I'm reading Judges right now. Chapter 6 introduces us to Gideon, yet another character that dedicates his life to turning the Isrealites back to the Lord. He dies and as soon as he was dead they were off searching for other Gods to worship. Ugh. Seriously These Isrealites are so annoying. I was discussing with a friend how little patience I have and chapter after chapter of the Isrealites that can't learn I'm not sure how much more I can take! (Don't forget I'm dramatic. I'm not going to quit reading but these Isrealites are frustrating!)
Next...
Abimelech who is one of Gideon's 70 sons..that's right...70 sons. Talk about a fertile family. This is kind of ridiculous actually. However Abimelech was one from a concubine. He went to his mothers family and convinced them to follow him and to kill Gideon's 70 sons. So God turns against him and he enters a few battles but what is his final blow?? He traps some people in a tower and a woman (that's right a woman!) drops an upper millstone on his head. He pleads to his troops to kill him so it cannot be said that he was killed by a woman....Well, I'm sorry Abimelech but in my opinion (which doesn't really mean anything) you WERE killed by a woman!!
Next...
The Isrealites worship false Gods (again)...are sold into slavery (again) and then beg for forgiveness and rescue from God (again)
Next.....
Samson (The Riddler) is born. He wants a wife from the Philistines. He gives them a riddle and places a bet on it. They cannot solve it so they coax his future wife to find out the answer and tell them. Since they then know the answer Samson kills 30 people to provide clothes as payment of his bet. He doesn't end up getting his future bride but ends up in a huge battle with the Philistines. He kills a thousand of them with a donkey's jawbone and provides yet another charming little riddle about it. He finds a prostitute and stays with her a night (charming) Then he finds Delilah and falls for her. The rulers then pay her to find out the key to his strength...so she (being so wise) says to him "Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued." That doesn't sound suspicious at all. But Samson tells her three different ways he can be tied. She does so and he breaks free. She gets mad and bothers him to the point he tells her he has to have his head shaved and all his strength will leave. So then the Philistines capture him and gouge his eyes out (true love shown by Delilah) They place him in prison and then bring him out for a show. He prays to the Lord to allow him to destroy the place the people are in (I picture this as some sort of coliseum) He ends up tearing down the entire place killing everyone inside including himself.
Next....
So I've been ambitious and now I'm on Judges 19....
OK...Judges 19:22 "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him." Really???? I thought we were over all this. What happens...you guessed it....the old man who lives there offers his virgin daughter. Seriously....again...is this the story of Sodom and Gomorrah again. Seriously. This is completely messed up. So they send out the concubine and the daughter where they are raped and abused all night long. Then in the morning when the Levite is ready to go home he opens the door and there is the concubine at the doorway. Judges 19:28 "He said to her, "Get up; let's go." But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set our for home. When he reached home, he took a knife and cut up his concubine, limb by limb, into twelve parts and sent them into all the areas of Isreal. The tribes of Isreal unite against this city. The Lord aids the victory over the Benjamites. Then they realize there are no women for the men so they invade Jabesh Gilead and kill every male and woman that is not a virgin. They are also to kill all children. These people sound great don't they....just kill people so they can have mates...lovely.
Well that sums up Judges...I'm not really sure what I think. I don't really think I'm a fan of Judges. Hummmm
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