Stepping in the Light

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25 

When the people of Israel did not have a leader, their morals went into a steep decline. They quickly began to worship the gods of the nearby nations. They set up idols and built groves for the purpose of worshipping these false gods. Because there was not a strong political structure, they had a difficult time defending themselves against their enemies. Everyone wanted the benefits of peace, but no one was interested in making the necessary provisions for their national defense. God had promised the people that He would protect them and bless them if they would faithfully worship Him, but they forsook His promises and the covenant that God had made with them. Everyone did whatever they thought was right. It is obvious as you read through the book of Judges that it did not work out well for them as a nation.

Sometimes Christians have this same attitude. They are not interested in what God says about how they should live their lives. They are not willing to allow God’s Word to be the standard by which they judge their decisions. In the book of Judges, each time that the people turned back to God, He raised up a leader to deliver them from their enemies and to guide them in the way of righteousness. On a personal level, we can experience the same kind of victory if we are willing to repent of our sin and renew our commitment to live by His Word.

“Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.” Judges 16:22

The life of Samson is a bit of a mystery. Samson demonstrated a great deal of selfishness and very little self-control, but God used Samson to do a number of miraculous feats of strength and to judge the people of Israel for twenty years.

Before Samson was born, an angel appeared to his parents and told them that they would have a son and that he would have a special covenant with God. One of the signs of that covenant was that Samson was never to cut his hair. As long as his hair was not cut, God would use him to do mighty feats of strength.

At the end of Samson’s life, we can see a powerful example of the longsuffering and goodness of God. Samson had single-handedly thrown off the oppression of the Philistines as a result of numerous clashes he had with them. However, Samson fell in love with a Philistine woman named Delilah and the Philistines used Delilah to get to Samson. Delilah pressed Samson until he finally shared the secret of his great strength, and then she immediately told the Philistines. The Philistines cut off his hair, put out his eyes, and placed him in chains. However, something happened as he was chained in the prison house. His hair began to grow again, and God allowed His covenant with Samson to be renewed. Samson was given another chance. It is sad to think about all that Samson lost when he shared his secret, but it is encouraging to see that God gave Samson another opportunity to do a mighty work for Him.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38

There are two important biblical truths in this verse. The first is that if you give to others, then others will give to you. God doesn’t want us to live a tight-fisted, miserly existence. He wants us to share what He has given to us with those around us. As we learn to share with others, we are not only blessed with the joy of giving; but we also have the opportunity to enjoy the things that others will give to us.

The second truth is that the measuring cup you use when you give is the same one that others will use when they give to you. The larger the measuring cup, the larger the portion will be that is meted out. Have you ever wanted to fill a bowl of soup from a large pot and only had a small spoon to work with? This can be a frustrating task. A large ladle can fill a soup bowl with only one serving. We will enjoy life more if we trade our small teaspoon for a large ladle when it comes to giving.

These truths are both universal. That means that they apply to our giving to the Lord as well as to other people. God wants us to give to Him of our time, our talent, and our treasures. Which measuring cup do you want God to use when He gives to you? He is going to use the same one that you use. So, in essence, you choose God’s measuring cup when you choose yours.

“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” Luke 6:17-19

Jesus went up into a mountain and had spent the entire night in prayer. In the morning, He chose twelve from the disciples who were following Him and called them apostles. When they came down from the mountain, a multitude had gathered there to hear Him preach, and many among them had come in hopes that they would be healed. As Jesus began healing people and casting out evil spirits, the crowd pressed close to Him. They wanted to touch Jesus because they believed that just a touch would be enough to heal them. Jesus’ power and His compassion were displayed that day as the people crowded closer to Him. The Bible tells us of times when not all of the sick people who came to hear Jesus were healed, but on this occasion we see that He healed them all. Was it because of their faith? Was it because they put forth the effort to try to get close to Jesus and touch Him? Was it because Jesus had spent the night in prayer?  It seems that this is an example of how God wants us to believe that He can solve our problems and meet our needs. Are you reaching out to touch Him today?

“But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32

Everyone is capable of displaying self-righteous tendencies from time to time. For the scribes and Pharisees, self-righteousness was the very heart of their understanding of religion. The goal was to be as good as you could be and make sure that as many people as possible were aware of your righteous living. At first glance, this seems logical to a person who has a desire to be known as an upstanding person. However, a self-righteous attitude flies in the face of a Holy God. Jesus often stressed the importance of humility and taking personal responsibility for our sin. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus spent time with people who were living obviously sinful lives. Jesus let them know that those who understand that they are sinners are the only ones who are willing to come to God for help. Jesus was not saying that there were some people who did not need to be saved, but rather that some people are not willing to recognize their need to be saved. Jesus knew that the Pharisees were just as sinful as the publicans, but the Pharisees were not willing to admit their sin. Jesus is still calling for sinners today. He is seeking for those who are sick of their spiritual condition and are willing to call on Him for salvation and forgiveness.

“And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian.” Judges 7:13-15

Gideon was less than confident about his ability to lead and his chances of victory in the battle against the Midianites. He asked the angel that appeared to him for a sign that their conversation was real. He put out a fleece two nights in a row asking for a sign from God that they would win. The Lord had Gideon send most of the people home after the test of how they drank from the brook. God knew that Gideon was afraid to lead the remaining 300 men against such a vast army, so He sent him down to spy on the host of the Midianites during the night. While Gideon was there, he overheard a conversation that completely convinced him that God had sent him and that they would ultimately prevail. God is never uncertain when it comes to accomplishing His will and He is totally capable of helping us see the direction that He desires for us to take.

“And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for Baal? Will ye save him? He that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar. Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.” Judges 6:31-32

An angel appeared to Gideon and told him that he was chosen to lead his people against the Midianites who had invaded their land and greatly oppressed them. Gideon lacked confidence, but he reluctantly agreed to organize the resistance against the enemy forces. The Lord spoke to Gideon that night and told him to tear down the altar of Baal and cut down the grove that was by it. Gideon took some of his father’s servants and did exactly as God had told him. He then built an altar to the Lord and made a sacrifice on it. In the morning, when the men of the city had seen what had been done to the place where they worshipped their false gods, they demanded that Gideon be put to death. But Gideon’s father, Joash, came to his defense with this argument: if Baal is really a god, let him defend himself.  The reason the people were being oppressed by the Midianites was that they had turned to false gods. When Gideon took a stand for the Lord, he caused quite a stir amongst those who worshipped Baal. Our desire to avoid hurting people’s feelings is understandable, but you cannot stand for God without standing against the devil.

“And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.” Judges 2:10-13

God chose the people of Israel. He promised Abraham that He would make a great nation of him and that through this nation all the people of the world would be blessed. God’s hand is clearly seen as the history of Israel unfolds. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob wandered as strangers in a land that was not their own. God used Joseph to spare his family during the famine, but they remained in slavery in Egypt until the Lord sent Moses to lead them out. The Israelites saw the plagues in Egypt, walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, and ate manna from heaven every day. They crossed the Jordan River and conquered the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. But soon after the people who experienced all of these things firsthand were gone, the Israelites quickly turned to other gods and began to worship them. The lesson here is that we need to constantly remind ourselves and the people around us of the goodness of God and the great things that He has done.

“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22

The baptism of Jesus is significant for several reasons. Jesus submitted Himself to baptism as an example to all of us (Matthew 3:15). Baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-5). It demonstrates a desire to follow a new path (Acts 8:36-38). Perhaps more importantly, we are given a clear glimpse of the Trinity. After Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in a bodily shape like a dove, and the voice of God the Father was heard from heaven. The people who were present saw Jesus (God the Son), they saw the shape of the dove (the Holy Spirit), and they heard the voice of God the Father all at the same time. The voice they heard said, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” Our Heavenly Father wanted us to know Who Jesus was and that He was pleased with what Jesus was getting ready to do. Over the next three-and-a-half years, Jesus travelled about preaching to the multitudes, teaching His disciples, and healing the sick. All the while, Christ was preparing for the completion of His mission here on earth to die for the sins of the world. God the Father was perfectly pleased with the work of His Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Luke 2:52

I am amazed when I stop to ponder the life that our Lord lived here on earth and how different it must have been from His experience in eternity past. According to John chapter one, Jesus Christ was the active member of the Godhead in creation. “All things were made by Him,” (John 1:3). He had all power, He was perfect, and He knew everything; yet He chose to come to this earth as a baby Who would have to learn how to walk and talk like everyone else does. He became hungry; He grew weary. The text above tells us that Jesus grew in four specific areas: wisdom, stature, favor with God, and favor with man. Jesus’ body grew each day at the rate of any normal human being. As that was happening, He was also learning. He chose to limit Himself to the mind in the human body that He possessed, so He needed to learn to read and write like any other young child. He also increased in favor with man. He learned how to interact with others and became an increasingly likable person. The more Jesus grew, the more He pleased God the Father because it was exactly what He needed to do to fulfill His mission on earth.

It is difficult to understand how the Son of God could experience personal growth, but this truth is an excellent example for all of us as Christians. If we want to please our Heavenly Father, we need to grow in the same way that He did.