After his fall he became Satan, the
grand adversary of man; the devil or prince of darkness; the adversary;
the enemy; the accuser. So great is his hatred for God and His children, it
exceeds anything we could imagine. It would be “perfect” hatred apart from
the fact that a created being cannot be perfect, not even in hatred! It
doesn’t exist.
His
attack on the family focusses primarily on the male gender. Fatherhood and
all fathers to him are anathema; he hates women, but not quite as much. He
knows God appointed the man as the head of the family. So if he can destroy
or weaken this Divine order, he will do so. We still see this in the 21st
century. The one parent family has become common. As a general rule, children
remain with their mother. So by attacking husbands, he achieves his purposes;
families dissolve.
I had
a good father. By no means was he perfect. But he set a good example and I
was always able to look up to him and respect him. I’d like to think that I
am at least as good as he was. History will decide!
As a
general but not inflexible rule, fathers should take care of discipline
within the family. I know this statement offends some ladies. All the same,
it’s better for all concerned. My example of this comes from God’s Word.
Jesus is seldom seen as a disciplinarian. He wasn’t soft on sin but there was
a gentleness about the way He dealt with sinners that I would love to
emulate. The story in John 8 of the woman taken in “the very act of adultery”
illustrates this. According to the Law of Moses she should have been stoned
to death. So should the man concerned, but he was somehow “missing”! It was a
“perfect trap” for Him. Whichever side He took they would “have” Him. His
answer could only have come from the heart of God. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are
they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said,
"Neither do I condemn you; go, and
from now on sin no more." John
8:10-11 ESV Such wise gentle compassion! She had been caught. His
Father’s law said “stone her”. That would be the correct discipline. Jesus
had compassion. She had suffered enough!
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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7 "For there is hope
for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots
will not cease.
Job 14:7 ESV
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If you chop a tree down, it may not be its end.
It might revive,
And hence survive.
In fact, it just might mend.
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It’s roots may still continue, unless you rip them out.
How well they do,
Depends on you.
Do you want them to sprout?
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3 A bruised reed he will
not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out. In
faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
Isaiah 42:3 TNIV
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The Lord is very gentle. He does not want to harm.
A reed that’s bruised,
Cannot be used,
To signal an alarm.
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So He is very tender. A wick He won’t snuff out.
Instead He blows,
Until it glows,
And fire comes about!
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3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Psalms 23:3 ESV
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The Shepherd loves His people, And so He has a goal.
To feed His flock,
And always block,
That which could harm their soul.
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Upon the paths of righteousness, is how He always leads.
His Name is True
For me and you,
In all His mighty deeds!
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10 Godly sorrow brings
repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow
brings death.
2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV
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Sorrow brings repentance when God is in control.
But you can bet,
Mankind’s regret,
Can never make you whole.
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But genuine contrition is needed to repent.
He won’t condone
An empty groan,
Unless it’s truly meant.
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11 We don't enjoy being
disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those
who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right.
Hebrews 12:11 GW
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Discipline’s unpleasant. It always gives us pain.
It stings a bit.
But don’t “knock” it.
Without it, there’s no gain!
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But later, on reflection, we see what we have learned.
We find His peace,
Has been released,
And for our good it’s turned.
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67 I used to wander off
until You disciplined me; but now I closely follow Your word.
Psalm 119:67 NLT
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When we’re being wayward, we wander far away.
Then we’re restored,
By Christ the Lord,
With Him we wish to stay.
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And so He gives us something on which we can rely.
We have His word.
When seen and heard,
We needn’t go awry.
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13 "Now we are being
punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually
been punished far less than we deserve, for You, our God, have allowed some
of us to survive as a remnant.
Ezra 9:13 NLT
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Oh God we’ve sinned against you in many different ways.
They’re piled up high,
They reach the sky.
We don’t deserve Your praise.
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And now we’re being punished, But it is far less,
Than what is right,
Within Your sight.
A remnant you will bless.
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8 Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For
though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be
my light. 9 I will be patient as the LORD
punishes me, for I have sinned against Him. But after that, He will take up
my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The LORD will bring me into the light, and I will see
His righteousness.
Micah 7:8-9 NLT
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My enemies, stop gloating. I’ve fallen, but I’ll rise.
It may be dark,
But God’s the spark,
That comes before my eyes.
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And though I’m being punished, I will wait patiently
I’ll be restored,
By Christ my Lord.
That’s when He’ll deal with thee!
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Jim
Strickland – Written 22nd November 2012
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