Judges 10

The boys and I have been reading through Judges. We have read about the adventures of Ehud, Deborah and Barak, Gideon, and more. We have read and reread how the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, how He delivered them into the hands of an enemy, they cry out to God, He raises up a deliverer, they serve Him till the deliverer/judge dies, then they again do evil in the sight of the LORD. This morning's chapter was similar yet we are told what the Israelites said.

Judges 10:6-17
And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed.

And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. (They were specific in their confession and admitted to breaking the first and second commandments.)

And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. ( A rebuke from a Just God)

And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. (I see humility in this statement.)

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.(Forsaking sin then choosing to do what is right. The result was God had mercy and compassion.)

Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.

This chapter displayed the amazing truth of Proverbs 28:13 "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy."