The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / A Bride Ray of Hope

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 33 of 365 A BRIEF RAY OF HOPE The story of Deborah and Barak provides a brief respite in an otherwise depressing decline of the nation of Israel. Their faithfulness is seen in their willingness to hear the Lord and obey his commands. Their responsiveness to God stands in stark contrast to the stiff-necked rebellion and hardheartedness demonstrated by God's people throughout most of the remainder of the book. These glimmers of hope are short-lived throughout the Old Testament. The brief faithfulness of certain individuals or leaders was rapidly followed by the onslaught of rebellion and sin. This pattern continued until the time of Christ. Jesus obeyed where all others fell, not just once, but through the entirety of his life. Peter wrote that Jesus never sinned, completely obeying the law of God down to the very last detail (1Pe 2:22). This perfect righteousness demonstrated that he is the Son of God who was given as a gift to those who place their faith in his work on the cross. Those who are in Christ can look forward to a coming day when a permanent break from sin will take place and the earth itself will be forever purified from the impediments of sin. Jesus, help me to faithfully obey you like Deborah and Barak did. I want to live righteously and courageously, even when the world around me seems to be falling apart. Amen. Judges 4:1-10 1 Peter 2:22 Judges 4:1-10 NASB 1 Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the L ord , after Ehud died. 2 And the L ord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; and the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 The sons of Israel cried to the L ord ; for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the sons of Israel severely for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the sons of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 Now she sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali, and said to him, "Behold, the L ord , the God of Israel, has commanded, 'Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men from the sons of Naphtali and from the sons of Zebulun. 7 I will draw out to you Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his many troops to the river Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.'" 8 Then Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go." 9 She said, "I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the L ord will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 1 Peter 2:22 NASB 22 who committed no sin , nor was any deceit found in H is mouth ;