In the book of Judges we learned about Israel how, “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 swore unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And you shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars: but you have not obeyed my voice: why have you done this?”, and in chapter two and verse three of Judges, we learn how the angel said, “I will not drive them out from before you”, where we read,
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.
The verse reads, “Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you;” The writer began with the words, “wherefore I also said” which means “therefore, then and on this account I, Jehovah God, even so and indeed uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “I will not drive them out” or “I, Jehovah God, shall in no way or manner expel, thrust, cast or toss away them, the pagan inhabitants of the promise land” “from before you” which means “separate and apart from the presence and front of you, the people of Israel”. The writer shared how Jehovah God indeed declared that He would in not in any manner expel or thrust away the pagan people from the presence of Israel.
The verse goes on to say, “but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.” The writer continued with the words, “but they shall be as thorns” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover they, the pagan inhabitants of the promise land, will exist as prickly barbs” “in your sides” or “within your, the people of Israel’s, sides of their bodies”, “and their gods” which means “and their, the pagan inhabitants’, deities” “shall be a snare unto you” or “will exist as a lure, bait, noose and trap to you, the people of Israel”. The writer shared how Jehovah God declared that the pagan people within the promise land would exist as prickly barbs in their “sides”, and their deities would be like a noose or trap for the people of Israel.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Jehovah God made a decision based upon the disobedience of the people of Israel. God said He would allow the pagan people who lived in the promise land to remain living among them. They would be as prickly barbs in their sides, and their deities would be like traps for them. God knows what is best for our lives, and allowing any area of sin and it’s influences in our lives will become as a prickly barb and trap for us. God loves us, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to completely avoid the “thorns and snares” that are in the world.
Next time we see how, “the people lifted up their voice, and wept”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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