Judges 1-3

It took me about 12 minutes to read this passage.  A few years ago Chuck Swindoll wrote a book called “Living above the level of mediocrity”.  It was a Bible study on the plans of excellence that God has laid out for his people.  And God has always worked that way for his people.   His first habitation for the humans he created was a place of excellence.  But Adam and Eve chose to compromise God’s excellence.  When they ate the forbidden fruit they chose mediocrity.  The beginning chapters of Judges shows the continual human tendency to rebellion and mediocrity.  Israel had been given the promise of a land with no enemies.  It was all a part of God’s plan of excellence.  But once the tribes had been given their inheritance, and had acquired all that they needed at the time they compromised.  They decided to settle down with what they had rather than pursue the excellence God had planned for them.  After Israel continue to reject God’s plans God acted, and withdrew his promise to remove Israel’s enemies.  God also has excellence planned for Christians.  We need to be willing to act on faith to receive what he is offering us.

Stuart