Relationships Do Matter! Othniel and Samson

And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

Judges 1:15

The post "Gideon--Israel's Turning Point" revealed two points.  First, the book of Judges is written in a chiastic pattern when the main judges of Israel are considered and Gideon is the center point of the pattern's revelation.  Second, it is not how you start the race that counts but how you finish.  If Gideon is the center point, who comprise the beginning and the end of the pattern?  As the title suggests, it is Othniel and Samson.  There is a direct correlation between their life actions and attitudes.  Furthermore, they add to the concept of ending well while also revealing that relationships do matter.  Relationships can bless or mar our work and witness for Christ.  What is salvation in the first place?  Is it not a fellowship or relationship with Christ and His atoning suffering?  Furthermore, one dynamic of our relationship with Christ is personal relationship with others.  Do you remember the two greatest commandments that Jesus gave?  Love God--Love others; so relationships do matter!

The chart above shows that the major life highlights of these two judges match equally.  Othniel was not unequally yoked to an unbeliever, so his wife was a major blessing to him.  It was his wife, Achsah, who procured the blessing of the upper and lower springs in the desert region that they inherited from her father, Caleb.  She completed Othniel by extending his territory and blessing.  Surely Achsah stood firmly with her husband in prayerful support while he served as Israel's Judge for 40 years.  The keeping of their vows is further proof of their deeper vow of relationship to God.  Their rule was a time of blessing and prosperity for that land and its people, Israel.

In direct contrast we have Samson.  Continually he is seen in bad relationships with unbelieving pagan women that adversely affect his work and ministry.  His mistress, Delilah, robs him of his strength and covenant blessing.  His former father-in-law, unlike Caleb to Othniel, is a source of anguish for him. Samson is seen constantly marring every vow he took including his marriage vows and vows to God.  With no prayer partner, his ministry is one of compromise that is clearly half that of Othniel's--he rules 20 years as sin cut his reign short.  His story does not end well and his rule was one of chaos, confusion, and disorder.  With such a lax view of and concession on marriage, I wonder if that is why Israel is soon dealing with the issue of homosexuality in the Book of Judges?

Marriage in America is in trouble.  Yet, every study ever conducted shows that couples who regularly attend worship together publicly and pray together privately have lasting, healthy marriage relationships.  Furthermore, our "fear of the LORD", a sincere relationship with Christ, begs us to serve each other greater than self as we seek harmony in the home. In turn, these two relationships affect every other inter-personal relationship we have either for blessing or curse.  With National Marriage Week running from February 7th-14th, why not seek God and His word about your current relationships with Him and others.  At home, take time to fall in love with your spouse and rededicate your home to Christ as a sanctuary for biblical values.

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.  For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.  Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.  Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.  The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.  Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

Psalm 128

Gideon: Israel's Turning Point

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

The structure of the Book of Judges is amazing.  A careful study will reveal that the judges, in the order of their appearance, are getting further from the truths taught them in the Law of Moses.  An even closer study will reveal that this book is written in a chiastic structure as was revealed in the book The Literary Structure of the Old Testament* by David Dorsey.  When the main judges are charted and compared, the pattern becomes obvious and the true message of the entire book becomes clear.  It is not how you start the race that counts, but how well you finish it!

Briefly, a chiasm is an ancient literary device that placed a symmetric pattern into the text.  The purpose was to highlight a specific theme.  This device is very common, and it is found in the New Testament as well.  Patterns revolve around a center point, a point of reflection, and the life of Gideon is the point of reflection in Judges.  Every judge before Gideon has predominately positive characteristics while those following him are mostly negative.  In future posts, these comparisons will be shown.

It was a grand day as recorded in Judges 6!  The LORD in pre-incarnate form visits Gideon and calls him to be a judge.  Furthermore, as He calls Gideon to battle the enemies of God, Jesus reveals himself as the LORD our Peace (a book could be written here but let's stick to the pattern).  Gideon then arises, builds an altar Orphah of the Abiezrites and offers a sacrifice.  He is on the mountain and ready to take on the enemies of the LORD.  Rising from the altar of worship he then casts down the nearby altar to the idol Baal.  Now go to Judges 8:27.  It is there we read these terrible words, "And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it..." Did you catch it?  The very place he arose in victory was the very place he fell in defeat.

After meeting the LORD, Gideon defeats the Midianites and assures his position as a judge of Israel.  Again, it was a glorious day for Israel.  Things were looking up, well almost.  Gideon forgot to call the tribe of Manasseh to battle.  They were not given a chance to be a part of the valiant 300.  It was at this point that the flesh and the adversary take over.  Petty jealousy rises and before you know it the valiant judge of Israel is seen fighting with Israelites.  His judgeship went down hill from there to Orphah where he made the ephod that led many astray.

So many start well but the flesh gets in the way and mars a great testimony.  They rise from the altar only to fall on it continually while woefully sobbing over their latest episode of outright rebellion.  Bitterness, jealousy, gossip and a whole host of nasty, fleshy sins seem to continually plague them and they never fully allow the image of Christ to be perfected in them.  Rather than being a witness to the world, they spend their time attacking their brothers and sisters in Christ. They constantly find themselves praying the repentant Psalm of David, Psalm 51.  God has better for us and pleads with us to live a life of surrender to Him.

What is the lesson for us?  Strive!  Thank God for the great gift of salvation!  Gideon was given a small mention in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11.  Yet, it is only a mention of his name among others whose antics often caused a duplicitous witness.  Again, thank God for grace.  Paul, however, had a much different idea.  He would follow the master in a relationship of total surrender.  His life would be devoted to Christ in ways that maybe even made others think he was a fanatic.  Paul revealed to his son in the faith, Timothy, it is not how you start but how you finish that counts.  What will you cast at the feet of Christ?  Will there be many trophies of victories fought and won in and through His presence and power, or will you stand at his throne, glad to be there, but empty handed?  Will you have a crown to toss at his feet in worship with all of the saints?

*Dorsey, David A.  The Literary Structure of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academics 2004Gideon--Israel's Turning Point

Nine

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

Mark 15:34-38

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Galatians 5:22-24

Nine is an interesting number in scripture symbolically.  Like the Word of God itself, it is a two-edged sword. On one hand it represents judgment, but on the other hand it symbolizes giftedness and fruitfulness. In the astute work, Number In Scripture: Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, the author, EW Bullinger, noted of this number that it represented the end of man. "It marks the completeness, the end and issue of all things as to man—the judgment of man and all his works", Bullinger wrote. Looking at the two meanings side by side reveals another important facet of grace and righteousness that God does not wish us to miss.  

Of the many references in scripture of the usage of nine as a number of judgment, the divine use of it in the crucifixion story is most significant.  It was at the ninth hour that the LORD cried the prophetic first verse of Psalm 22.  This was the Psalm of the prophet of GOD who spoke for GOD but was forsaken by the people He was sent to.  It is also the Psalm of the suffering Shepherd/Savior who gave His life for his sheep.  It was in the ninth hour when Jesus succumbed to the wounds He received for our transgressions and the Son of Man died a cruel and horrible death.  Furthermore, it was the ninth hour that the Father judged the priestly system that shadowed Christ.  The veil was rent at the moment our Lord finished the purchase of our salvation.  Such grace!

God spoke clearly when the veil of the temple was torn.  In effect He was saying that the temporary sacrificial system entrusted to the hands of men was finished.  Christ had laid an ax to the foot of the old system, and in 3 days He would raise up the new temple just as He said.  He would take the head of this system as a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.  Man's efforts were judged worthless as Christ's work became the only God accepted work.  In doing so, God judged all works, actions, and attitudes of man worthless at the cross as well. That is also the message of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12 and the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5.  Paul made it clear to the Corinthians that all believers were to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  Often referred to as the Bema Judgment, believers will gain reward or suffer loss according to the works that they did.  Were they works of the flesh or works of the Spirit? 

Our love is pathetic, and our goodness is corrupt.  If we strive to please him in selfish acts of flesh, we will be found to be empty, barren, and fruitless; however, God provided a replacement for our worthless fruit.  It is the 9 fruit of the Spirit.  When the substitutionary system based on the blood of animals was judged and ended, God opened up free access to the throne of grace through the person of Christ.  In the same way, God judged man's fruit as worthless and rotten to the core, but He provided a replacement cultivated by faith in Christ and the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit.  He also judged the ministry works of man and replaced them with the 9 gifts of the Spirit.  The message is clear--the work of Jesus is all that God will accept.  Therefore, barrenness and fruitlessness in our lives is a clear sign that we are not appropriating the gifts and fruit of the Holy Ghost as God requires.  

Speaking of 9 and judgement, in what month did God allow the hedge on America to be pulled down when the Pentagon was hit and the WTC destroyed?  In what month in 2008 did the economic chaos become obvious when the stock market began to fall?  Interesting!  Maybe God is also sending a clear message to "Christian" America?  I wonder if the ninth month of some year coming has more messages for America as well as the rest of the world?  One message is certain--Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.

2 Corinthians 5:10-11

Is It Really For The Lord?

Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

Zechariah 7:4-6

This chapter reminds me of an experience that I had in the late 1980s.  While attending college, I was working for an exterminating company based in Columbus, Ohio.  One day I was sent to the small town of Sunbury which is northeast of the city.  Before that stop, I had a stop on the east side of Hoover Reservoir.  Leaving that stop I began to travel north and knew that if I kept the Reservoir on my left, I would go through the town of Galena and then enter Sunbury north of the lake.  My map lay beside me on the seat as I started out on my trip focusing on keeping the lake to my left as it ran north and south.  I went through Galena and knew I was getting close as I was now on Sunbury Road and the lake was still on my left.  About 15 minutes after that a sign informed me that I was entering the city of Westerville which is south of the reservoir.  Thinking that I was doing the right thing, I traveled in a large circle and was back where I had first started.  I should have used the map!

This is the same predicament that the Jews rebuilding after the Babylonian Captivity are facing.  Thinking they have been doing the right thing for over seventy years, Zechariah informs them that they were not in the will of God.  What a let down.

They had chosen to send a group to the prophet to inquire of the Lord about two fasts that they had been keeping since the deportation began seventy years prior.  One was in the 5th month and it was a time of fasting, weeping, mourning, and remembering of the destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar and the loss of Jerusalem.  The other fast in the seventh month was similar.  It remembered the murder of the mayor of Jerusalem, Gedaliah.  All that time they had been observing these fasts and probably were proud of their service rendered to God.  Now that the temple was rebuilt and the city restored, they were wondering if it was God's will to continue the fast.  God informs them that it was never His will!

God does not see as we can see.  He can see the intentions and motives of the heart.  As a matter of fact, the worst thing that you can say about your service to God is, "Well He knows my heart!"  Yes!  He does. He can see through all religiosity and pretense.  Nothing is hidden from the eyes of who who tries, ponders, and tests the hearts of men.  In essence, God was saying that He wanted more than a shallow religious display from them--He wanted a genuine relationship. No amount of religion can take the place of knowing God personally! 

 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9 

 "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered."  Proverbs 28:26

The problem with our heart is that it can make us think all is right when everything is wrong.  This was the problem with the Jews.  He shows them that they are already heading down the path of heartless service and devotion that their parents were eventually deported for.  Like the Church of Ephesus that Jesus upbraids for a lack of love even while they continue in service, Zechariah reveals that their worship was unacceptable.  It was a religious observance devoid of true love for God and others.  Remember, Christians are to operate according to the law of love.  We are to serve God from a heart of love as well as love our neighbors as our self.  We need to hear Zechariah's word as well as Christ's warning to keep our love alive and fervent.  This is even a greater need seeing that Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Matthew 24:12

The King's Business

And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Daniel8:25-27

The first familiar howl came from my right.  Having been in this situation before, it did not bother me.  However, when a coyote howled to my left and then another answered behind me things got a little scary.  I could tell they were close, and I had no flashlight.  Within just a few minutes it became apparent that there were four coyotes following me out of the woods in the dark. The truck was still a three-quarters of a mile walk ahead.  I had stayed out deer hunting just a bit later than normal and it was very dark when I started out of the woods.  Also, I was used to walking in the dark without a flashlight and had encountered single coyotes before, but having so many so near was unnerving.  Because I was focused on the coyotes and not the trail, I soon got lost in the dark and could not tell which direction I was heading in the small pines which were obscuring the sky.  Fear soon overwhelmed me.  

Stopping in the woods with the pitter-patter of their paws around me crunching the leaves and needles on the forest floor, I prayed!  I had been so focused on their noises and calls that I had not heard anything else.  Shortly after praying, I heard a car on the road behind me.  I had turned around 180 degrees and was heading deeper into the woods.  Turning around, I began to walk towards the car's noise until I could not hear it no longer.  I would then stop and wait for another.  Focusing on the cars going about their business, I was able to drown out the noise of the coyotes.  After listening to 4 different cars, I finally could see the road in the moonlight.  What a sight!

Daniel also had an experience which greatly unnerved him as well.  He was given a glimpse of the Tribulation period and the terror of the Antichrist's reign.  The vision of the agony those who will endure this time period so troubled Daniel that he became physically ill.  However, he did not let the fear cripple him.  Maybe he was like someone caught in a situation where coyotes are howling and the dark is blinding for a short while, but the prophet knew that GOD had the entire situation under control.  Rather than being immobilized and forever living in dread of the future, Daniel got back up and began doing the King's business again.  Surely, this was a part of the LORD's direction for one He trusted with such great revelation and insight. 


The Tribulation truly will be a time of outright horrors.  Even now we can see the events that show that it is near each day. Just today, many have been sharing the news of large earthquakes and fears of economic chaos in the future.  Others are so worried about the collapse of national governments into a unified world government that will destroy personal rights and liberties that they are living daily in great fear.  Truly the coyotes of despair are surrounding us and howling.  Stop!  Take a deep breath!  PRAY!  God is in control.  Listen for the sound of His voice give you direction.  Get back on task and be about the King's business.  There are many who need to hear your testimony of Christ and His great salvation.  Things are pointing to dangers ahead, but hold on.  Get your bearings and get back on the Lord's path of service for you.  Hold on!  Jesus Christ is Soon2Come!

Risking Salvation Until After the Rapture

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:7-12

"If I miss the rapture, can I be saved in the Tribulation?" Anyone who has ever spent any time teaching on Bible prophecy has been asked this one question several times.  It is one of those questions that always bothers me.  What in this world are you putting off Christ for?  Why do you wish to gamble with eternity?  Why take the chance? Judas sold out Jesus for a months wages and earned his own special place of eternal destruction.  The temple officials of Jesus day chose vain religion over Messiah and lost their position and place of worship.  Pilate chose position over providence and lost it all.  So why would anyone risk the blessings and benefits of a relationship with God for the trinkets of this world?

People will be saved during the Tribulation, and  this is clear in scripture.  The LORD will anoint 144,000 super witnesses from the 12 tribes of Israel to share the gospel worldwide.  Furthermore, there will be two super prophets (one of whom I personally see as the Prophet Elijah returned) ministering in Jerusalem who will have a glorious anointing for ministry.  Then there will be those who are not Jewish who will daily risk their lives sharing the hope of Christ.  Finally, God even sends an angel to preach the everlasting gospel!  Yes, people will definitely get saved during the Tribulation.  God truly is not willing that any should be judged and destroyed for eternity.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. 

Revelation 14:6-7

Having said that, there could be a problem!  The question is most often asked by people who have heard the gospel and have rejected it.  Their question basically is, "If I reject the mercy and grace of God, and then find that it is truth after the disappearance of the saints, can I then be saved?"  Again, it is important to see that this is a scenario where one has risked salvation to remain satisfied with this world.  They chose sin over the Savior.  There are many who have deeply studied prophecy that believe those who heard and rejected will not be able to turn to Christ in the Tribulation.  The verses above are the text often used.  

Notice verse 10, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."  It clearly points to one that has heard the truth before the revealing of the Antichrist.  They did not love the truth; therefore, they decided to put off salvation. Jesus, by the way, is the truth as He revealed in John 14:6, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  Rejecting truth is rejecting Jesus.  Verse 12 even adds more insight.  "That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."  They willingly chose to reject the LORD Jesus Christ because they were caught up with the pleasures of this world.  As a result, "God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie (v.11)." 

The ramifications of these verses are staggering and serious.  One must remember that the Antichrist too will seem to have supernatural powers of persuasion as well.  His ability to make a lie appear as truth will be unmatched and unparalleled.  However, it is Satanic power and not holy anointing.  Did not Satan in the guise of a serpent deceive Eve in a garden of absolute perfection?  Why risk your own personal confrontation with such an evil deceiver in a time when his power is given free reign? 

At this point, I return to my original question; why take the risk and find out? Today is the day of salvation!  Now is the time to accept Christ.  What guarantee do you have of even tomorrow, let alone living after the church has been taken?  Don't put Jesus off another day.  Ask Him to wash your sin away and take control of your life now.  Remember, He is Soon2Come!

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Hebrews 4:6-8

Behold the LAMB of GOD

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

John 1:29-34

Behold the Lamb of GOD.  What an amazing statement for a Jewish prophet to make about a man seeing that he would have clearly understood the ramifications.  John surely would have offered the sacrifice of a lamb for his sin many times by now seeing he is over 30 years old.  He would have taken the knife, transferred his sin, slit the animals throat as the blood was caught by a priest, and watched the life drain from the silent lamb.  His statement, "behold the Lamb of GOD," was a hint to the purpose of the life of Christ.  Jesus would be the Lamb on whom all human sin was transferred.  His own blood would be the only means and method for the forgiveness of sin.  The fact that this was the Father's Lamb would also speak of the need for Christ's blood since He is the only Lamb ever sent to wash sin away.  

Another striking statement was the admission that Jesus was preferred before John.  At face value, its sounds like the camel's hair clad voice in the wilderness was simply stating that Jesus was highly preferred by God and that Jesus was loved and chosen for ministry before himself.  Yet this Greek word speaks so much more.  Ginomai can mean that Jesus was in existence before John; however, Jesus was born as a man some six months after John the Baptist.  Scripture is clear about two things pertaining to John's statement.  First, Jesus was in existence as the eternal Son of God.  Micah 5:2 states that Christ's going forth was from old, from eternity.  When Jesus answered the people about knowing Abraham, He said, "Before Abraham was, I am (John 8:58)." Second,  the clear and overwhelming testimony of scripture is that Christ is the eternal Creator.  Jesus is God our Savior.  As GOD, he decides what is appropriate to wash away transgression.  Therefore, His deity assures us that there is no other way to Heaven than His blood.  

Man and GOD in one. This is the very reason that there is no other acceptable means to reach heaven and have sins forgiven than trusting by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.  He alone saves!  He alone is the Passover Lamb.  The custom for the Passover Lamb was that it was to be shared if it were too big for the house.  Christ is more than enough for every man, woman, and child.  Won't you accept His blood as your offering for sin since there is no other way?  Trust Him today.  As a living Savior who was resurrected three days later, He is coming again.  Trust Him today as He is Soon2Come!