It's just sad. Here I thought God could do anything and yet, if I read Judges 1:19 correctly, it sounds like an iron chariot is more powerful. The verse clearly says that the Lord was with the Israelites, but they were unable to take out people living in the plains.
It gets worse. Some of the saddest scripture, for me, is found in Judges 1:27-36. Let's put it in context. The entire book of Joshua appears to be one big coming out party for Israel's fighting men. They conquer city after city and plunder kingdom after kingdom. It's just as God said it would be. And God should get the credit as all the Israelites had to do was go where God pointed and at times, just shout victory.
Then Joshua dies and the book of Judges begins. All the conquests suddenly stop. We read about each tribe and how they suddenly became ineffective in kicking butt. So they settle. In their promised land. With other people still living there. This might not have been a big deal except that God had commanded them to completely destroy and remove the nations that had lived there before their arrival. (Exodus 23:32-33)
God said the foreigners would entice them to sin and it happened. All because God couldn't overpower iron chariots?
Since you've read this far, I'm guessing you want to know what I think. I think the Israelites saw that they finally had land and a place to throw their hat. I think that they became weary in carrying out God's commands. I think that they became skeptical about how much damage cohabitation could have. I think they chose the easy, though not the best, path.
I also believe we do the same. I believe we often bemoan our circumstances, never considering the choices we made that contributed to said circumstances. The writer of Hebrews talks about this when he tells us to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
So, is your God stronger than an iron chariot?
It gets worse. Some of the saddest scripture, for me, is found in Judges 1:27-36. Let's put it in context. The entire book of Joshua appears to be one big coming out party for Israel's fighting men. They conquer city after city and plunder kingdom after kingdom. It's just as God said it would be. And God should get the credit as all the Israelites had to do was go where God pointed and at times, just shout victory.
Then Joshua dies and the book of Judges begins. All the conquests suddenly stop. We read about each tribe and how they suddenly became ineffective in kicking butt. So they settle. In their promised land. With other people still living there. This might not have been a big deal except that God had commanded them to completely destroy and remove the nations that had lived there before their arrival. (Exodus 23:32-33)
God said the foreigners would entice them to sin and it happened. All because God couldn't overpower iron chariots?
Since you've read this far, I'm guessing you want to know what I think. I think the Israelites saw that they finally had land and a place to throw their hat. I think that they became weary in carrying out God's commands. I think that they became skeptical about how much damage cohabitation could have. I think they chose the easy, though not the best, path.
I also believe we do the same. I believe we often bemoan our circumstances, never considering the choices we made that contributed to said circumstances. The writer of Hebrews talks about this when he tells us to "throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3).
So, is your God stronger than an iron chariot?
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