Our compelling Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Judges 5:2,

"When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly
offer themselves— praise the Lord!"

Often when the Lord takes action in this world he does so through
people. Here in Deborah and Barak's victory song, as they extol
Israel's victory over king Jabin and his army with its commander
Sisera, they acknowledge those who were willing to work in concert
with the Lord. The Lord had commanded the Israelites, through Barak
and ten thousand men from Naptali and Zebulun to vanquish Sisera and
his army. That being accomplished, those who "willingly offer
themselves" are acknowledged in their praise of the Lord.

Clearly, the choice of those who were willing, in an exercise of their
own free will, is something Deborah and Barak praise the Lord for. In
their first call for praise of the Lord it is "when the people willing
offer themselves." In their second call for praise, verse 5:9, Deborah
declares, "My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing
volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!" Willing. Willing people
and the willing volunteers among the people - cause for the praise of
the Lord.

In the song, the people of Meroz, a town thought to have been
somewhere just north of Mt. Tabor in the plains of Galilee, were
cursed because they were unwilling to participate in the Lord's
endeavor to vanquish Jabin and Sisera, 5:23. On the other hand Jael, a
Gentile, is honored with a blessing for her action in killing Sisera,
"Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most
blessed of tent-dwelling women." Judges 5:24.

What amazes me is that the Lord uses people to accomplish what he
desires. Not only this, but he often does so within the framework of
the free will he has endowed man with. Those who choose God and are
willing to give themselves to what the Lord purposes and desires find
themselves the objects of blessing. This song ends with an imprecation
followed by a blessing, "So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But
may they who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength."
Judges 5:31.

Certainly the Lord had brought Israel to her knees because of her
idolatry and rebellion against him. Now that he has their attention,
now that they are focused on him, they find within him those things
that prompt them to give themselves to what he wants done. I firmly
believe when we have clarity in our perception of God, it prompts us
to do those things for him we might not otherwise. This is the nature
of what our God is like and why it is he deserves our praise when
others will and act in accordance with his desires and his will. To
know him moves us, compels us to do those things he desires.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com