I am preaching through Judges on Sunday nights and I am at the point where Jephthah has just been summoned to be the peoples leader. The reason why I am putting this post on my blog is to record my thoughts BEFORE I read any books or commentaries concerning what I am going to write. I have stated before and I continue to believe that God is capable of showing us personally that which He is shown others and that our PERSONAL learning moment is much more easily retained than simply gleanings from another's, though this is not to say that we cannot be blessed by reading the words and works of others.
Here is what I see that God has shown me and I find quite fascinating. In Chapter 10 starting with verse 6, we see the people forsaking God to serve other gods. In verse 10, after smarting under the chastisement of God, the children of Israel "...cried unto the LORD..." and in verse 16, we see the LORD moved with compassion at the plight of Israel.
In Chapter 11 in verses 2-3, Jephthah is turned away from his family. The literally chase him off. In verses 5-6, we see the people, smarting under the fear of the Ammonites calling for Jephthah to return and be their leader. Jephthah's return, though conditional, is still a return that removes the source of pain from the people.
The parallel is that we see the same thing happen to both God and Jephthah. They are pushed away, the people under pain appeal for their return and both do return and deliver the people from their pain. FASCINATING! To me it is anyway.
To me, this is a fertile field for plowing and I intend to do so, I simply needed to claim this as my own(from God of course) but put this in writing BEFORE I searched other books and commentaries. Thus, while the concept may not be original, I will be able to with clear conscience state that it is original to me in that I was not shown this by flesh and blood but rather by the Spirit of God.
Feel free to interact with my "discovery", actually it would better be said illumination by the Spirit, and I do so hope that it blesses you.
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8 comments:
Welcome back!!!! That's pretty cool and interesting. Hope you had a wonderful trip and wanted to share that Delaney has asked Jesus to be her Lord and Savior :)
Kim,
That is great news about Delaney. I cannot wait to tell Mrs. Norma unless she plans on doing it herself.
Thanks for the welcome back. It was a very restful period.
Tell Marc and the kids hello.
We may be in on the week of the 27th, if Marc can get leave. If so we will see ya'll Sunday of which I am so hoping to be able to see ya'll. I miss Westside so much but I see God working here too.
LUKE: isn't it wonderful that the Lord still heard His sinful children because they turned back to Him and cried out? "If my people, who are called by my name..." selahV
By the way, I forgot to tell you that I often do what you did with this post. I write down what I'm thinking the Lord is telling me and then read various comments to see if what I believe God is telling me squares with others. It's sooooo fulfilling to see that happen. selahV
V,
Surely, of a truth you have spoken by pointing out the mercy we embrace from God. That's a selah moment.
As far as writing it down first, when I was in college and seminary, they did not want us to do much "original" thinking, rather they wanted us to write papers formed, from and based upon the writings of others. Because I am an original thinker, I have even been accused of lifting others works. Fortunately, God knows my conscience and through some serious discussion with profs I was able to stand on my own thinking and one even began to urge me on into new areas with that thinking. I even brought up a "new idea" to me about the theme of a particular book of the Bible and they thought that I had somehow uncovered someone's doctoral thesis that was yet to be written. They just could not believe that a non-PhD could either think or be shown things by the Holy Spirit that they had not approved of I suppose. But, in the end, that is why I posted this particular one. Laying claim to what God showed me APART from other scholars save the Holy Spirit.
God is merciful is he not?!!!
Luke: so little have I read of any of the father's of theology and doctrine. I just began to nibble on things Calvin and Arminius last August. sigh.
I rather like being under my Rock, allowing the Spirit to shed Light upon His Word.
I take God's Word, my circumstances, ceaseless prayer and voila! Wisdom and understanding materialize. After all, God says all we must do to receive wisdom is ask. The hard part is accepting the trials and tribulations that come with the lessons. selahV
V,
I've read and read much when it comes to commentaries. My approach is to read them AFTER my study. However, I am not big on, well so and so said so and so, so it must be right. I can respect and admire many of the "greats" of our time and past, but my relationship with the Lord is just that. It is mine. Not theirs. And what blessings I would miss if I tried to relive their lives again instead of mine own. This is not to say that I am not willing to learn from the error into which others have fallen. But it isn't truth just because Calvin or Gill said so and it is not not truth because Calvin or Gill said so.
I am not in rebellion against the establishment. I think some people operate well under the establishment. And yet, many of our greatest thinkers and inventors operated in their own garages or basements. I guess I see myself as a basement dweller.
Thanks for your input. It has certainly made for serious but light hearted discussion.
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