The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 11 March 2020 – TOPIC: “AGAIN……EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD!”
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DATE: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2020
TOPIC: “AGAIN……EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD!”
READ: JUDGES 3:12-31 (NKJV)
12. And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD. So the LORD strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.
13. Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms.
14. So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years.
15. But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
16. Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh.
17. So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon [was] a very fat man.)
18. And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute.
19. But he himself turned back from the stone images that [were] at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” He said, “Keep silence!” And all who attended him went out from him.
20. And Ehud came to him (now he was sitting upstairs in his cool private chamber). Then Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” So he arose from [his] seat.
21. Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
22. Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out.
23. Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24. When he had gone out, Eglon’s servants came to look, and [to their] surprise, the doors of the upper room were locked. So they said, “He is probably attending to his needs in the cool chamber.”
25. So they waited till they were embarrassed, and still he had not opened the doors of the upper room. Therefore they took the key and opened [them.] And there was their master, fallen dead on the floor.
26. But Ehud had escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the stone images and escaped to Seirah.
27. And it happened, when he arrived, that he blew the trumpet in the mountains of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mountains; and he led them.
28. Then he said to them, “Follow [me,] for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they went down after him, seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and did not allow anyone to cross over.
29. And at that time they killed about ten thousand men of Moab, all stout men of valor; not a man escaped.
30. So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
31. After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad; and he also delivered Israel.
THE MESSAGE:
The word “AGAIN” (verse 12) tells us that an act is a ‘repeat performance.” This ‘repeat performance’ of the Israelites followed after the death of a leader whom God raised for their deliverance, and was in direct disobedience to His commands (Judges 2:19a). The “evil in the sight of the LORD” was their going back to living their lives the way they wanted – following after, serving, obeying and bowing down to other gods (Judges 2:19b), while neglecting their Maker and Deliverer (cf. Exodus 20:3). Their evil actions thus provoked God to fight against them by raising a heathen king and nation that tortured them for 18 years (verses 12b-14). But, when they cried out to the LORD, He raised a deliverer, whom He gave the wisdom and strategy to deliver them. Thus, peace reigned again (verses 15-31).
It is true that God will answer when you call Him in your troubles (Psalm 50:15), but GOD HATES IDOLATORY in all its forms. Do you keep going back to doing evil in God’s sight after He has rescued and delivered you? Desist from such to avoid attracting punishment (Deuteronomy 28:47-50).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: ROMANS 6:1-2
PRAYER: Help me dear Father, to learn to love You wholeheartedly and not take Your Mercy for granted, in Jesus’ Name. Amen