But When The Judge Died…

Judges 2:19
But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

Judges in Israel were not members of the judiciary as we understand them today. They were not legal experts who listened to cases and made decisions. Judges in Israel were leaders. They were religious leaders for they connected Israel to God. They were also defense leaders who led the people to fight off enemies and protect Israelites.

Judges in Israel were chosen by God. They were chosen when there was a crisis. The crisis was always caused by Israelites abandoning God and going after idols and other foreign gods. When Israelites abandoned their God, they were defeated by their enemies and they suffered immensely. In their suffering, Israel called on God for help, God responded by sending a Judge to lead them back to God and in defeating their enemies, Judges 2:16.

Judges 2:18
Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them.

Through the Judge God saved Israel. As long as the judge lived all was well in Israel. People were saved from the consequences of their own sins and they enjoyed God’s favor. The judge was a blessing to the nation of Israel. Unfortunately, the judge is human and therefore grows old and dies.

Judges 2:19
But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

When the judge died, people forgot the ways of the LORD and went back to sinful ways. When the judge died, people persisted in sin. When the judge died and because of sin, suffering and oppression by enemies became the order of the day in Israel. Everything changed for the worst when the judge died!

The judge represented the presence of God. The judge represented a reminder of the will of God. the judge represented God’s answer to their questions. The judge represented their dependence on God. When the judge died disaster came upon the nation because the nation could not operate without God.

The death of the judge indicated the absence of God in their worship. The death of the judge symbolized a life that no longer depends on God. The death of the judge meant that their fate was in their own hands. The death of the judge meant that they were saving themselves and God was not involved in their struggles. When the judge died, the worst happened to them.

The worst happens to everyone when the need for God dies. When the passion to serve God dies. When the prayer time dies. When the church attendance dies. When returning tithes and offerings die. When the conscious that governs a person from mistreating others die.

When the impact of the religious meeting dies, the worst happens. We are good during the revival. We are good during the camp meetings. We are good during Spiritual Emphasis. We are good during worship. These are our judges, but when the judge dies, the worst comes upon us, because we forget about God.

When the guidance from home dies. When the influence of home environment dies and you are alone in a foreign land where no one knows your ties with God. When the powerful advice by parents dies and is replaced by peer pressure. When these reminders of God die, something in us also dies. These are our judges, but when the judge dies, the worst comes upon us.

Sometimes the judge is a disaster or good fortune. It takes us to an experience with God that is unequaled. But when the impact of the experience dies, we remain exposed as hypocrites. When the judge dies, the worst of us comes out. Has your judge died? Who is your judge? Who is this judge who is one moment attractive and next moment lethal and can destroy us?

Psalms 75:7
It is God who judges:
He brings one down, he exalts another.

Isaiah 33:22
For the LORD is our judge,
the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.

God is our judge, God is our judge who never dies. I request you O God to be my everlasting Judge and may I never lack, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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