Do As You’re Told!

Today’s Passage – Judges 1 – 3 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 10 – 13;  Proverbs 20; Psalms 96 – 100

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 34

Read the “0320 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read previous posts from this passage – “God Sent Them A Deliverer,”  “Hold the Line,“ and “The Vicious Cycle of Judges.”

Have you ever promised yourself you’d finally break a bad habit, only to let it linger because it was ‘easier’ to manage than remove? That’s exactly what the Israelites did in the Promised Land:

“1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. 2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? 3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. 4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.” (Judges 2:1-5)

The Command God Gave

In Judges 1:22 – 25, God lists the people who were supposed to have been driven out of Canaan by the Israelites, but were allowed to remain in the land. It seems that in most of these cases, the Israelites were in a position of power over these Canaanite people because the text tells us that the Israelites made them tributaries, meaning that they had to pay tax money to the Israelites. If the Israelites had enough power over these Canaanites to force them to pay tribute, then why didn’t they just drive them out of the land as they were told by God to do? They simply did not obey God.

The Divine Rebuke

In our text, in chapter 2, God sends the Angel of the Lord to come and rebuke the Israelites.

This event seems to have happened when Joshua was still alive, and possibly before the Tabernacle was moved from Gilgal to Shiloh. Gilgal was where Israel first camped when they crossed the Jordan and entered the Land of Israel. (Joshua 5:10). Later, the Tabernacle was moved to Shiloh:

“And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.” (Joshua 18:1)

The Angel of the Lord is believed by many to be a theophany (an appearance of God), or perhaps, a Christophany (a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ). At the very least, this Angel is a spokesman for God – God is speaking through him. The Angel of the Lord appears throughout the Old Testament and even in the New Testament.

Note the following appearances of the Angel of the Lord and his purpose for appearing:

  • Appearance to Hagar: Proclamation (Genesis 16:7-14)
  • Appearance to Abraham: Proclamation (Genesis 18:1; 22:11-13)
  • Appearance to Jacob: Proclamation (Genesis 28:13; 32:24-32; 48:16)
  • Appearance to Moses: Proclamation (Exodus 3:2-6; 23:20; 33:18-23)
  • Appearance as Pillar of Cloud/ Fire: Protection (Exodus 14:19-21)
  • Appearance to Joshua: Proclamation (Joshua 5:13-15)
  • Appearance to Balaam: Punishment (Numbers 22:22-35)
  • Appearance to Gideon: Proclamation (Judges 6:11-24)
  • Appearance to Manoah: Proclamation (Judges 13:2-23)
  • Appearance to David: Punishment (I Chronicles 21:15-18)
  • Appearance to Elijah: Proclamation (I Kings 19:5-8)
  • Appearance to the Assyrian Army: Power (II Kings 19:35)
  • Appearance to Isaiah: Proclamation (Isaiah 6:1-13)
  • Appearance to the Three Hebrew Children: Protection (Daniel 3:25)
  • Appearance to Daniel: Protection (Daniel 6:22; 7:9-14)
  • Appearance to Zechariah: Protection (Zechariah 1:8-13; 2:8-11; 3:10)

On at least one of these appearances, the Angel of the Lord seems to receive worship from the people involved (see Judges 13:20), which is why he is believed to be Christ in the flesh. Angels don’t receive worship (Revelation 19:10; 22:9). The problem with the theory that the Angel of the Lord is pre-incarnate Christ is that he also appears in the New Testament:

“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1:20)

“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13)

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” (Luke 2:9)

See Also Acts 5:19; 8:26; 12:7; 12:23

There are two more appearances of this angel in Judges (6:11 – 18 in connection with Gideon; 13:3 – 23 in connection with Samson)

This Angel in our text moves from Gilgal (possibly when the Ark was encamped there) to Bochim, which means weeping. The actual location of Bochim is unknown, though some believe it was near Bethel.

The Angel reminds them of God’s explicit warning regarding expelling all the Canaanites. (See Exodus 23:20 – 30 and Numbers 35:50 – 56)

The People’s Response—and Its Limits

At this time, the people expressed their remorse over their failure. They wept. Weeping is a good start, but it must lead to a permanent repentance.

In Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, he expresses the fact that the Corinthians were sorry for their sins, and that their sorrow led to repentance:

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-11)

Unfortunately, even though the Israelites expressed their remorse and repented at this time, their repentance was short lived. Throughout this Book of Judges, we will see the people of God doing that which is right in their own eyes and forsaking God. True repentance will yield more than just the offering of sacrifices, it will produce obedience:

“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)

What Can We Do?

When will we learn that God knows what is best for us? We need to obey what He tells us to do.

  • Identify one area of partial obedience in your life right now (e.g., a compromise you’re tolerating).
  • Pray specifically for strength to fully obey in that area this week.
  • Share it with an accountability partner or journal your progress.

What’s one command from God you’ve been partially obeying lately? How has it become a “snare” in your life?


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Well Done!

Listen to today’s passage – Deuteronomy 32 – 34

Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Deuteronomy 32

Second Milers also read – Colossians 1 – 4;  Proverbs 11; Psalms 51 – 55

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17

Read the “0311 Evening and Morning” devotion  by Charles Spurgeon.

Imagine standing on a mountaintop at the end of your life, looking back with no major regrets—only the quiet satisfaction of knowing you finished what God gave you to do. That was Moses’ story.

“So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. … And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,” – (Deuteronomy 34:5, 10)

“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” – (Hebrews 9:27)

“For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:” – (Acts 13:36)

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” – (2 Timothy 4:7)

Moses: A Life Well Lived

In Deuteronomy 34, we see the death of one of God’s choicest servants, Moses. Moses had served in the will of God for forty years, leading a stiff-necked and rebellious group of people through the wilderness, finally delivering them to the border of the land that God had given them. Moses had finished what God had called him to do. God was well pleased with the service of Moses and I am sure that he heard the Lord say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” – (Matthew 25:21)

The Danger of Regret

I think if we look back on Moses’ life, we can certainly see that he had a fulfilling life. Most people never find that kind of fulfillment. They live their lives trying to accumulate toys and experience all the pleasures of this world, but in them they never find the fulfillment for that empty cavern in the center of their souls. Too often people die with many regrets, many unrealized dreams. They often wish that had a chance to do it over again or at least were granted a little more time to make things right.

I don’t think that Moses had too many regrets. I’m sure there were moments—like the incident at Kadesh—where he wished he had responded differently, but for the most part, I believe that Moses was ready to go home to the Lord.

Get Busy Fulfilling God’s Will Today

Moses found the will of God for his life and he fulfilled it. I think that statement really sums up the secret to living a life that ends without regret. By the way, he also poured his life into others before he left so that they could carry on the work when he was gone.

What are you living for? I think most of us who know the Lord really have a desire built into us to accomplish great things for Him but we often put God’s will on the back burner so that we can do our own thing for a little while. The devil tricks us into thinking that there will always be time later on in life to get busy serving the Lord but all too often the days just race by and before we realize it, our lives are at the end. Time flies by, doesn’t it?

Let me encourage you to not wait another minute to start the process of finding God’s will for your life and then fulfilling it. What does God want you to do? Get busy! You will someday be on top of Mt. Nebo yourself and then you will realize that your time is up. Like Moses, you will be able to see from that vantage point, not only what had been accomplished, but also what could have been accomplished. We will all have some regrets, but if we get busy now, we can die with the joy of knowing that we fulfilled God’s purpose for our lives.

So what is one step you can take today toward discovering or advancing in God’s will for your life? Don’t wait—time really does fly.


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Choose Wisely – Choose Life

Listen to today’s passage – Deuteronomy 27 – 28 

Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Deuteronomy 27

Second Milers also read – Ephesians 4 – 6; Proverbs 9; Psalm 46 – 50

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Ephesians 4:32

Read another post from this passage – “What Do They See?“

Read the “0309 Evening and Morning” devotion for today by Charles Spurgeon.

This?

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” – (Deuteronomy 28:1-6)

Or This?

“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.” – (Deuteronomy 28:15-19)

The Choice Is Yours

Choose Wisely – Choose Life

“See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;” – (Deuteronomy 30:15)

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” – (Deuteronomy 30:19)
 

In Deuteronomy 27–28, Moses lays out a dramatic ceremony for the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. Half the tribes would stand on Mount Gerizim to proclaim the blessings, and the other half on Mount Ebal to declare the curses. The people were to respond, “Amen,” affirming their agreement with God’s terms. It was a vivid, public reminder: obedience brings life and abundance; rebellion brings destruction and loss.

God isn’t playing games here. He spells it out plainly—blessings that “overtake” the obedient (running them down with goodness!) versus curses that do the same for the disobedient. Notice how parallel the passages are: city and field, fruit of body and land, coming in and going out. God covers every area of life. Nothing is left untouched by our choices.

Fast-forward to Deuteronomy 30, and God makes the decision intensely personal. He doesn’t force obedience; He presents the options and urges us: Choose life. Why? Because He desires blessing for us and for our descendants. This isn’t just ancient history for Israel—it’s a principle that echoes through Scripture. In the New Testament, we see the same call in Ephesians 4–6 (the Second Milers reading today): walk worthy, put off the old man, speak truth, avoid bitterness, submit to one another in the fear of God. These are choices that lead to spiritual blessing and harmony in our homes, churches, and daily walk.

Today, the choices may look different—no stone altars on mountains—but the stakes are just as real:

  • Will you hearken diligently to God’s Word in your decisions at work, in relationships, with your time and money?
  • Will you choose forgiveness over bitterness (Ephesians 4:32)? Purity over compromise? Humility over pride?
  • Or will small daily disobediences accumulate into curses that “overtake” you—strained family, regret, spiritual dryness?

The good news is that God has already provided the way to choose life perfectly through Jesus Christ. He chose obedience unto death so we could choose life through Him. When we fail, we can repent, return, and realign with His voice.

So today, hear the Lord calling: Choose life. Obey His voice. Walk in His commandments. Watch the blessings overtake you.

The choice is yours. Choose wisely – choose life.

What choice is God bringing to your attention this morning? Share in the comments below—let’s encourage one another to choose life today.

By the way – if you are reading this and you have not yet taken the critical spiritual step of choosing eternal life by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you need to choose Him today. Read the “Are You Saved?” page above and contact me. I would love to help you as you take that important first step on your spiritual journey.

 


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