Reading from Saturday, April 24

Hello. Just got back from a huge Italian dinner at a place called Sanducci's by my apartment. Delicious, but extremely filling. I have a tendency to overeat so I'm not feeling too great right now...ugh...

Reading for April 24
Judges 2:10-3:31
So, just based on what I've read so far - it seems like Judges is an extremely fast paced book - covering dozens of years in a single paragraph. So after the reign of Joshua ended, and all the people who lived with him died, the next generation turned away from God and began worshiping Baal. So, as God promised, they lost their favor with him and he did not help them when armies attacked. Eventually they began to cry out to him and God would send "judges" who would lead the people. These two chapters talk about several judges who rose up and led the Israelites to victory over their enemies.

One particularly interesting story is the story of Ehud the judge. Because of Israel's disobedience, God gave them over to the control of a king named Elgon. Elgon was fat and kind of a jerk. He was a fat jerk. So the Israelites cried out to God and he sentthem Ehud. Ehud went up to Elgon's chambers and told him he had to deliver a secret message - instead he took a 18" sword and shoved it through Elgon's belly - it says that even the handle plunged into the fat king's stomach. Ehud got away and the people were free - but then they turned away from God again, were given over to another nation - again - and God sent someone to bail them out...again.

Something else about the character of God - he is extremely patient and forgiving, at least it seems like he is starting to be. Then again, its a little easier to see here because this book is happening in fast forward so it describes his punishment, but then immediately shows his forgiveness. But there were many years in between the punishment and forgiveness.

Luke 22:14-34
So once again here is the last supper. Here's a neat little detail though. Right after Jesus describes that someone will betray him, he says this:

 ³¹"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you^[a] as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Again, a direct mention of Satan being an influence over the people of this world. Luke is the only gospel I'm aware of that makes Satan such a prevalent figure in the idea of faith. The other interesting thing is that Jesus uses Peter's original name of Simon as he addresses him. Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter after he decided to follow him. So him calling him by his original name is a reminder that he is a sinful man, just like everyone else, and that he too will betray Jesus by denying he knew him.

The last line though about turning back and strengthening your brothers - Simon Peter does just that as he is the foundation of the original Christian church.

Psalm 92:1-93:5
 ³ The seas have lifted up, O LORD,
       the seas have lifted up their voice;
       the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
 ⁴ Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
       mightier than the breakers of the sea—
       the LORD on high is mighty.

Nothin special to say about this - I just dig it.


Proverbs 14:1-2
 ¹ The wise woman builds her house,
       but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
 ² He whose walk is upright fears the LORD,
       but he whose ways are devious despises him.

So a little more about fearing God. It seems like the opposite of fear is hate in this case...so I can play a little reverse engineering and say that - in this case - fear = love or despise = not afraid. I would say fear = love...

Fear all the time.