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DCLM DAILY MANNA DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY 16TH JULY 2023 – VICTORY IN BATTLES
The Topic of Deeper Life Daily Manna Devotional for 16 Th July 2023 is “Victory in Battles “
Text: Judges 3:12-31 (KJV)
12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.
13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.
14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.
17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man.
18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away the people that bare the present.
19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said, Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.
20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour, which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from God unto thee. And he arose out of his seat.
21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly:
22 And the haft also went in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.
23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the parlour upon him, and locked them.
24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that, behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he covereth his feet in his summer chamber.
25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.
26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.
27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.
28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the Lord hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.
31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
KEY VERSE: “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.” – (Judges 3:30)
In the sixteenth century, there were close to seventy wars involving the nations and states of Europe. The Danes fought the Swedes. The Poles fought the Teutonic Knights. The Ottomans fought the Venetians. The Spanish fought the French, and so on. If there was a pattern to the endless conflicts, it was that battles overwhelmingly involved neighbours.
Our passage of reflection this day, tells us of the children of Israel doing evil again in the sight of the Lord and He using the scourge of the Moabites, under King Eglon, to punish them for eighteen years. It was a long and tedious servitude under a vicious nation. While this oppression prevailed, Israel cried unto the Lord for mercy and deliverance. He heard and granted them miraculous deliverance through the strategic military action of Ehud who neutralised more than ten thousand soldiers of the feuding Moabites. This was by no means the end of these wars, as nation fought against nation, with victory frequently switching sides.
Israel had no reason to be defeated in battle. The presence of Almighty God was more than enough; but careful evaluation of this text reveals that though God allowed the new generations of Israelites to inevitably experience war, He gave them the victory. However, Israel had more wars for forsaking God and joining in the worship of powerless and lifeless gods of the surrounding heathen nations, and entered into unequal marital unions with them. This was against God’s clear instructions.
Some of the wars raging against us today were precipitated by our careless actions. When we return to God, He will return to us. When we maintain a life of righteousness and obedience to God’s word, He will continue to give us victory in all our battles.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Victory is sure for those who trust in God.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicles 12-15
