The Jesus Bible Reading Plan / A FAITHFUL GOD AND AN UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE

The Jesus Bible Reading Plan

Day 194 of 365 A FAITHFUL GOD AND AN UNFAITHFUL PEOPLE The book of Judges presents a stark contrast between the faithfulness of God and the unfaithfulness of his people. It is astounding to consider that so soon after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, a generation arrived on the scene that neither knew the Lord nor the works that he had done for them. The very same nation who was an eyewitness to the stunning might of God had now forgotten him altogether. Their forgetfulness is seen in their ever-increasing propensity toward rebellion. One would anticipate that their sin would prompt God to abandon his people forever. Yet, time and time again, an avalanche of God's grace meets the faithlessness of the people. In fact, the text records God's pity on the people and his attentiveness to their cries. Previously, Moses recounted how the people of God groaned because of their slavery and cried out to the Lord (Ex 2:23 - 25). These cries for deliverance were met by responses from the Lord. He heard their cries. He remembered the promises he had made in his covenant with them. He saw their need, and he knew their pain. This is the nature of the faithfulness of God - he hears, remembers, sees and knows. Now, generations later, God heard the cries of his people and provided judges to lead them to victory. He did this despite the fact that they had demonstrated a perpetual inability to obey, even for a generation. God's faithfulness is clearly not predicated on the goodness of his people. Rather, God's faithfulness is founded on his character. He is a faithful God who always keeps his promises. The faithfulness of God is the hope on which the Christian life is built. Those who know Jesus through repentance and faith can rest assured that God is faithful to his promises (1Co 1:9). He will not abandon his people, nor will he turn his back on them when they are unfaithful. Instead he hears, remembers, sees and knows. He hears the cry for mercy from those who know they are broken. He remembers his covenant, made long ago to Abraham, to save his people. He knows the needs of his people and, by virtue of Christ's work, has made provision to meet those needs and restore them to a right relationship with him forever. Jesus, I thank you and praise you for your grace and faithfulness. Thank you for never giving up on me, even when I am ungrateful, rebellious and forgetful of your goodness. Amen. Judges 2:11-19 NASB 11 Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the L ord and served the Baals, 12 and they forsook the L ord , the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the L ord to anger. 13 So they forsook the L ord and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14 The anger of the L ord burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15 Wherever they went, the hand of the L ord was against them for evil, as the L ord had spoken and as the L ord had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed. 16 Then the L ord raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. 17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the L ord ; they did not do as their fathers.  18 When the L ord raised up judges for them, the L ord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the L ord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them. This chapter has 9 verses This selection continues on YouVersion 1 Corinthians 1:9 NASB 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.