Cycles of Forgetfulness: God's Unexpected Deliverance
Summary
In today's exploration of Judges Chapter 3, we delved into the cyclical nature of Israel's disobedience and God's unwavering compassion. The narrative of Judges is a vivid portrayal of Israel's repeated cycles of sin, oppression, distress, and deliverance. This cycle is not just a historical account but a mirror reflecting the human condition—a tendency to forget God and turn to idols, leading to spiritual and physical bondage. The story of Othniel serves as a straightforward example of this cycle, while the account of Ehud introduces unexpected elements, illustrating God's surprising methods of deliverance.
Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin, becomes an unlikely hero. His left-handedness, often seen as a weakness, becomes the very means through which God delivers Israel from the oppressive Moabite king, Eglon. This narrative challenges our understanding of strength and power, reminding us that God's ways are not bound by human logic or expectations. The story underscores the theme that God can use anyone and anything to accomplish His purposes, often in ways that defy our understanding.
The heart of the message is the danger of forgetting God. Israel's forgetfulness is not a mere lapse in memory but a deep-seated spiritual amnesia where the truths about God become unreal to them. This forgetfulness leads to idolatry and moral decay, highlighting the importance of continually remembering and centering our lives on God. The call is to cultivate a heart memory that keeps God's love and truth at the forefront of our lives, preventing the drift into spiritual forgetfulness.
Ultimately, the narrative points us to the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ, who enters into our mess, not just to empathize but to redeem. His sacrifice is the ultimate act of love, bearing our sins and offering us a new identity in Him. The challenge is to bring our divided hearts to be captured by His love, recognizing that true freedom and security are found in being held by Him.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Cycle of Forgetfulness: Israel's repeated cycle of sin and deliverance in Judges highlights the danger of spiritual forgetfulness. Forgetting God leads to idolatry and moral decay, emphasizing the need for a heart memory that keeps God's truth real and central in our lives. [15:15]
2. Unexpected Deliverance: Ehud's story illustrates that God's deliverance often comes through unexpected means. His left-handedness, seen as a weakness, becomes the tool for victory, reminding us that God's ways are not bound by human logic or expectations. [32:26]
3. God's Compassionate Response: Despite Israel's incomplete cries for help, God's compassion leads Him to deliver them. This reflects His deep love and commitment to His people, showing that His response is driven by love, not gullibility. [31:15]
4. The Heart of Idolatry: The root of Israel's sin is a heart dislocated from God. Our contexts may shape us, but they do not cause us to sin. The heart's inclination towards idols is the true issue, calling us to examine where our hearts are centered. [24:00]
5. Christ, Our Ultimate Deliverer: The story of Ehud points to the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ, who enters our mess to redeem us. His sacrifice is the ultimate act of love, offering us freedom and security in being captured by His love. [59:47]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[04:53] - Introduction to Judges 3
[07:00] - The Cycle of Disobedience
[08:19] - Othniel: The Practice Round
[10:28] - Ehud's Unexpected Deliverance
[12:17] - The Irony of Ehud's Story
[13:44] - The Heart of Forgetfulness
[15:15] - The Cause of Israel's Sin
[18:13] - The Reality of God's Truth
[20:14] - Remembering God's Love
[21:57] - The Consequences of Forgetting
[24:00] - The Heart's Dislocation
[26:57] - The Trajectory of Sin
[31:15] - God's Compassionate Response
[32:26] - The Logic of Ehud's Left Hand
[41:07] - The Lesson of Ehud's Story
[46:46] - The Limits of Human Deliverance
[59:47] - Christ, Our Ultimate Deliverer
[01:05:32] - The Call to Remember
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Judges 3:7-30
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
- Isaiah 53:2-3
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Observation Questions:
1. What is the cycle of behavior that the Israelites repeatedly fall into as described in Judges 3? How does this cycle begin and end? [07:00]
2. How does Ehud's left-handedness play a role in the story of Israel's deliverance from King Eglon? What does this detail reveal about God's methods? [32:26]
3. In what ways does the narrative of Ehud challenge the typical expectations of strength and power? [34:00]
4. How does the sermon describe the Israelites' cry to God during their distress? What does this reveal about their understanding of repentance? [31:15]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does the cycle of forgetfulness and deliverance in Judges 3 suggest about the nature of human disobedience and God's response? How does this relate to the concept of spiritual amnesia? [15:15]
2. How does the story of Ehud illustrate the idea that God's deliverance can come through unexpected means? What does this say about God's sovereignty and creativity? [32:26]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Israelites' forgetfulness of God is not just a memory lapse but a deeper spiritual issue? How does this apply to modern believers? [15:15]
4. How does the sermon connect the story of Ehud to the ultimate deliverance offered by Jesus Christ? What parallels are drawn between Ehud's actions and Christ's sacrifice? [59:47]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the cycle of forgetfulness in your own life. Are there areas where you tend to forget God's presence or guidance? How can you cultivate a "heart memory" to keep God's truth central? [15:15]
2. Consider a time when you felt weak or inadequate. How might God use your perceived weaknesses as a means of deliverance or strength, similar to Ehud's left-handedness? [32:26]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of remembering God's love and truth. What practical steps can you take to regularly remind yourself of God's faithfulness and love? [20:14]
4. How can you ensure that your cries to God are not just for relief from distress but also include genuine repentance and a desire for transformation? [31:15]
5. In what ways can you be more open to God's unexpected methods of working in your life? How can you trust in His sovereignty even when His ways defy human logic? [32:26]
6. The sermon highlights the danger of idolatry stemming from a dislocated heart. What are some modern idols that might be competing for your heart's attention, and how can you address them? [24:00]
7. How does understanding Jesus as the ultimate deliverer change your perspective on personal struggles and challenges? How can you bring your divided heart to be captured by His love? [59:47]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
Day 1: The Cycle of Spiritual Forgetfulness
The narrative of Judges Chapter 3 reveals a recurring cycle in Israel's history: sin, oppression, distress, and deliverance. This cycle is not merely a historical account but a reflection of the human condition. It highlights the danger of spiritual forgetfulness, where the truths about God become distant and unreal. This forgetfulness leads to idolatry and moral decay, emphasizing the need for a heart memory that keeps God's truth central in our lives. The story of Israel serves as a cautionary tale, urging us to remain vigilant in our spiritual walk and to continually remember and center our lives on God. [15:15]
Deuteronomy 8:11-14 (ESV): "Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."
Reflection: What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of God's presence and truth throughout your day today?
Day 2: God's Unexpected Means of Deliverance
The story of Ehud in Judges 3 challenges our understanding of strength and power. Ehud, a left-handed man from the tribe of Benjamin, becomes an unlikely hero. His left-handedness, often seen as a weakness, becomes the very means through which God delivers Israel from the oppressive Moabite king, Eglon. This narrative illustrates that God's deliverance often comes through unexpected means, reminding us that His ways are not bound by human logic or expectations. It encourages us to trust in God's wisdom and to be open to His surprising methods of working in our lives. [32:26]
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
Reflection: Can you identify a situation in your life where God used an unexpected person or circumstance to bring about His purpose? How can you remain open to His surprising methods today?
Day 3: God's Compassionate Response to Our Cries
Despite Israel's incomplete cries for help, God's compassion leads Him to deliver them. This reflects His deep love and commitment to His people, showing that His response is driven by love, not gullibility. God's compassionate response to Israel's distress is a testament to His unwavering love and mercy. It reminds us that even when our cries for help are imperfect, God hears and responds with compassion. This encourages us to approach Him with confidence, knowing that His love for us is steadfast and unchanging. [31:15]
Psalm 103:13-14 (ESV): "As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to cry out to God for help today? How can you trust in His compassionate response?
Day 4: The Heart's Inclination Towards Idolatry
The root of Israel's sin is a heart dislocated from God. The narrative in Judges 3 highlights that while our contexts may shape us, they do not cause us to sin. The true issue lies in the heart's inclination towards idols. This calls us to examine where our hearts are centered and to address any dislocation from God. It challenges us to identify the idols in our lives and to realign our hearts with God's truth and love. [24:00]
Ezekiel 14:3-5 (ESV): "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols."
Reflection: What are the idols in your life that may be dislocating your heart from God? How can you begin to realign your heart with Him today?
Day 5: Christ, Our Ultimate Deliverer
The story of Ehud points to the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ, who enters into our mess to redeem us. His sacrifice is the ultimate act of love, offering us freedom and security in being captured by His love. This narrative invites us to bring our divided hearts to be captured by Christ's love, recognizing that true freedom and security are found in being held by Him. It challenges us to embrace our new identity in Christ and to live in the freedom and security that His love provides. [59:47]
Colossians 1:13-14 (ESV): "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Reflection: How can you allow Christ's love to capture your heart more fully today? What steps can you take to live in the freedom and security of your new identity in Him?
Quotes
1. "The source of all of our forgetting is that the things that we know are true have never become or have failed to now be real to us. And we know this. Because there's not anyone in this room that has not heard of the wisdom of God. And yet we stay completely stressed out and completely anxious because that wisdom of God is not real to us. We've all heard of the presence, of the holy presence of God. We know that intellectually. And yet we live blatantly immoral, self-serving lives with no thought about it because the holy presence of God is not real to us. We've all heard of the love of God. All of us intellectually have heard of the love of God. And yet we are completely, we feel snubbed, we feel shamed, we feel worthless, we feel insecure because the overwhelming love of God is not real to us." [19:15] (61 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Remembering the Lord, centering in the Lord. All of that is daily. It's not this one time conversion experience. And that's what happened to the Israelites here. And the crazy thing is, is if God is not central to us, if we are not centered in him, then no wonder we're serving. Because there's no motive to pursue the good and to shun the bad. I mean, that just becomes this weird, dry kind of legalism that becomes its own idolatry of this is who I am. I'm the good people. And I always do. I mean, the whole motive behind that is because we belong to him, but beyond not behaving correctly, what happens soon enough where there is only forgetting and never the remembering is that we cannot even discern, sorry, discern or recognize, the good from the bad." [21:21] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The Lord never points any place but the heart as the cause of our disease. He's saying it's the heart, not the land where the idols come from. The Canaanites can set up totem poles and carve stones and build temples, but only the Israelites hearts can make those things idols. Only their hearts can make those things idols. Listen to Michael Wilcock. It's always the same old, same old boring sin. The sin of centering our lives on the value of the world right around us and therefore showing in practice that those things are more valid, important than the Lord is. And we all know that. How much time do we spend? How much time do we spend on social media versus reading God's word?" [24:00] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God hands them over, yes, but not to destroy them, to awaken them. And yet they are slow to wake up. Before it was, now it's 18 years. 18 years of this before they cry out. And when they do, how do they cry out? The literal translation there is they give a yelp of pain. Okay. They cry out. Only. In their distress. Again, God is not gullible. There is no inkling here of repentance. The cry is arising from the experience of distress, not from a realization of sin. Not from an ownership here of sin. And how do we know? Save us from them, not save us from us. Okay? The cry of repentance does always save us from us, but save us from them." [31:15] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The point is there are no limits to the resources and the plans and the purposes of almighty God. And this is only going to become clearer as we go through crazier cycles here in the judges. We can know God's promises. We can claim God's promises. We can hold God to his promises, but he is never bound to our expectations of how he is going to fulfill them. Lord, you have promised. That you're not going to withhold anything good from me. You've promised that. Now I'm going to tell you how that needs to look, Lord. I've decided this is the good. Lord, you've told us that you would not let our foot slip, that you would not ever leave us or forsake us. Let me tell you what that needs to look like." [42:32] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "We do not have a left-handed Savior. We have what? We have a Savior who is deformed, eternally deformed, in what? Both hands. We have a Savior who's deformed in both hands. And you know where he is right now on Wednesday morning? He is at the Father's almighty right hand. And you know what he's doing? He's showing him his hands. He's showing him his hands for me. And then that same Lord with those same hands promises that nothing can snatch me out of those hands. Out of those eternally deformed hands that I can never forget as I'm wrapped up in them how much I'm loved by them because they are forever scarred with scars that I deserve. With my scars. He nailed them to our cross. He bears my scars in his body forever. Why? Because he loves us." [01:01:23] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "So the question for us this morning is will I bring my divided heart? Will I bring my diseased heart to be captured by that heart? And when I say captured, I mean captured. Because there is no place anywhere in the scripture that tells you that you can be Christ covered if you are not Christ captured. We want the coverage. We just want to forget. We just want to, I mean, we cannot be Christ covered unless we are Christ captured. Captured doesn't sound good to us until we understand what it means to be captured by the Lord. And what does it mean? He will tend his flock like a shepherd. He will pick up the lambs and carry them in his arms close to him. That's what captured by the Lord means. That's what captured by the Lord means. It means full security. It means full love. And you know what it means? No autonomy. Because when you're captured and you're being carried, how much is up to you? Not much." [01:03:00] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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