27.3: Jesus in Judges 1: New Generations of Israelites Plunge into a Vicious Cycle

Life is messy. So is the Book of Judges. As we  continue our journey through God’s Story, the History of Israel and  Jesus’ ancestry, we find a phrase repeated over and over again… “The  Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight.” Over and over again. It became  a vicious cycle. As the generation that knew Joshua dies off, the next  generation starts doing what God told them NOT to do — mix with the  pagans. So…. They get in trouble by worshiping the gods and idols of the local pagans, resulting in oppression and suffering They call to God God sends a “judge” or leader He/She is victorious The judge dies They get in trouble, AGAIN, by worshiping the gods and idols of the local pagans resulting in oppression and suffering And it starts all over again. A vicious cycle. We easily get into vicious cycles. Take attempting to lose weight.  You try a diet plan, start exercising, you’re very gun-ho. It works and  you lose weight, then you slowly starting eating the foods you shouldn’t  eat, and you gain the weight back. So you try another diet plan….and on  and on. This vicious cycle goes on until you seek help from God — yes,  God — for guidance, self-control and self-discipline, along with a  professional, who gets you on a meal plan that works for you and you  lose the weight for good. How bad does this Old Testament book get? Pretty bad. We meet a  variety of different characters — including familiar names like Deborah,  Gideon and Samson. Each with a story. Each with a lesson for us today.  See if you can recognize Jesus in these stories. Let’s dig in... Keep reading in my blog where there are links to dig deeper... It’s time to GET RIGHT WITH GOD! Are you ready to meet God today? You may just meet God today! If you want to reap all the benefits of salvation including the 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven then… Believe. Repent. Be Baptized. Receive the Holy Spirit. Pray this prayer humbly and wholeheartedly… “Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. Please forgive me. Right now, I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and my life to you. I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior. I surrender my whole life to you and I will follow you for the rest of my life. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me. In Jesus' name, Amen.” Or visit: https://giselleaguiar.com/how-to-invite-jesus-into-your-heart/ This is a daily podcast, published each evening. Subscribe button so can get to know God. And please share this with your friends. Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be the Glory!