At Least I Know This Much.
“You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.”
This morning we were reading Judges 18 as a family. Usually I can lean on my memory of my seminary years and knowledge of Hebrew history to give me enough that I can help guide the discussion or answer questions. This morning I had nothing. I felt completely lost… no, I WAS completely lost. It wasn’t until I started to close our time in prayer that I felt God asking me, “Can you follow even if you don’t understand every step of the journey?”
This is a rainbow… well no, it’s a Sun Dog. Actually, I don’t know which it is. I searched the all knowing internet and found definitions that go either way. So, it’s pretty. If I don’t know what to call it, at least I know that much, and that it is made by sunlight being refracted through moisture in the atmosphere.
Just like my time this morning in Judges chapter 18, my understanding and knowledge is often limited. But even when this happens, I can fall back on the most important truths that I DO know.
“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”
1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4 English Standard Version
Nope, I can’t tell you why the Dannites were just getting to their inheritance of land in Judges 18 when the rest of Israel seemed to have done this back in Joshua some hundred or so years earlier. I don’t know the explanation for why they stole Micah’s household idols and set them up for worship. And I can’t explain why they made war on a seemingly isolated and peaceable people with no provocation. (If you do, please tell me in the comments)
But what I do know is sufficient for me today. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I know that He lived a righteous life without sin. I know that He died a sacrificial death on the cross and that this death is atonement for my sins. I know that as He was raised from the dead, one day I will be too.
I can rest in the knowledge of what I know to be true while I wait for answers on the rest.
Text Copyright David Brukiewa
Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner
David, I am not a theological teacher, but Karen and I were reading parts of Joshua today so I searched out the part about Dan. The seventh lot fell to Dan. Joshua 19:47 reads, “When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, . . .” So I looked up the footnote (Does one ‘look up’ or ‘look down’ a footnote – :-)), and it read, ‘Dan was unable to move into its allotment by the Great Sea and sought out other, unclaimed land far to the North. . . They soon fell into idolatry and remained in it.”
One other thought or comment, I am currently involved in a study of Revelation through BSF. In chapter 7 where each of the tribes are listed with 12000 sealed – Dan is omitted. When PD led a study of Revelation he commented it is thought the omission results from Dan turning to idolatry – apparently Dan is worse than the other tribes in this regard from the beginning of the nation of Israel.
I guess the point I left out is it appears Dan doubled down on not trusting God. Both in the wilderness and then in the occupation of the land.
Thanks Gerry, that makes sense with what is happening in Judges 18. There’s not a lot of, er, judging done in Judges. Well, not of some events anyway. The writer just seems to say “and then this was a thing that happened.” We are left to discuss the meaning and make judgments on our own.