From Judges 4-6:
1. One thing I forgot to mention in the last post: I wonder what was so special about Ehud being a lefty. I cannot bring myself to believe that he was the only one around at this time. Interesting.
2. It is interesting that Deborah is settling disputes among the Israelites. First of all, this seems unusual because typically the leaders were male. Secondly, she then sends for Barak - a guy from the tribe of Naphtali - to go and make war against Sisera. I wonder what her husband did (occupation) and why she did not ask him. I am guessing it is because God specifically told her to contact Barak. Otherwise she probably would have asked her husband to go and do it. I mean, typically if my wife finds a spider that needs killing, she calls for me to do it, not some guy in another town. (Not that Sisera was a spider or anything, but...)
3. Jael was quite brave in pegging Sisera. If he had woken, things would not have gone well for her. Also, I wonder why she was driven to do this. Was she angry with him? Was she sure she would not experience any retribution after this act, seeing that their clan was friendly with Jabin king of Hazor?
4. Chapter five says that Deborah and Barak sang a song, and it records the words of this song. In this song it talks about the tribes who came to fight or sent representatives to fight. It lists Benjamin, Ephriam, Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali as having fought. However, it seems to indicate that the tribes of Reuben, Dan, and Asher, as well as the people of Gilead did not assist in the fighting.
5. It is interesting to note that the people of the town where Gideon lived were going to kill him for destroying an idol, and yet they were not at all concerned about the fact that they were going against the God that had given them the land they were currently living in.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Who's fat ? Thumbs and Toes?
From Judges 1-3:
1. I wonder why the Israelites cut off the thumbs and toes of Adoni-Bezek. Was it because he was legendary in the area for doing so to his adversaries, or for some other reason? It is weird that he is mentioned by name, and also strange that the punishment that they inflict upon him is mentioned. I wonder why they did not just kill him like everyone else. In Deuteronomy 20:16 God commanded them to kill all due to their sinfulness.
2. I also wonder why Caleb promised his daughter to the person who conquered Kiriath Sepher. Was it a more challenging city to take, or what? And why was she interested in the springs of water? I assume that the area that they got was very dry, so they had need of the springs, but it is only a guess.
3. There is a pretty extensive list of areas where the Israelites were not able to drive out the people of other nations. I assumed this was due to the comment made by God in Deuteronomy 7:22. But then when I read further I saw that God really wanted them to be totally driven out. I wonder what he meant in Deuteronomy. It also seems like a self-fulfilling prophecy. God left the other nations there because the people would be unfaithful, and the people were unfaithful, so that is why he left them. Perhaps the issue with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:14) and the passage about Adoni-Bezek are illustrations of how they were not being entirely faithful.
4. It says that the angel of the Lord went to Bokim and told the Israelites that he would not allow them to drive the nations out completely because they had not followed God's instructions entirely. I wonder, how did the angel appear, and to whom did it appear? It says the people wept aloud. But yet God did not relent. I guess sometimes you have to face the results of your sin even though you are forgiven.
5. The Israelites did not do a very good job of teaching their children to love and follow God. That is why the generation after the conquering generation did not follow God closely, I think.
6. There is only one verse about Shamgar son of Anath, and yet it says that he struck down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. That sounds like quite a feat! Was this a guy like Samson?
7. Judges 3 has the most graphic and disgusting description I can think of about an assassination of a king. The king was really fat! Gross!
1. I wonder why the Israelites cut off the thumbs and toes of Adoni-Bezek. Was it because he was legendary in the area for doing so to his adversaries, or for some other reason? It is weird that he is mentioned by name, and also strange that the punishment that they inflict upon him is mentioned. I wonder why they did not just kill him like everyone else. In Deuteronomy 20:16 God commanded them to kill all due to their sinfulness.
2. I also wonder why Caleb promised his daughter to the person who conquered Kiriath Sepher. Was it a more challenging city to take, or what? And why was she interested in the springs of water? I assume that the area that they got was very dry, so they had need of the springs, but it is only a guess.
3. There is a pretty extensive list of areas where the Israelites were not able to drive out the people of other nations. I assumed this was due to the comment made by God in Deuteronomy 7:22. But then when I read further I saw that God really wanted them to be totally driven out. I wonder what he meant in Deuteronomy. It also seems like a self-fulfilling prophecy. God left the other nations there because the people would be unfaithful, and the people were unfaithful, so that is why he left them. Perhaps the issue with the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:14) and the passage about Adoni-Bezek are illustrations of how they were not being entirely faithful.
4. It says that the angel of the Lord went to Bokim and told the Israelites that he would not allow them to drive the nations out completely because they had not followed God's instructions entirely. I wonder, how did the angel appear, and to whom did it appear? It says the people wept aloud. But yet God did not relent. I guess sometimes you have to face the results of your sin even though you are forgiven.
5. The Israelites did not do a very good job of teaching their children to love and follow God. That is why the generation after the conquering generation did not follow God closely, I think.
6. There is only one verse about Shamgar son of Anath, and yet it says that he struck down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. That sounds like quite a feat! Was this a guy like Samson?
7. Judges 3 has the most graphic and disgusting description I can think of about an assassination of a king. The king was really fat! Gross!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Fell Off The Horse
I have not looked at this blog in almost 9 months, and I need to keep posting. I told everyone to keep an eye on it, but then I did not continue to post. I will again attempt to continue with my posting, but I cannot guarantee that I will be entering a post every day. For that I am truly sorry!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)