In the book of Judges we learned how Israel forsook Jehovah God, and “the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice. I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-two of Judges, we learn how the angel says, “through them I may prove Israel” where we read,
That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
The verse reads, “That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, …” The writer began with the words, “that through them” which means “that by means of them, the pagan nations” “I may prove Israel” or “I, Jehovah God, might test, assay and try”, “whether they will keep the way” which means “in case they, the people of Israel, shall guard, give heed to and observe the journey, manner, path and direction” “of the LORD” or “belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and is the proper name for the One True God” “to walk therein” which means “to proceed, depart and prosper within Jehovah God’s direction”. The writer shared how Jehovah God said he allowed the pagan nations to remain to test whether the people of Israel would observe His direction for living.
The verse goes on to say, “… as their fathers did keep it, or not.” The writer continued with the words, “as their fathers did keep it” which means “similar and in likeness to the way their, the people of Israel’s, male progenitors and ancestors guarded, gave heed to and observed Jehovah God’s way”, “or not” or “or do not guard, give heed to and observe the journey, manner, path and direction of Jehovah God”. The writer shared how Jehovah God would determine whether or not the people of Israel would observe His way like their forefathers.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover why Jehovah God allowed the pagan nations to remain within the promise land. These nations were to test the people of Israel, and their response to them would show whether they would be faithful to Jehovah God or to the foreign deities. God knew, but He left these “sinful” people groups to allow the people of Israel to know. God loves us, and His desire is to remove all areas of sin from our lives. When we receive His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead after three days as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness that is directly opposed to Him and His ways. (See John 3:16; 16:13; Acts 1:8; 1 John 1:7,9)
Next time we learn how, “the LORD left those nations”, 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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