Originally posted: 10/05/2019

I’ve often heard the book of Judges described as depicting the sin cycle of the nation Israel. But more importantly, it is the account of His endless mercy and compassion.

Holy God, so worthy of all worship and devotion is treated with such dishonor, as the very ones He purchased sell themselves as prostitutes to the pagan deities. And yet, unbelievably He Was Moved to Pity.

Consider Him Who Was Moved to Pity

When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them, (2:18).

• He Was Moved to Pity and brought deliverance.
  • When the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge;
    

• He Was Moved to Pity by their groanings.
  • …for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning…

• He Was Moved to Pity because of their oppression and affliction.
  • for the Lord was moved to pity…because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.

• He Was Moved to Pity although they had brought this on themselves.
  • “‘and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done?” (2:2).

• He Was Moved to Pity though they were quick to play the harlot.
  • Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the Lord; (2:17).

• He Was Moved to Pity; yet there would be consequences.
  •  So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and He said, “Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, ²¹ I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,” (2:20-21).

• He Was Moved to Pity, yet tested their allegiance.
  • “…in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it as their fathers did, or not.” ²³ So the Lord allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua, (2:22-23).
    

How do we respond to Him Who Was Moved to Pity?

Let us take time today to meditate on His Holy Word, to see the marvels of Him Who Was Moved to Pity, that we may also be moved to respond.

> It is true, His great and faithful mercies and compassions are new every morning.

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness, (Lamentations 3:22-23).

> And there is forgiveness in Him.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, (Ephesians 1:7).

> But sin, though forgiven, bears consequences in this life.

The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it, (Proverbs 22:3).

Oh that we would truly learn the lessons of the book of Judges. Though He Was Moved to Pity in response to their groanings and afflictions brought on by their own choices, imagine the blessings to be received had they obeyed.

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation from sin, His Holy Spirit comes to dwell and work within us. He blesses us as we trust His work in us, to work out what He has worked within.

…work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, (Philippians 2:12-13).

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. ²⁶ Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸ He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. ²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ³⁰ Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption, (Ephesians 4:25-30).

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. ²⁵ For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality, (Colossians 3:23-35).

May we refuse to live in the sin cycle. May we never abuse His grace and take Him Who Was Moved to Pity for granted. May it never be!

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? ² May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life… ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! (Romans 6:1-4, 15).

When we do sin, He Who Was Moved to Pity kindly leads us to repentance.

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4).

Let us not think lightly of His grace, for repentance is not merely weeping over our sin; the nation Israel wept and still they persisted in their infidelity.

When the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept, (2:4).

Repentance is revealed in the way we live. This life on earth is very much a testing of our devotion and fidelity to the only One worthy of our allegiance; our faith is proven in our testings.

May we be so very moved by Him Who Was Moved to Pity, that we would grow in consecrated lives of obedience to demonstrate our repentance, allegiance, faith and gratitude.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, ¹³ and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace, (Romans 6:12-14).

Let’s Grow Together!