Something Must Change or Else!

Judges 21

Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Friday, March 11.

Have you ever got to the end of your rope and realized that if something didn’t change in your life, and quick, then there would be no future worth living? That is exactly where the people of God found themselves at the end of the book of Judges – something had to change or else!

The last five chapters of Judges turn my stomach, which is exactly the point. These final two stories are some of my least favorite stories in the Bible, and there are some horrifying stories in the Bible, like the judgment of all humanity through a world-wide flood. But there’s no way to turn this level of debauchery into cute children’s stories to domesticate the Bible and sanitize the absolute horror of its intended message!

Judges 17-21 intentionally close out the history books of Joshua and Judges, transitioning between Moses and the monarchy. They have set the stage for Israel’s need for a king. We know this because these last five chapters are bookended by its theme: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6 & 21:25). With this thematic statement found at the beginning and end of these last five chapters, we know that everything between them is intended to illustrate this one point – Israel was a hot mess without a king!

Me too! I’m a hot mess without King Jesus ruling over my life, and, from my life, I have plenty of stories that should never be domesticated or sanitized to make my life look more presentable. In fact, some of my worst stories are what led me to bow my knee to King Jesus. Isn’t that the point? I wasn’t willing to surrender all until I realized that something must change or else! How about you?

Seize the moment and submit your life to King Jesus! Apart from Him you are hell-bent, but with Him you are Heaven-bound!

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