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March 31st
The Bible reading today is in Judges chapters 3,4,5.
Today’s reading begins with a list of Canaanite peoples who were still living in the promised land.
God never intended to drive out all the Canaanites at one time. Scripture tells us that God intended to do it “slowly”...using each tribe to drive out those that remained after the provincial kings of Canaan had been defeated and killed.
We know of two reasons from scripture why God left Canaanites in the land. One from yesterday’s reading and the second from today’s.
First, God used the Canaanite people to “test” His own. The word “test” in this text means “to prove”...to prove who was legitimate and who was not..it’s the picture of the refiner’s fire..the ore would be fired to great heat and the ore would melt...was it “golden” or not...the fire and the heat would answer that question.
God would use the Canaanites to prove to the new nation that they had not arrived yet. There was a lot of spiritual growing up that needed to be done. God would use the “Canaanite factor” in the promised land to prove which of His treasured ones would follow Him and which ones would be turned away from the Lord by the Canaanite culture and religious practices.
In 1 Corinthians 11, we learn that God tested the members of the Corinthian church so that the church would recognize the genuine believers from the fake ones...and deal appropriately.
One more thought on God’s testing of His people.
Ever noticed how God didn't just instantly change every area of our lives when we first got saved? Yes...Why?...so that He could “prove and improve” us at such a “pace”, that we, who are a bit slow as the Rabbi’s talmadim...disciples, we would come to understand that doing “new life” was first and foremost, doing it with the Lord.
So God used the remaining Canaanite presence to “test and prove” His congregation...proving just who was completely His and just who was not.
But there was another reason for God leaving Canaanites in the land after the initial campaign. Israel needed to “learn war”!
God wanted His people to be “warriors”. And the presence of these dangerous neighbors would give God His opportunity to train all of Israel to fight.
“God” placed Israel in this hostile environment. He knew with Egypt on one side and Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece on the other, His kids would have to fight to survive...not on their own but with God.
I like what David Guzik says...” No one likes the tests and struggles against temptations and sin, but the battle is good for us. “Remember...The symbol of Christianity is a cross, not a feather bed.”
So God began to test His “promised land people” and teach them war...spiritual and military war. God would use His judges to be their professors and their delivers.
Now...Jumping to the end of chapter 3. A short story of one of my favorite “God made” leaders. A man named Shamgar an Israeli farmer who saved Israel from the 5 Lords of the Philistines. By starting where he was...With what he had...To do what he could do...
We’re going to enjoy the rest of the story.
Have a great day.
