READING FOR FEBRUARY 3, 2025: JUDGES 8, MATTHEW 1, PSALMS 1 JUDGES 8 We people have been and will always be ridiculously self-absorbed in our fallen humanness. As the great enemy Midian was on the run, fleeing across the Jordan River, Ephraim complained to Gideon because their tribe was not called to be part of the initial phase of the battle. They were only called to the pursuit to Beth-Barah, where the army’s coleaders were beheaded. Gideon cleverly suggested that their efforts at Beth-Barah were far more impressive than what he, himself, achieved during the initial engagement. Fast thinking on Gideon’s part. Let’s not be concerned about getting recognition. Serve God with joy.
Now, Gideon’s initial 300 men were chasing the remaining 15,000 Midianite soldiers across to the east side of the Jordan River (see map from yesterday’s reading). Gideon asked the men of Succoth for some food for his exhausted army. They declined because the two Midianite kings were still alive with the fleeing remnant. Gideon was not blessed by this reply and promised to deal with them later. Much the same scene was re-enacted at the next town to the east, Penuel. Gideon and his men plunged ahead, however, confident that God would prevail. The final victory was achieved at Karkor. On Gideon’s return he “took the elders of the city [Succoth], and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them. And he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city” (vs. 16-17). Was he too stern in his punishment?
Gideon asked his son Jether to kill the Midianite kings, but he was too squeamish because he was very young. Gideon killed them instead. Despite the problems Gideon encountered with some of the people, most of Israel wanted Gideon to become king. He wisely declined because it was not God’s plan. This is reminiscent of George Washington’s refusal to become king. But Gideon asked all the soldiers to give him some gold from their plunder. From this he made an ephod, which is a garment used in worship by the priests. He placed it in his hometown, and it became a false idol to Gideon, his family, and the nation. As often can be seen in life and in the Bible, sin can sneak in after great achievements—even those victories obviously provided by God. Nonetheless, Israel experienced peace for the remaining 40 years of Gideon’s life. After--wards, as is their pattern, they forgot the God “who had saved them.” Let’s never do this!
MATTHEW 1 It might be a mistake to skim over the genealogies in the Bible. Jesus says in Matthew 4:18 the smallest letter or stroke is important in God’s Word. One scholar suggests by seriously considering genealogies there is a way to accept the apparent fossil and biological evidence for evolution while holding to a literal belief of the direct creation of Adam and Eve.
READING FOR FEBRUARY 3, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 1, PSALM 1 Here is his thinking: God directly created Adam and Eve in His image from the dust in the Garden, perhaps as recently as 6,000 years ago—4,000 BC. When Adam and his family were driven from the Garden, they came into contact with individuals who had developed biologically through God-supervised evolution. They were outside the Garden and apparently not made in God’s image. This would account for the women available for Cain and Seth to marry, but not part of the line of Adam and Eve. Through using genealogy modeling, and including what is known about intermarriage and migration, it can be determined that likely everyone existing in the world by the birth of Jesus were genealogical ancestors of Adam and Eve. This would make Jesus a true sacrifice for all humans then living and thereafter. (adapted from Joshua Swamidass)
Of course, this is just one plausible explanation. One could hold to a young-earth view and believe that God gave the universe the appearance of age. We can see stars that are millions of light years away. Perhaps God gave those stars and their light the appearance of age. Or there may be a totally different scenario for creation that God finally reveals to us in Heaven.
This genealogy in Matthew 1, emphasizing Jesus’s human descent, is traced from Abraham. It gives importance to God’s work with His people as described in the Old Testament. We cannot really understand Jesus without paying attention to that history. Notice that this listing is unique in that it includes five women: 1) Tamar, a twice widowed woman who tricked her father-in-law into having sex outside of marriage in order to have an heir; 2) Rahab, a prostitute from Jericho, Israel’s enemy; 4) Ruth, a foreign widow; 3) Bethsheba, a woman who had an adulterous affair with David; and 5) Mary, a pregnant single girl from a small town. What do you think the significance is of these “mothers of Jesus” appearing on the list?
PSALM 1 Prayerfully reflect on these questions that are derived from this Psalm:
- Do we commit to following God’s revealed truth, or do we follow cultural norms?
- Do we really delight in God’s Word more than other hobbies or social activities?
- Do we quickly read through the Bible, or do we mediate on it and obey it?
- Do we pray for family or friends who presently do not walk in the Lord’s way and who are in danger of perishing?
