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Weekly Guide：2022-2023 Week 33
August 21, 2022
Week 33 Day 1: Into the Snare ⇧ ⇩
Question
How did the Israelites continue to go to war for lands after Joshua had passed?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Israel had no more leader after Joshua.
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After consulting with the Lord, the tribe of Judah and Simeon went with God to obtain and destroy completely Jerusalem, Hebron, and other cities. But they were not able to drive out the Canaanites who had chariots fitted with iron. Caleb drove out Anak was given Hebron as Moses had promised. The tribes of Joseph, with God, attacked Bethel.
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Othniel captured Kiriath Sepher and married Caleb’s daughter as wife. He then became the first judge God had raised.
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Benjamites, Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Danites weren’t able to drive out the Canaanites but pressed them into forced labor.
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Lord’s angel said to the Israelites for they did not drive out the Canaanites, did not break their altars, and made covenant with them, so the Canaanites will not be driven out and will become traps and snares to the Israelites. The people wept aloud.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - The Israelites compromised and did not drive out the Canaanites because: 1. They benefited from slavery; 2. They were afraid of the iron chariots. Their compromises became their traps in later days. Do I often compromise because of the worldly gains or the pattern of the world is too powerful for me to rely on God to fight for me?
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Fidelity - With his complete faith and reliance on God, Caleb gotten the inheritance through Moses the promise from God. When I have fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith, there will be the crown of righteousness in store for me. Pray to God to take my vision away from the worldly gains and fixate on the glorious crown in heaven.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 33 Day 2: Healing the Wounds ⇧ ⇩
Question
What kept recurring during the time of Judges?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The new generation of Israelites who knew nothing of what God had done for them turned away from God and started to worship foreign gods. The Lord brought them disasters and put them in the hands of raiders as He had sworn to them.
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The Israelites were in great distress so God raised up judges to save them out of the hands of those raiders.
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After the judges died, the Israelites returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors. The Lord left some nations to teach them warfare and to test if they would obey the Lord’s commands. But the Israelites disobeyed by living among those people, served their gods, and intermixed with them in marriage.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - The Israelites had a tight grip on God when they were in distress and yet they relied on Baals for their worldly indulgence. We are just like them. We want God’s salvation and yet could not let go of money, power, fame and pride. Let me go in front of God and let Him be my Lord, let Him take control of my life.
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Fidelity - The previous generation of Israelites saw what God had done for them and feared God. But they did not pass that onto the next generation and caused the later generations to turn away from God. Let me recite to my children what God has done for me to help them know God, to experience God, and to understand that God is not their parents’ alone, but their God, as well.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 33 Day 3: First Four Judges ⇧ ⇩
Question
Who were the four judges God raised up first?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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God put the Israelites into the hands of Canaanites and caused them suffering because they turned away from God to serve other gods. God raised up judges to save the Israelites when they cried to the Lord. However, they became corrupted as soon as peace came.
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God raised up Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and Deborah as judges.
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Deborah, the female judge, encouraged Barak to rely on God to battle and defeat the army of Hazor which had nine hundred chariots fitted with iron. Another woman, Jael, drove a tent peg through the temple of Sisera, the commander of Canaan’s army who fled the battle field, which led to the end of Jabin king of Canaan.
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Deborah and Barak sang a song to praise the Lord for His victory against army of Hazor.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - With an insignificant oxgoad, Shamgar struck down six hundred Philistines. His ordinary oxgoad became extraordinary like Moses’ staff because God was with Shamgar. We must be equipped with the armor from God in order to battle “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Let me rely on God and His armor when I face challenges.
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Fidelity - As Miriam sang song to praise the Lord at the Red Sea, Deborah and Barak sang praising song to commemorate the victory God had won for them. We must often count the blessings and praise God for His deeds to bring more lost souls to Him.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 33 Day 4: Few against Many ⇧ ⇩
Question
How did the fifth judge battle the huge army of Midianites and won with only three hundred men?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The Israelites again behaved sinfully after a time of peace and were put in the hands of Midianites.
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The angel of God came to Gideon and burned all offerings as proof that he was called upon by God. Gideon built an altar and called it “The Lord is Peace.”
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Gideon, obeyed God regardless of the danger, demolished the altar his father had built to Baal then built an altar to God. Baal was not able to defend for himself.
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Before fighting the Midianite army, God showed Gideon twice that He was in control with dry/wet wool fleece.
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God cut down the number of Gideon’s already small army to just three hundred men. God enabled them to defeat the Midianite army and killed one hundred twenty thousand. (Judges 8:10)
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - Gideon disregarded the danger of being stoned to death to destroy Baal’s altar. We may also face misunderstanding, disrespect, insults, and even personal danger when testifying for our Lord. Pray and ask God to strengthen my faith and help me to live out a holy life.
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Fidelity - Gideon obeyed God’s command to cut his already small army to just a mere three hundred while the Midianite army was one hundred thirty five thousand in number. God did this to show that it was He made possible the impossible. If we rely on ourselves, we’d move forward only when we have an apparent advantage but retract otherwise. Let God help me to focus on Him, the rock that never fails.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 33 Day 5: Commemorate the Victory ⇧ ⇩
Question
How was the late generations influenced by the ephod Gideon built for the victory over the Midianites?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Ephraimites complained because they weren’t called to fight the Midianites. Gideon comforted them by being humble.
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Gideon and the three hundred men kept pursuing the remaining fifteen thousand Midianites. The two Midianite kings were killed and their entire army fled.
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Gideon punished the men of Sukkoth and Peniel for their refusal to help Gideon’s men.
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Gideon refused to rule over the Israelites but with the Midianite gold he built an ephod which became a snare.
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After Gideon’s death, Israelites turned away from God to worship Baals and failed to show any loyalty to Gideon’s family.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - After winning the war over Midianites, Gideon did not build an altar to God but an ephod to commemorate his victory. Have I remembered to glorify God for the victories I experienced or did I steal the glory for myself?
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Fidelity - The Sukkoth and Peniel may not have believed that three hundred men could defeat fifteen thousand and thus refused to help Gideon. When choosing between the seemingly weak side of God and the seemingly strong side of the world, is my choice based on my fear in going against the popular culture? Pray and ask God to help me and strengthen my heart so that I can live out a life that pleases God.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Week 33 Day 6: Abimelek Crowned King ⇧ ⇩
Question
What happened after Abimelek, a son of Gideon, was crowned king?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Gideon’s son Abimelek crowned himself as king. He murdered his seventy brothers and only the youngest, Jotham, escaped. Jotham shouted to citizen of Shechem to warn them that they would be consumed by fire.
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Animosity came between Abimelek and citizen of Shechem. Three years later, Abimelek was killed by a millstone dropped by a woman on a tower while attacking Thebez.
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After Abimelek, God raised up Tola and Jair as judges.
Meditation: My Story
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Integrity - We all wish God to punish as soon as possible the evil doers such as Abimelek. However, God gave him three years. We are all sinners, under God’s patience. Let me be grateful to God’s patience and face my own weakness and sins in earnest.
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Fidelity - Gideon appeared to be very successful with his victory over the Midianites. But, he was a complete failure in raising his son Abimelek. What have I been lacking in raising my children to walk God’s path?