First Defection


Judges 3:7-11
Before we begin today, let me do a quick advertisement for an App that will make the reading of such passages as this one far easier. If you have a smartphone, go to your App Store and get this app: @thecross. (This is the App for Holy Cross in Flushing, MI) It’s free and there is a very useful little link on there that will assist your reading of all these names and places. At the bottom of the home page is a link labeled “Bible”. Click that, then click on the word “Bible” (next to the word "reading plan) at the top of this page in blue. This will allow you to choose a book of the Bible and the chapter you want to read and or listen too! Let a professional figure out how to say all those name and words. For me, it takes the mystery out of these name and places and allows me to focus on the story rather than those words that are completely unfamiliar.

7And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. 8Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. 9But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

Now that you have taken in the story of Othniel, let’s discuss how God saves His people. Here we find the first time God decides to allow Israel to experience His wrath over their idolatry. I think that one of the things that becomes abundantly clear as we read the stories of these judges is that God chooses to punish only one sin repeatedly with His people; the sin of idolatry. Of course they broke all of the Commandments. We all do. They were most certainly guilty of theft, lying, unfaithfulness, coveting . . . But the sin that always causes God to reach His breaking point is idolatry.

The first commandment is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Making this the First Commandment isn’t just a casual choice on God’s part. When this aspect of your life is in order, the rest falls into place as well. When the Children of Israel choose to bow down to the Ashtoreth or Baal, God’s reaction is intense. He turns the people over to their enemies and they become subject to those who do not care about them. Ashtoreth and Baal do no save them – ever. Instead God allows them to suffer and when they’ve had enough, they cry out to Him. This time, it takes only seven years before they regain their senses and ask God for help, which He gracious supplies in the person of Othniel. The cycle of apostasy is fairly brief this time. After their rescue, Othniel acts as their judge for 40 years as they live as God's people.

How long after God rescues me from something does it take for me to forget that mercy and go back to my old ways? Sadly, I must report that the time is fairly short. I have a brief attention span. I guess that means I need to be diligent in my discipline of prayer and study because it is there that my attention is returned to God. Where my heart goes inside of these thoughts is to the fact that God attention has never withdrawn from me. He does not become bored, distracted, or put-off by who I am or what I choose to think about day to day. Instead He remains constant and ever present with me despite my fickle nature. For this, I am so very grateful. I pray that my wanderings may be brief and my returns quick.

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