2019.08.14 Hopewell @Home ▫ Judges 10:6-16

Read Judges 10:6-16

Questions for Littles: What did the children of Israel do in the sight of Yahweh (Judges 10:6)? What did they do with the Baals? What did they do with the Ashtoreths? What did they do with the gods of Syria? What did they do with the gods of Sidon? What did they do with the gods of Moab? What did they do with the gods of the Ammonites? What did they do with the gods of the Philistines? What did they do with Yahweh? What did they not do with Yahweh? What was hot in Judges 10:7? Against whom? Into whose hands did He sell them? For how long did these nations harass and oppress the children of Israel (Judges 10:8)? Which regions of Israelites suffered (Judges 10:8-9)? How distressed was Israel? To Whom did the children of Israel cry in Judges 10:10? What did they say? How did they say they had sinned? How does Yahweh respond (Judges 10:11-14)? From whom has He delivered them in the past? And what has Israel done every time that He saved them (Judges 10:13)? What does Yahweh say He will do now? To Whom does He tell Israel to go ahead and cry out now (Judges 10:14)? How does Israel respond in word (Judges 10:15-16)? What is it that Yahweh cannot bear?

The Lord piles up words to show how Israel has piled up unfaithfulness. What is their repentance worth to Him? It is never sincere and always falls apart.

If we pay careful attention to His answer to them in Judges 10:11-14, it will help us pay careful attention to the statement in Judges 10:16.

Ultimately, Yahweh is not moved by the repentance that is in them, but by the compassion that is in Him.

In fact, we learn from the rest of Scripture that a true repentance that sticks is only a gift of God’s mercy, in which we receive the influence and effect of God’s power.

Ultimately, we are saved only and entirely by that which is in God, and not at all by anything that is in us.

And the portrait of it here at the end of this passage is wonderful: what is in God is an inexplicable, marvelous compassion toward those whom He has taken to be His own: He cannot bear their suffering.

What difficult situation(s) are you in? What attitude does the compassionate God have toward you in that situation? Where does your hope lie?

Suggested Songs: ARP181 “God Our Only Good” or TPH478 “Jesus Loves Me”