Judges- History repeats itself Copyright © Claire. M. Earl 2011 Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission Judges- History repeats itself

SOAP update We made it through Leviticus! New Bible Reading Plan for March/April available today! NEVER TOO LATE TO START!

Judges- Incredible characters

Major Theme of Judges

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We all have secrets… and they have consequences.. Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites.     2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.     3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country.     4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.     5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it.     Judges 6:1-5

HOWEVER, Even in our darkest disobedience: God is full of Grace Judges 10:15-16 But the Israelites said to the LORD, “We have sinned. Do with us whatever you think best, but please rescue us now.” 16 Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the LORD. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer. Even in our darkest disobedience: God is full of Grace God saves

But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer HOWEVER, 3:9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer 3:15 Again the Israelites cried out to the LORD, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man 6:7 When the Israelites cried out to the LORD because of Midian, he sent them a prophet, Even in our darkest disobedience: God is full of Grace God saves

Be Certain you know your God How Holy How incredible How Powerful How forgiving How Loving Judges 5: 3-5 “Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers!    I will sing to the LORD, I will sing;    I will make music to the LORD, the God of Israel. 4 “O LORD, when you went out from Seir,    when you marched from the land of Edom, the earth shook, the heavens poured,    the clouds poured down water. 5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai,    before the LORD, the God of Israel.

Know we all Sin. Samson was no ‘moral’ hero. Judges 15:17 Judges 14:19 God meets us where we are.

Fulfilled ultimately in Jesus. God never gives up on us. Obvious in Judges Judges 3:15 for example Fulfilled ultimately in Jesus.

God never gives up on you.

God welcomes us home. It seems that all my bridges have been burnt, but you say that is exactly how this grace thing works. It’s not the long walk home that will change this heart, But the welcome I receive with the restart.

Practical help Confess your sin. Know your enemy Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Practical help Confess your sin. Know your enemy Walk with Others James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other…… Know your enemy Walk with Others

I tried to do what was right in God’s eyes. What’s your life motto? Judges 21:25 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. I tried to do what was right in God’s eyes.