Joshua, Judges, and Ruth

Caleb                                                                                                                                                  

I once told an “older” friend that I wanted to be just like her when I grew up. I admired the way that she never used her age as a reason to stop learning, growing, or serving and she always treated others with such grace. She gently and wisely admonished me with her words, “the way to become a gracious old woman is to be a gracious young woman.”

I think that we first see the qualities of eighty five year old Caleb in the forty year old who explored the Promised Land with Joshua. How did the young Caleb respond to the negative report of his fellow spies in Numbers 13?

To download the entire study:

CALEB.pdf (2,1 MB)

Gideon

Do you ever feel like God has a little too much confidence in you? That He has called you to a task that is much larger than your capabilities? Have you ever questioned whether that was really God talking to you? Have you ever put up a faith filled front that you really didn’t feel?

I really appreciate Gideon’s honesty with God in Judges 6. When the angel of the Lord appears to him, he doesn’t pretend piety, but rather openly expresses his doubts. If God is with the Israelites, why are times so tough? Are the stories of miracles real, or are they just stories? If God really did save Gideon’s ancestors, then where is He now? God’s answer to Gideon is simple; “of course I am with the Israelites, I’m sending you to save them aren’t I?” I don’t know about you, but if my world is falling apart, that is not the answer I want to hear! 

To download the entire study:

GIDEON.pdf (2 MB)

Deborah

Deborah had every reason to be upset. Instead of living in confident prosperity in the land of milk and honey as God’s chosen people, the Israelites were hiding. Attacked and oppressed by the very nations that they had been promised victory over, they were now paying the price of their disobedience. Small villages had been abandoned and the Israelites had retreated to the safety of the fortified cities. The Israelite’s were out-weaponed, especially in the face of the new iron chariots of their enemies. Rather than risk open travel on dangerous highways, only smaller footpaths were used, seriously hampering trade. God’s people sneaking around fearfully in the land that God had given to them as a promised inheritance! Even worse, this had all come about because the Israelites were failing to recognize the authority of their one and only God and King. Everyone was doing what they thought was right instead of doing what God thought was right. God’s own people were turning to inferior, powerless gods. The theocracy of Israel was failing and the people that Deborah knew and loved were suffering because of it. She had to do whatever she could to help. She had to share her conviction that the way to life was God’s way. She had to speak up and point people the right direction, reminding them of the God who would love and protect them if only they would acknowledge His ways.

To download the entire study:

DEBORAH.pdf (2,3 MB)