“Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, “Who shall be first to go up for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?” 2 And the Lord said, “Judah shall go up. Indeed I have delivered the land into his hand.” 3 So Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me to my allotted territory, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I will likewise go with you to your allotted territory.” And Simeon went with him. 4 Then Judah went up, and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they killed ten thousand men at Bezek. 5 And they found Adoni-Bezek in Bezek, and fought against him; and they defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.” Judges 1:1-5 NKJV
God of Unity,
I wonder if this book would have been called 12 tribes to one nation under God if the tribes had not sinned? They start well and good and seek You first. They also seek to work to help each other. But it is called judges. Because they constantly got into hot water and needed someone to get them out. Judges is a terrible saga of trouble, oppression, defeat and survival. It is not a book I like to read for encouragement. The Judges leave me wondering. Samson is not exactly a figure to be held up as a model for small children is he Lord? Interestingly Lord God there were twelve! Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, Samson. Some we know almost nothing about.
But it is a book which shows Your patience, promise keeping and provision. The strength of You purposes and that You are the one who truly holds the future. Or Jesus would never have been born as You promised. Help us to see what we need to see as we wade through Judges and know You as the solid Rock on which we can stand amidst any situation (Matthew 7:24-27).
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Wednesday 11th March 2026
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on his unchanging grace;
in every high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
His oath, his covenant, his blood,
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
he then is all my hope and stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand:
all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in him be found:
dressed in his righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne.
Chorus twice
Lyrics: Edward Mote