Judges 3 - Testing

Judges 3 The theme : Testing

Judges 3:1-2 : “ The Lord left certain nations in the land to test those Israelites who had not participated in the wars of Canaan. He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle.”

Test: In verse 3:1-2 is Prove in the Hebrew which is : nacah ( nawsaw)
The definition is : to try, prove, put to the test. In the strongs it says it is not to test by touch or smell. So this is a Faith test!

Important don’t you think? That God wanted to test Israel his chosen people. If we go back to read some of the references to Test/testing I found these passages that help us to see what kind of test this could have been. We know for sure that from Judges 1-2 that the testing was that of their obedience to their God, their willingness to walk in accordance to what they know( TRUTH), to obey the commandments of the Lord their God.

Here are some passages you can look up:
Gen.22:1; Ps. 66:10; Ps. 7:9; Deut. 8:2, 16; Ex. 15:25 ; Judges 2:22
The Hebrew Lexicon says “God is said to try or prove men by adversity; in order to prove their faith;”

I don’t know about you but ladies, I’ve some how missed this very important word. I know for me personally, I have been tested many times and sometimes I suffered some harsh consequences. What I found very interesting in Judges was that the people of Israel were being tested to see if they would remain faithful to the things of God. They may have suffered for a little while but I believe that had they remained faithful their suffering would have been shortened. 1 Peter 4:12- 19 take some time to read that passage.
I guess for me I need to be more aware of my circumstances. I know there have been times when I’ve been in a situation and it is clearly a temptation and the enemy is working to destroy my testimony and I prove to remain faithful to the things I know to be true. Then there are times when I wasn’t real sure why things were happening. Like the floods in our neighborhood. I can’t say with certainty that those were tests from my Lord and Savior but I know that I sure felt tested. My faith was tested! I felt as thought my devotion was being tested- how much would I be willing to deal with and yet still remain.

I know Judges chapter 3 probably has a bit more to it than this but I just felt like this is important for us as believers to really make certain that we understand how and why the Lord tests us. Why God tested the Israelites and how can we as believers learn from them.

Ladies, I don’t know where you all live, I do know many of you live overseas and are serving in hard places. Many of you live in isolated places and are alone. Many of you are working so hard that there are days you just don’t know if you can press on. Be of good courage my sisters! The Lord your God is faithful, He is Just, He is Merciful, and He wants to come to your rescue. Just as He proved Himself to the Israelites in the say of Judges so is he today!

Be faithful to what you know is truth, to what you know is right in the sight of Your Lord and Savior.
Today I’m praying 1 Peter 4:12-19

Lord, thank you for the book of Judges and thank you for providing a deliverer for the Israelites. Lord, we are a blessed people that you would send your son as our deliverer. Thank you!
Lord I pray for the ladies today that they would stand firm in their faith no matter the circumstances. I pray Lord you would hear their cry, and rescue them in their time of need. Shelter them Lord and provide rest when it is needed.
Lord, I pray you would have your way with us and grow us to be more like your son, Jesus. Help us to desire this and to seek You in all things.
It is in your Name I pray,
The Name of Jesus
Amen…………