God's Sovereignty: The Call to True Repentance

Devotional

Day 1: The Cycle of Sin and Repentance

The Israelites' journey in Judges reveals a recurring cycle of turning away from God, facing consequences, repenting, and returning to Him. This pattern highlights the human tendency to stray from God and the importance of genuine repentance. In Judges 10, the Israelites attempt to call out to God while still worshiping false idols, but God refuses to rescue them until they fully commit to Him. This serves as a reminder that we cannot serve both God and idols; true repentance requires a complete turning away from sin and a wholehearted return to God. [00:00]

Judges 10:13-14 (ESV): "Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress."

Reflection: What are the "idols" in your life that you find yourself turning to instead of God? How can you begin to fully commit to God today by turning away from these distractions?

Day 2: Choosing Leaders for the Wrong Reasons

In Judges, the Israelites choose Jephthah as their leader not for his righteousness but for his strength in battle. This decision reflects a common mistake of valuing worldly power over godly character. Jephthah, an outcast due to his lineage, is driven by the promise of power and authority rather than a desire to serve God. This challenges us to consider the qualities we prioritize in leaders and the importance of seeking those who align with God's heart. [07:00]

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"

Reflection: Think about the leaders you admire or follow. Are they chosen for their godly character or worldly success? How can you prioritize seeking leaders who align with God's heart?

Day 3: The Danger of Rash Vows

Jephthah's story in Judges warns us about the seriousness of making rash vows. His vow, rooted in pagan practices, leads to devastating consequences when his daughter is the first to greet him upon his return. This narrative emphasizes the importance of understanding God's character and commands, rather than following cultural norms that contradict His will. It serves as a cautionary tale about the weight of our words and the need for thoughtful consideration before making commitments. [30:51]

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 (ESV): "When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay."

Reflection: Reflect on any promises or commitments you have made recently. Are there any that were made hastily or without full consideration? How can you seek God's guidance before making future commitments?

Day 4: God's Provision and Sovereignty

Despite human failures, God provides a way out. His laws included provisions for breaking foolish vows, demonstrating His foresight and mercy. This reminds us of God's sovereignty and His desire for us to live in alignment with His will. Even when we make mistakes, God offers us grace and a path to redemption. This aspect of God's character encourages us to trust in His provision and seek His guidance in all aspects of our lives. [43:54]

Psalm 103:8-10 (ESV): "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust in God's provision and sovereignty? How can you actively seek His guidance and align your actions with His will?

Day 5: The Need for Divine Kingship

The chaos in the book of Judges underscores the need for God to be the king of our lives. When we place ourselves on the throne, it leads to destruction. True peace and hope are found when Jesus is at the center, guiding our decisions and actions. This narrative calls us to surrender our lives to God's divine kingship, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours and that His leadership brings order and purpose to our lives. [52:24]

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are still trying to maintain control? How can you surrender this area to God's kingship and allow Him to guide your path?

Sermon Summary

In our journey through the book of Judges, we find ourselves in a cycle that repeats itself with the Israelites: turning away from God, facing consequences, repenting, and then returning to God. In Judges 10, the Israelites attempt something new by calling out to God while still worshiping false idols. God, however, refuses to rescue them until they fully commit to Him. Eventually, they put away their idols, and God is moved by their repentance. Yet, instead of waiting for God’s deliverance, they seek out Jephthah, a man known for his strength and not his righteousness, to lead them against the Ammonites.

Jephthah, an outcast due to his lineage, is chosen not for his godliness but for his prowess in battle. He agrees to lead them, driven by the promise of power and authority. As he prepares for battle, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him, but he makes a rash vow to sacrifice whatever comes out of his house first if he is victorious. This vow, rooted in pagan practices, leads to a tragic outcome when his daughter is the first to greet him upon his return.

This story is a stark reminder of the consequences of straying from God’s ways and the importance of understanding His character. The Israelites, having distanced themselves from God, fail to grasp His true nature and fall into practices He detests. Despite the darkness of this narrative, it underscores the need for God to be the king of our lives. The book of Judges illustrates the chaos and destruction that ensue when people do what is right in their own eyes, devoid of divine guidance.

The overarching message is clear: God should be the sovereign ruler of our lives. The Israelites’ repeated failures point to the necessity of having God on the throne, a truth that resonates with us today. In a world where we are tempted to follow our own desires, the call is to place Jesus at the center, finding peace and hope in His reign.

Key Takeaways

1. The Cycle of Sin and Repentance: The Israelites' repeated cycle of sin, consequence, and repentance highlights the human tendency to stray from God. It serves as a reminder of the importance of genuine repentance and the need to fully commit to God, rather than attempting to serve both God and idols. [00:00]
2. Choosing Leaders for the Wrong Reasons: Jephthah was chosen for his strength, not his righteousness. This choice reflects a common mistake of valuing worldly power over godly character. It challenges us to consider the qualities we prioritize in leaders and the importance of seeking those who align with God's heart. [07:00]
3. The Danger of Rash Vows: Jephthah's vow, rooted in pagan practices, led to devastating consequences. This story warns us about the seriousness of vows and the importance of understanding God's character and commands, rather than following cultural norms that contradict His will. [30:51]
4. God's Provision and Sovereignty: Despite human failures, God provides a way out. His laws included provisions for breaking foolish vows, demonstrating His foresight and mercy. This reminds us of God's sovereignty and His desire for us to live in alignment with His will. [43:54]
5. The Need for Divine Kingship: The chaos in Judges underscores the need for God to be the king of our lives. When we place ourselves on the throne, it leads to destruction. True peace and hope are found when Jesus is at the center, guiding our decisions and actions. [52:24]
** [52:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - The Cycle of the Israelites
[02:15] - Israel's Attempt to Serve Two Masters
[04:45] - God's Response to Idolatry
[07:00] - Choosing Jephthah
[10:20] - Jephthah's Background
[13:50] - The Spirit of the Lord on Jephthah
[16:30] - Jephthah's Rash Vow
[20:00] - The Tragic Outcome
[24:15] - Understanding God's Character
[28:00] - The Importance of Vows
[30:51] - God's Provision in the Law
[34:52] - The Consequences of Straying
[43:54] - God's Sovereignty and Mercy
[46:34] - The Need for Divine Kingship
[52:24] - Placing Jesus on the Throne

Sermon Clips

And again and again we are in this series Groundhog Day where we're continuing to follow the Israelites as they do it again and again and again they turn their backs on the Lord they worship false idols they suffer the consequences of their sin they repent right and in chapter 10 of Judges this cycle repeats itself where the Israelites begin to follow some other gods worship them this time interestingly enough when they decide to call out to the Lord they decide to try something new this is a new thing for them they decide to call out to the Lord to ask him to rescue them and also continue to worship these false gods they want to do both this time and so they call out to God God will you rescue us we're gonna go bow down to this other false idol and God says no um no if you want to continue to worship those false gods then why don't you ask one of them to rescue you [00:24:40] (65 seconds)

So they pick this man, Jephthah, because he's a bad dude, right? He's a scary guy. So they go get him. And he agrees to do this, but not because he says, well, I shall obey the Lord, right? Like there is no effort to please God here from him. This is him saying, wait, wait, wait, what will you give me? I'll become leader of like the whole clan, my whole family that turned its back on me, like everybody, like all my in-laws, right? Like I'm in charge of everybody if I win. All right, I'll do it. [00:29:46] (39 seconds)

And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. He said, if you give me victory over the Ammonites, I will give to the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me when I return in triumph. I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering. So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites and the Lord gave him a victory. He crushed the Ammonites, devastating about 20 towns from Error to area near Minth. [00:31:29] (34 seconds)

It doesn't make any sense why he makes this vow. God is already helping him. God is already there strengthening him. There's no reason for this vow to be made. It doesn't really follow the pattern of what we see from followers of God before this or after this. This vow is actually really, this is kind of a pagan thing to do here, to say like, all right, well, I need you here, so let me bargain with you, right? I'll offer you something, and if I'm willing to offer you that, then you'll help me. [00:33:24] (32 seconds)

One of the things we read about God over and over again is that our God always keeps his promises, right? Our God never fails. When he makes a vow to us, we can know for sure that he will come through. And he talks about the vows that we make, that they are important vows, that we would keep the promises that we make, that our word is binding. [00:34:10] (21 seconds)

If you have made a vow to the Lord, you must do to me what you have vowed. For the Lord has given you a great victory over your enemies, the Ammonites. But first, let me do this one thing. Let me go up and roam in the hills and weep with my friends for two months because I will die a virgin. [00:36:11] (20 seconds)

The bible is one story that does not it it does not conflict with itself without understanding scripture from a more complete perspective this is a story that can very easily be misunderstood and misused and it can even lead to us spiraling away from our faith of us really being like wait what what is that and some of you right now like you're sitting there and you're like i'm sorry what right like this church talks about what it is a horrible horrible dark story um but i think we need to talk about it we talk about why this is in scripture we talk about what this story means and and and how god feels about what happens here okay and so i want to talk about it for a little bit i hope you guys will hang with me okay [00:37:16] (56 seconds)

The Israelites have received what we call the Law of Moses. These are instructions that God gives the people of Israel on how they are to conduct themselves. And one of the things that is included in this Law of Moses is found in Numbers 30. It talks about our vows. Then Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, This is what the Lord has commanded. A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do. [00:34:31] (36 seconds)

But guys, our God is so good. He is so sovereign. He's so 10 steps ahead that also in Leviticus 27, as God is giving the law, he tells them, look, if you make a stupid vow and if you vow to me, for instance, that you're gonna sacrifice somebody for me, go to the temple and you're gonna pay a fee. And really, then you will be released from your vow. And what he is saying here is, look, if you are stupid enough to make a stupid vow like this, you're gonna pay a stupid fee, okay? [00:44:03] (37 seconds)

It's a way of living that feels like, man, I have the freedom to do whatever I want. But the book of Judges does not stand as wonderful stories of wonderful people. The book of Judges is a warning for us of generation after generation after generation that chose that way of life. And it is a warning for us of where that ultimately leads. That no matter how good it feels, ultimately, choosing to place me on the throne or you choosing to place you on the throne, ultimately, it always ends in sin and suffering and death. [00:52:39] (43 seconds)

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