Will You Hearken to the LORD’s Commandments? - Judges 3:4

In the book of Judges we learned how, “these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan. Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath” and in chapter three and verse four of Judges, we learn how these people were left, “to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD” where we read,

And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.

The verse reads, “And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, …” The writer began with the words, “and they were to prove Israel” which means “and they, the people groups named above, existed to test, try and assay Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’ and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “by them” or “through the means of them, the pagan nations”, “to know whether they would hearken” which means “to perceive, find out, discern, discriminate and distinguish if and in case they, the people of Israel, would listen to, obey and give heed” “unto the commandments” or “to the divine law, ordinance and precept” “of the LORD” which means “belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and is the proper name of the One True God”. The writer shared how the above mentioned pagan people groups existed to test and try the people of “Israel” to discover if they would listen to, obey and take heed to the ordinances and precepts belonging to Jehovah God. 

The verse continues, “… which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” The writer added the words, “which he commanded their fathers” which means “that he, Jehovah God, charged and ordered their, the people of Israel’s, male progenitors and ancestors” “by the hand of Moses” or “through the means of the power, might and strength belonging to Moses whose name means ‘drawn out’ and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus”. The writer referred to the “commandments of the LORD” that were charged to the forefathers of the people of Israel through “Moses” the prophet.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn again how these pagan people groups were left within the promise land to test the people of Israel. Through them they would discern whether they would listen to and take heed to the orders of Jehovah God even as He charged their forefathers through “Moses”. God has the best interest of all people in mind, and when we listen to and obey His “commands”, our lives are better for it. Because we have disobeyed Him and thereby sinned against Him, (See Romans 3:10, 23) He sent His Son Jesus into the world to be crucified on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days. When we put our faith and trust in Him as our “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 give us the power to live in keeping with His “commands” in a manner that is pleasing to Him. (See John 3:16:16:13; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:9,10; Revelation 4:11)

Next time we learn how, “the children of Israel dwelt” among pagan people, 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".