“but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots.” Judges 1:19b
Sandwiched between Deuteronomy and 1st Samuel is the very Interesting Book of Judges. Like Dickens “Tale of Two Cities”, it too could have begun with – “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”! You have some Amazing Stories of heroic dependence on God, where Faith and Trust are central to the Story. In others, you are taken to the very depth of Man’s Depravity and are left shaking the head in disbelief!
Well, not long into the Book, you come to Today’s Verse. This would be the 1st of many where Israel does not obey God in the destruction of the Enemy. Much of Chapter 1 is devoted to this Tragedy. So are we surprised when we come to Chapter 2 and read “Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals”?
The same holds true for us. Jesus, like Joshua, has come in and conquered our hearts and then commanded us to utterly destroy Sin. Paul calls it “putting to death the deeds of the flesh”. And unlike Israel, He has given us a New Heart and the Holy Spirit to help us. How is your Battle going so far?