Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
March 27, 2023: SOAP #4862: Judges 1-3; 1Corinthians 12

SCRIPTURE:  Judges (NIV) 2:18 Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshipping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. 20 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did.”

OBSERVATION:  Why was God angry with the people He had chosen for His own — people through whom He would send Jesus to be the Savior of the world? He was angry and let their enemies defeat them because He is a Promise Keeper. God had blessed them AS HE HAD PROMISED and given them the land in which they had now settled. Now God was punishing them AS HE HAD PROMISED because they refused to honor and obey Him. God was being true to who He is!

Why did God not give up on the Israelites and let them be destroyed by the other nations?  Because God is a PROMISE KEEPER!  He was faithful to the promises He had made to Adam, to Moses, and to Abraham! 

APPLICATION: What a chapter!  We may not like it, but it reveals important characteristic about our eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present God! 

God is so loving that He sent His own son to make the acceptable sacrifice for my sins!  God is so holy that He demanded the full payment for sin even though His own sinless Son was making the payment!   There was no special deal for Jesus! 

PRAYER:   Lord, I am ashamed of how carelessly at times I have lived for you. I am sure I have stirred your anger, but the cross proved sufficient to cover my sins.  May my life bring you joy.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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