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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Living in Canaan: A Picture of the Spirit-Filled Christian Life

Listen to Today’s Passage – Exodus 22 – 24 

Follow along on Blue Letter Bible – Exodus 22

(Second Milers also read – Luke 8 – 9; Proverbs 27; Psalms 126 – 130)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Isaiah 51:11

Read the “0127 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by Charles Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “Following Through.“

“20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. 22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. … 25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee. 26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil. 27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.” (Exodus 23:20–22, 25–27)

God’s Promised Blessing of Protection and Provision in Canaan

In Exodus 23, we see the nation of Israel travelling in the wilderness on their way out of Egypt and into Canaan, the land of promise. The verses cited above are some of those promises that were associated with the land. A careful reading of the chapter will reveal that God promised his people prosperity, which included abundant provision and divine protection if they obeyed Him. God promised that the inhabitants of the land would be driven out, and all of the enemies of Israel would flee from them. Again, these promises were contingent upon the nation’s obedience in wholly following the Lord.

A Picture of the Spirit-Filled Life

In this passage we see a picture of the Christian life today. God has also delivered us spiritually out of Egypt and the power and penalty of sin when He saved us. He wants to bring us into the spiritual land of Canaan, which is the Spirit-filled, Christ-centered life; a life surrendered wholly to God’s will. Canaan in the Old Testament does not picture Heaven. There were still battles to fight there, which will not be the case when we get to Heaven. Canaan is, however, a picture of spiritual victory.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom 8:1)

“16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. … 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal 5:16, 25)

The Problem Hindering Believers Today from Entering Canaan

Unfortunately, as we will find out in future passages, Israel’s entrance into Canaan will be delayed by several decades because the congregation as a whole will allow their fears to rule, causing their faith in God to fail. They will choose to follow their own way instead of believing and wholly surrendering to God (see Numbers 13 – 14). 

Entering Canaan today for the believer is also contingent upon our yieldedness to the Spirit of God and submission to the will of God. Too many believers today are content to wander in the wilderness of their own reasoning and understanding – their flesh is in control. They are still doing their thing instead of God’s thing. What’s worse is that there are also many genuine believers who live with their backs turned from Canaan and their focus still on Egypt (the world).

“5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov 3:5–6)

The Solution – Surrender to God

It is my desire to live in Canaan. I want to have the victories that God promises for those who are surrendered to Him. I am tired of wandering in the spiritual barreness of the wilderness. How about you? God has an abundant life prepared for you which also includes provision, protection, power, and a wonderful purpose, but you cannot do it your way. You must surrender your will to the perfect will of God. Let the Holy Spirit of God control you and guide you, and you will also experience the wonderful blessing and abundant life that God desires for you in your spiritual Canaan.

  • Are you experiencing the “wilderness” or “Canaan” in your walk right now?

  • What area of your life needs more surrender to the Holy Spirit?


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