The Lion of Judah – Start The Day

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. ¹³Then he gathered to himself the people of Ammon and Amalek, went and defeated Israel, and took possession of the City of Palms. ¹⁴So the children of Israel served Eglon king of Moab eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. ¹⁶Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. ¹⁷So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) ¹⁸And when he had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who had carried the tribute. ¹⁹But he himself turned back from the stone images that were at Gilgal, and said, “I have a secret message for you, O king.” Judges 3:12-19 NKJV

“³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.³¹After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.” Judges 3:30-31 NKJV

God who keeps his promises,

18 years the Israelites served the King of Moab before they turned to ask You, Lord for help again. Servitude. It is a great story about Ehud if read from beginning to end. Judges 3:12-29. Amusing too if it was not for the murder and many deaths. A man so fat the dagger was hidden in the belly folds. No wonder Ehud played to the King of Moab’s greed. Then 80 years rest for the land. This shows that You grant time for Your children to have children and turn back to You. But no, there was need for the third judge. The almost unknown, Shamgar son of Anath. He was renowned because he struck down 600 Philistines which is impressive. Not with a machine gun but with an oxgoad! This is the first time the Philistines appear so perhaps Shamgar caught them exploring the land and stopped an invasion as well, helping keep the peace for those 80 years.

Shamgar son of Anath, Anath is a female name, his mother? Reminds me of another mother whose Son was a Saviour and was sent by You to save not a nation, but all mankind. He took the full punishment of the enemy upon Himself too. Judges is bloodthirsty and a different time in history but it foreshadows the greatest battle to come. Which thank goodness was won at the cross and does not need another Saviour ever, Jesus did it all. So we can battle on through Judges Lord and in our time and give thanks for our wonderful Saviour.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Saturday 14th March 2026

You’re The Lion Of Judah, the Lamb who was slain
You ascended to heaven and evermore will reign;
At the end of the age when the earth You reclaim,
You will gather the nations before You
And the eyes of all men will be fixed on the Lamb who was crucified,
For with wisdom and mercy and justice He reigns at the Father’s side.

And the angels will cry, “Hail the Lamb
who was slain for the world, rule in power!”
And the earth will reply, “You shall reign
as the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords.”

There’s a shield in our hand and a sword at our side;
There’s a fire in our spirit that cannot be denied;
As the Father has told us: for these You have died,
For the nations that gather before You.
And the ears of all men need to hear of the Lamb who was crucified,
Who descended to hell yet was raised up to reign at the Father’s side.

Chorus

Lyrics: Robin Mark

“Then the king of Assyria invaded the entire land, and for three years he besieged the city of Samaria.” 2 Kings 17:5

“Three years later, during the sixth year of King Hezekiah’s reign (Judah) and the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel, Samaria fell. ¹¹At that time the king of Assyria exiled the Israelites to Assyria and placed them in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” 2 Kings 18:11-12

“Finally, in the ninth year of King Hoshea’s reign, Samaria fell, and the people of Israel were exiled to Assyria. They were settled in colonies in Halah, along the banks of the Habor River in Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. ⁷This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. ” 2 Kings 17:6-7

“The king of Assyria transported groups of people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and resettled them in the towns of Samaria, replacing the people of Israel. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns. ²⁵But since these foreign settlers did not worship the Lord when they first arrived, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. ²⁶So a message was sent to the king of Assyria: “The people you have sent to live in the towns of Samaria do not know the religious customs of the God of the land. He has sent lions among them to destroy them because they have not worshiped him correctly.” ²⁷The king of Assyria then commanded, “Send one of the exiled priests back to Samaria. Let him live there and teach the new residents the religious customs of the God of the land.” ²⁸So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria returned to Bethel and taught the new residents how to worship the Lord. ²⁹But these various groups of foreigners also continued to worship their own gods. In town after town where they lived, they placed their idols at the pagan shrines that the people of Samaria had built.” 2 Kings 17:24-29 NLT

God of Judgement and Mercy,

Your people in the Kingdom of Israel continued to ignore You and Your covenant and Laws. Their sin led them to be defeated and dissipated among their enemies. And their enemy taking up the spaces left behind by them.

Those left behind had to adjust to the influx of Babylonians who no doubt acted like victors over them. But then there are lions! They immediately took them as a sign from You! I wonder how the priests felt returning to teach the new residents, their overlords, the Law of the Lord? But it was a front. They worshipped You, God while they placed their idols where Your people had pagan shrines. That says it all. You send lions as judgement and not a disaster or a plague?

One day the Lion of Judah will come to judge. Not the gentle Jesus we sometimes sing of but the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who triumphed. Who is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.(Revelation 5:5). And judge all of mankind. You remind us that heaven is not a fluffy, woolly place with all the things we like and desire. To be honest I wonder why anyone would want to go there unless they wanted to be with You, knew You and loved You.

The incomers to Samaria and Israel took heed of the lions but underneath still did their own thing. Faced with the Lion of Judah, fearful and yet welcoming, do we embrace His judgement and accept His total forgiveness and retain no selfishness? Ah but then none of us are ever perfect and we are drawn back to the cross where all is forgiven once again. Thank You for Your indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15).

In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Worship Tuesday 22nd July 2025

You’re the Lion of Judah, the Lamb that was slain
You ascended to heaven and ever more will reign
At the end of the age when the earth You reclaim
You will gather the nations before You

And the eyes of all men will be fixed on the Lamb
Who was crucified
With wisdom and mercy and justice You’ll reign
At Your Father’s side

And the angels will cry: “Hail the Lamb
Who was slain for the world, Rule in power”
And the earth will reply: “You shall reign
As the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords”

There’s a shield in our hand and a sword at our side
There’s a fire in our spirits that cannot be denied
As the Father has told us for these You have died
For the nations that gather before You

And the ears of all men need to hear of the Lamb
Who was crucified
Who descended to hell yet was raised up to reign
At the Father’s side

Lyrics|: Robin Mark