"Kryptonite" February 24 Readings: Judges 11-16

  

Reading the Bible Chronologically in 2024

This year, instead of reading from Genesis to Revelation, we will read the Bible as the story flows, as it happened and was written. There are several plans out there and I have worked to combine them into a plan that lets the Bible tell its own story "as it happened." Remember, the Bible is inspired, but not in the order the books appear in our Bibles.  The Old Testament is approximately 3/4 of the Bible, but we will give more emphasis to the New Testament, spending half the year in the Old Testament and half in the New. 

Bible Readings: Judges 11-16

Background:  

As the cycle continued, Israel's judges became less noble and more flawed. Today we focus on two flawed leaders - Jephthah and Samson.

The biggest question in today's reading is what happened to Jephthah's daughter (Judges 11). There are two schools of thought and each time I have taught this book I've changed my mind.

• Jephthah's daughter was sacrificed - put to death - in fulfillment of the vow. 
• The sacrifice was not death, but that she was never allowed to marry or have children. 

The most natural reading of the passage is that she was sacrificed and put to death. But the fact that she mourned not over her death but over the fact that she was a virgin and would never marry (11:36-38) opens the door to the other. It also seems that God would have reacted more retributively had a human sacrifice taken place.

We will likely be arguing about this until we see Jesus face-to-face.

Daily Devotional: Kryptonite

Samson is a biblical character who is both heroic and tragic. He was set apart for God's service from birth and given special abilities to help God's people and fight God's enemies. The tales of his exploits would make the greatest mythical superheroes jealous. In real life, the Philistines cringed at the mention of his name.

Had he developed character and self-control, he might be remembered with some of the great ones of the Bible - Moses, David, Elijah, and others. None of them had his strength, his natural ability. But, alas, no. Samson won many great battles but he lost the one that mattered the most, the battle against the power of his own flesh.

Superman had his kryptonite. Samson had women. While his story is introduced in today's reading and will only be completed in tomorrow's, it is a familiar tale. He was a strong man with a weakness for the wrong kind of women. He lived by his passions instead of walking in self-control, so he was easily led astray and the end of his story is not one of glory but of tragedy.

The moral of the story of Samson is simple. What matters most is not our abilities or talents, but the character we build. No man or woman can undertake great tasks for God until he or she builds deep spiritual character - a love for God, moral strength, obedience, and holiness. It is of utmost importance that we yield to the Spirit of God as he remakes us in the image of Christ. We must focus on becoming like Christ, not just on doing great things for Christ. Samson is a cautionary tale for the man who attempted to do great things without the great character to match - and the story ends in a horrible tragedy.

Every blood-bought believer should aspire to significant service to God, but that can never come at the expense of significant transformation. Who we are in Christ is foundational to what we can do for Christ.

Too many servants of God have attempted great things only to be done in by the kryptonite of deficient character.

Father, I've always wanted to serve you in significant ways, but sometimes I forget about who I am in you. Transform me by your Spirit to become like your Son. 

Consider God's Word:

Do you maintain the highest moral standards in your relationships with the opposite sex?
Do you make compromises that could undermine your ability to serve God?