In my last column I wrote that grace was not new in the New Testament. The covenant (testament) was new, but grace was not new. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6:8) God’s grace was liberally given constantly in the Old Testament.
I recently read Judges and once again, found it absolutely incredible that God’s people could not stay faithful for 3 generations! Even more incredible was God’s grace to a people He loved dearly.
After Joshua died, Israel remained faithful in most ways until all the elders who lived with Joshua died. Even then, Israel failed to fulfill one of God’s biggest requirements: Drive out all the nations who have rejected me. Judges chapter 1 (succeeding references all from Judges) recounts how Israel defeated
all enemies, but failed to drive them out. God said in chapter 2:2a and 3, because Israel had failed, “You have not obeyed my voice! What is this you have done?...they will become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”
Less than a generation later, in 2:11, “Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals, abandoned the Lord…” End of verse 12: “…they provoked the Lord to anger.”
3:9 tells us the people cried out to the Lord for help, and “the Lord raised up a deliverer who saved them, Othniel,” nephew of Caleb.
3:11 says the land had rest for 40 years, until Othniel died.
3:12 says Israel did evil, so the Lord delivered them into the hand of a wicked king for 18 years.
3:15: “Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord raised up a deliverer named Ehud”, who led Israel back to
God.
3:30 says the land had rest for 80 years, a rare accomplishment!
4:1: Israel did evil again, the Lord gave them to a nation who oppressed Israel for 20 years.
4:3: Israel cried out to the Lord, so he sent the only woman judge, Deborah, to deliver them again.
6:1: 40 years later, Israel did evil again, so God allowed Midian to cruelly oppress Israel for 7 years. Guess what Israel did then! You guessed! That’s right, they cried out to the Lord for help, 6:6!
The Lord raised up Gideon to deliver Israel from the oppression of Midian.
I could go on with the same theme, because the theme continues just like this all through about 300 years of the time of the judges. Israel did evil, God became angry, God raised up a deliverer, Israel is saved, the land had rest for a generation or so. The cycle repeats.
What would you call all those times God raised up a deliverer? I call it grace! His mercy born out of deep love, that in spite of his great anger when they rejected Him, continued to love them and give them another chance.
Those chances eventually ended, but not until about 3,500 years after Adam and Eve were created. I just wrote of 300 years of yoyo faith on the part of Israel. This cycle continued all through the other 3200 years as well. What a merciful God of grace we have!
Last column I wrote that God’s grace, coupled with two requirements from God have always been God’s plan for man’s salvation. Forgive me for not revealing that till next time.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Tom Haynie has been an evangelist for various churches, serving in some capacity of ministry for more than 50 years. One of those ministries was served for over eight years at Buffalo Christian Church in Buffalo, Indiana. For more than half of Tom’s ministry years, he has written articles for local newspapers, such as the Powerful Words column for the Herald Journal and other local papers. Tom can be reached at tom.julie.haynie@gmail.com
