READ: Judges 3 (Focus vs. 7-11)
MEMORY VERSE
“The Spirit of the Lord came on him.” Judges 3:10
BACKGROUND
Her husband’s death began a period of transition for Nora. She took over his hardware business and cared for their three children on her own. “Be strong,” friends often told her. But what does that mean? she’d think. That I must deliver without fail in my responsibilities?
God gave great responsibilities to Othniel in a time of transition for the people of Israel. As discipline for the nation’s idolatry, God had given them “into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim . . . to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years” (Judges 3:8).
Under the cruel king of Mesopotamia, the Israelites “cried out to the Lord,” and “he raised up for them a deliverer” (v. 9)—Othniel, whose name means “God’s strength.”
As the first judge of Israel, Othniel had no predecessor to help him. This military leader had to guide the Israelites back to living out their covenant relationship with God and defend them from their enemies. But because “the Spirit of the Lord came on him” (v. 10), he succeeded.
With God’s strength sustaining Othniel’s leadership, “the land had peace for forty years, until [he] died” (v. 11).
How can we truly “be strong”? It’s by knowing we’re not strong and by trusting God to give us His strength. His “grace is sufficient for [us], for [His] power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s strength works through us, doing things only He can do.
INSIGHT
Judges 2:10-19 describes a pattern throughout the book of Judges. When the people no longer “acknowledge[d] the Lord” or “remember[ed] the mighty things he had done for [them]” (v. 10 nlt), they descended into apostasy (abandoned their faith).
So God would side with Israel’s enemies to defeat them (v. 15). Then He’d respond to the Israelites’ “groaning” (v. 18) by raising judges to save them. They were given safety while the judge was alive (v. 18), but once the judge died, the pattern would repeat itself (v. 19).
Judges 3:7-11 describes an example of this pattern. God’s anger led to the Israelites being under subjection for eight years (v. 8). When they cried out to God, He raised up Othniel to rescue them through the power of the Holy Spirit (vv. 9-10).
As God gave strength to Othniel, we also can rely on His strength to do through us what He alone can do.
Monica La Rose
APPLICATION
How have you tried to “be strong”? How does Othniel’s story impact your understanding of strength?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
How can we truly “be strong”? It’s by knowing we’re not strong and by trusting God to give us His strength…God’s strength works through us, doing things only He can do.
PR’s TAKE
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God…” Ephesians 6:10
PRAYER
“Father God, please enable me to rely on Your strength.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“MY LIFE IS IN YOU” David Garllington
My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You
My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You…
I will praise You with all of my life
I will praise You with all of my strength
With all of my life, with all of my strength
All my hope is in You
My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord
My hope is in You, Lord
In You, it’s in You
I will praise You with all of my life
I will praise You with all of my strength
With all of my life, with all of my strength
All my hope is in You
My life is in You, Lord
My strength is in You, Lord…
In You, it’s in You
In You, it’s in You
