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Judges-10

Serving a Capital-G God: A Devotional Study on Judges 10​

Introduction​

The Book of Judges depicts a troublesome cycle: the people of Israel forget the Lord, sin ensues, God sends oppression, and then Israel cries out for deliverance. In Judges 10, we see the Israelites in another period of oppression, this time at the hands of the Philistines. As we delve into this chapter, let's explore the importance of serving a capital-G God.

Section 1: The People's Despair (Judges 10:1-3)​

Devotional Thought: The Israelites cried out to the Lord because their Philistine oppressors had taken over their capital city, Eglon. This moment marks the third time Israel has been captured by a foreign power. Through their despair, we witness the frustration and helplessness that can emerge when we forget the Lord. Let's take a moment today to examine if we're placing our hope and security in anything other than God.

Reflection Questions:

  • Are we relying on things other than God for our hope and security?
  • What factors could lead us to forsake God and put our trust in others?

Section 2: The Leader's Leadership (Judges 10:4-5)​

Devotional Thought: Shamgar, Israel's judge at this time, led them into battle against the Philistines. Upon killing 600 men, he owned his victory to the Lord. In times of trouble, leaders who recognize their independence from God's provision in battle can encourage their people to do the same. Let's consider how we, as leaders, can cultivate a spirit of trust in the Lord when leading others.

Reflection Questions:

  • Can you share an example of a leader who's cultivated a spirit of trust in the Lord?
  • How can we foster trust and reliance on God while guiding others?

Section 3: The People's Pain (Judges 10:6-14)​

Devotional Thought: Upon Shamgar's victory over the Philistines, Israel enjoyed a period of freedom for twenty years. Such freedom, however, didn't last long. Under a new king, the Amalekites began to oppress Israel, causing them to cry out to the Lord again. Let's reflect on the impermanence and weakness of human freedom versus God's eternal Lordship.

Reflection Questions:

  • Can you share an example of how human efforts towards freedom can fall short, as illustrated in Judges 10:6-14?
  • How can we trust in the Lord's eternal freedom rather than relying on human efforts towards freedom?

Section 4: The Leader's Failure (Judges 10:15-18)​

Devotional Thought: In yet another period of oppression, a man named Tola served as Israel's judge. Israel was oppressed by the Moabites for eighteen years. Tola's long period of oppression and struggle could illustrate the dangers of leaders failing to abandon their independence from God's provision in battle. Today, let's reflect on how our leadership efforts could potentially fail us if we don't rely on the Lord's provision.

Reflection Questions:

  • How can we as leaders avoid the temptation of abandoning God's provision in our leadership efforts?
  • How can we learn from Tola's failure to serve a capital-G God?

Conclusion:​

As we conclude our devotional exploration of Judges 10, let's persistently strive to serve a capital-G God. We can trust our sovereign Creator to grant us freedom, protect us from our enemies, and care for our needs. May we never forget that God alone is our hope, security, and victorious cause. Let's strive to exemplify such faithfulness as leaders and cultivate it in our people.