The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / NOT JUST ANY KING

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 141 of 365 NOT JUST ANY KING The anticlimactic ending of the book of Judges portrays a hopeless nation. Throughout the book, the author noted a correlation between the evil of the people and the absence of a king (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). Each time, though, it appears that the sin of the people advanced in terms of its scope and destructive impact. Here the people who were meant to dwell in an amazing land and delight in fellowship with God are presented as a divided people living in constant fear. The blame is placed squarely on the shoulders of the people. They did what was right in their own eyes and, in so doing, failed to do what was right in the eyes of God. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, they disregarded the wisdom of God and trusted in their own discernment. Over and over again, God's people fall prey to the temptation of Satan to trust in themselves and follow after their own desires. The apostle John explained that "everything in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" - comes from the world and is doomed for destruction (1Jn 2:16). Time after time people chase after desires that were never meant to fully satisfy their soul. The path to life is found through a king. Not just any king, but theKing. King Jesus invites people to follow a better leader who both models a life of total obedience to God and invites others to follow this path. Jesus, as the truer and better Adam, would do what Adam could not do. Jesus obeyed where Adam failed. Jesus led his people to obey God (Ro 5:12 - 21). He did far more than any earthly, human king could ever do - he took the judgment of God. Through his death and resurrection, he grants his people the gift of a perfect, righteous standing before God. In his presence, they find acceptance, love and forgiveness. Jesus' perfect kingship is the type of leadership that the people at the conclusion of the book of Judges - and people today - desperately need. Jesus, forgive me for trusting in myself instead of in you. Thank you for showing me the truth, that the only way to freedom is through obedience to you. Amen. Judges 21:25 NASB 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 1 John 2:16 NASB 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. Romans 5:12-21 NASB 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned- 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification. 17For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. 19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,