Snap

Judges… ugh and blerg and vomit. Is this really the God that I serve? Judges is vile, positively vile. I’m disgusted. I wonder how many Christians have read this book through. Not many I think.

I’ve gotten into the habit of stopping my reading when I come up against something that makes me want to throw this whole “God thing” out the window. I stop and I give God space to answer my objections. I often wonder if it’s Him or me doing the answering. Am I just finding a way to make this all work in my head? Maybe… I don’t know but I tend to think I’m not nearly so bright as to come up with many of the answers I receive.

I’ve been mulling over how in Judges the Israelites have such a superficial relationship with God. “Hey, we need your help! Everyone, get rid of your idols and turn to Yahweh!” God delivers… return to idol worship… “Hey, we need your help! Everyone, get rid of your idols and turn to Yahweh” … rinse, wash, repeat.

Really guys? Really? Is it that hard to not bow down to the Baals? Apparently it was because they did it constantly.

Superficial faith… how often has this been me? “God, I’m in trouble! I need You!” Relief comes and I forget.

I’ve also been thinking about the vile, disgusting, horrible things the Israelites did in this book and how my immediate response was to assess God based on the behavior of His people. But much of the horror in Judges was NOT commanded by God (though some was) and much was expressly forbidden in Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Numbers. Isn’t this still the tendency today? I find that the vast majority of complaints about God aren’t about God at all but are about abuses and misrepresentations by His children. Sickening truth.

So, reading along being sickened by the behavior of the Israelites then God would discipline them, often resulting in war, death and oppression. I would think “that’s horrible! What kind of God does that to His people?!”

Um… Jodie, you can’t have it both ways. Are you horrified by their behavior? Then a righteous God must act to correct that behavior. Are you horrified by God’s judgment? Then the vile behavior must be allowed to continue. Which is it?

Snap… I’m glad I’m not God. I suck at this job.