Judges 1
For what seems like forever the story of the conquest of the promised land has been a difficult one for me to read and really care about. It has seemed so... almost mythical. There are parts of it that are so clearly God fighting for His people and others where He seems not present and it has felt like it's a new super hero movie. But then, I guess that's the point huh?
Here's just a couple verses from Judges chapter one:
v. 4: When the men of Judah attacked, the LORD gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bezek.
v. 8: The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire.
v. 19: The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, because they had iron chariots.
v. 8: The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire.
v. 19: The LORD was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, because they had iron chariots.
Ok, um, what? Let me get this straight. God Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, is able to give victory to His people, killing 10,000 warriors or every resident of Jerusalem but some iron chariots got in His way? Isn't this the same God who, a generation previous took a bunch of chariots driven by Egyptians and drown them in the Red Sea? Isn't He all powerful?
How can I put my faith in a God who can't defeat a few chariots? Iron or not?
How can I put my faith in a God who can't defeat a few chariots? Iron or not?
Immediately I remembered the story of Caleb and Joshua. When Moses gave 12 men the order to investigate the promised land, ten of them came back with horror stories that the inhabitants were tall, strong and scary. That, likely, was very true. But two men, Joshua and Caleb, reported that the tall, strong, scary people could be overtaken and they should move in immediately. Sadly, 10 overruled 2 and the Isrealites wandered the desert for 40 years so that God could teach them dependance on Him. Decades later, the tribe of Judah was again afraid of a few iron chariots and God was unwilling to move on their behalf.
What chariots are in your life? Pain? Addiction? Depression? God is able and willing to remove them for you. But you must believe that He can, in spite of their size, strength and scariness. Doing otherwise is just limiting God. Paul tells us that
"He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power." His power. Not mine. His power. Not yours. Thank God. Because I am weak. But He.....