Judges 20, Proverbs 28, Hebrews 13

The end result of sin is always death. Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death." Thousands of men and an unrecorded number of women and children died in the war between the tribes of Israel. The culprits in the sin died as well as by-standers who, up until that day, refused to speak out and condemn the behavior around them. The entire tribe of Benjamin suffered the consequences of a sin allowed to continue in their midst.

The contrast between the wicked and the righteous, the greedy and the wise, is stark. Verse 13 says, "He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." No one is perfect; we all sin. But when we confess and then change our behavior, God forgives. Israel stood before God and confessed. The tribe of Benjamin did not.

While Paul's focus was on eternity in heaven, he ended his letter to the Hebrews with practical advice. Live a moral life. Stay true to the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Share what you have with others. Be submissive to the pastor (v.17). Pray for his (Paul's) release.

Making an effort to live a life free from sin, and confessing when we do sin, keeps us unencumbered and able to focus on the kingdom that awaits us.

Judges 19, Proverbs 27, Hebrews 12

One thing leads to another. The depth of depravity described here didn't get that way overnight. It crept up like a cat stalking a mouse. The nation of Israel, tribe by tribe and city by city, rejected God. They turned to idols and did whatever they wanted. Today we might call it a progressive society. In this case, we mean one that progresses away from any religious or moral underpinnings. The word "freedom" might be invoked, misused to mean everybody can do their own thing without regard for the consequences to anyone else.

Chapter 19 presents a stark picture, but we must face it full-on if we're to avoid repeating it.

Solomon wanted his son to learn and be wise. Verse 11 speaks to the son, telling him so. Solomon has learned that it's important for a king to make sure he has good friends and keeps them because family will try to take the throne away. Solomon saw this happen when his brother, Absalom, stirred up a coup against their father, David. Solomon also teaches his son how to keep the kingdom strong in verses 23-27.

Even though we aren't kings, the same wise principles apply to us. Friends are priceless and prudence preserves our resources.

The lynch pin holding all three chapters in Judges, Proverbs, and Hebrews together today is the discipline we read about in Hebrews 12. If we reverence God and persevere with the goal of heaven in mind, if we endure, if we maintain an accurate mental image of our God, we will avoid sin and be wise.

Judges 18, Proverbs 26, Hebrews 11

The people of the tribe of Dan were evil. They not only invaded and destroyed a peaceful, hamless country. They also stole Micah's idols and his priest. His priest wan't exactly loyal, since he followed the most money and influence, but the treachery of the Danites is inescapable. A striking fact is that they remained idolaters down through the years to the Babylonian captivity. When the tabernacle resided at Shiloh, they still refused to turn from their sin.

Humans would have given up  on them. But we know that through seventy years of captivity, the hearts of the people turned back to the Lord. He kept His covenant even when the Danites broke it. God never gives up on us.

The  foolish, lazy, and dishonest will reap what they sow. A wise person stays far away from them.

The contrast between the "heroes of faith" and the Danite tribe, along with fools, the lazy and dishonest, is stark. The chooice is ours to make and the consequences are clear.

I say, with Joshua, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Judges 17, Proverbs 25, Hebrews 10

Wandering in Sin. The scripture doesn't tell us how many years passed between Samson and Micah. Because of Micah's complete failure to realize his idolatry, we may assume it was a long time. Not even the young Levite understood the situation. Without a leader, the people, just like a flock of sheep without a shepherd, wandered away from the pasture of good grass to a weedy, rocky place. Although it looked good to them, it was the wrong place. The mixture of Judaism with pagan idolatry was a sin.

Today, Christians can run into the same situation when we allow the concerns of the day, or our desires for things or leisure, to dilute our passion for Christ.

Spiritual Self-Control. Don't you love a good mystery? So does God. (By the way, that's why we do. We're made in His image.) He plans for us to seek: to seek a relationship with Him, to seek truth. The book of Proverbs is rich in truth. Proverbs 25:28 stands out today because it explains what happened with the Israelites, particularly Micah and the young Levite. They failed to rule over their own spirits in the matter of worship, doing what felt right instead of what was right. Then they became like a city broken down with no walls. They had no sense of restraint or security.

The Right Leader. Jesus Christ's death on the cross provided us with the only sufficient sacrifice for our sins. At that moment, He became our perfect priest. The writer of Hebrews makes it clear that holding onto our faith with endurance assures us of receiving the promise of heaven. Failure to do so guarantees the fearsome judgment of God.

Let's avoid the company of Micah and the young Levite and follow our Perfect Priest.

Judges 16, Proverbs 24, Hebrews 9

Pride. Samson was a great man with a great weakness: pride. He knew he was special and that God appointed him for mighty works in the literal sense of the word. Even his failures God used for Israel's good. After twenty years he must have felt invincible, because he trusted Delilah even after evidence that she was not trustworthy.

Consequence. When Samson disobeyed God in the one critical act of allowing his head to be shaved, God followed the principle of tough love and logical consequences. Samson knew the presence of the Spirit of the Lord was symbolized by his hair. He knew if he cut it the Lord would depart. So did God. And that's what happened.

Destruction. The resulting suffering taught Samson what nothing else could: humility. When Samson humbled himself before God and everyone else, then the Spirit of the Lord performed His greatest work.

Warning. Wisdom, knowledge, understanding and righteousness are compared to a well-built house and productive field. Honestly, industriousness and steadiness are qualities leading to prosperity. But the most important teaching in this chapter of Proverbs is found in verses 11-12. A soul-winner is described in verse 11 and verse 12 teaches individual accountability. Ignorance is not necessarily and excuse.

Reformation. The tabernacle Moses built, and the temples after it, stood as symbols of spiritual truths and heavenly realities. Their purpose was instructional and as stand-ins for the Real Deal. In spite of their inferiority, they were necessary until the coming of Christ. Then He replaced them with His perfect sacrifice, shed blood, and resurrection. This is called "the time of reformation" in verse ten. This chapter is a beautiful description of the doctrine of atonement.

Salvation. Christ died for us, that by His power we might be saved. If we will turn to Him, away from our path toward death, and put our trust in Him instead of our own strength, we will be saved from destruction.

Judges 15, Proverbs 23, Hebrews 8

Height of Influence. Chapter fifteen records the height of Samson's influence. He didn't get off to a great start, and his service to God cost him everything. But he judged Israel for twenty years after he defeated the Philistines. When we surrender our lives to be used by God for His purpose, it does cost us. Many times it costs those we love even more, like it did Samson's wife. Our loved ones may not die, but we may have to move far away. Whatever the cost, it is worth it all when compared to the price Jesus Christ paid for our salvation. When we remember the cross, it puts everything in perspective.

Reward for Living Well. Proverbs 23 says much about eating and drinking. Eating too much meat and drinking sparkling red wine are both problematic for the wise and righteous. Teaching the truth to our children causes parents to rejoice. And we can look forward to the here-after when we live well.

Mercy Covenant. I'm so glad Jesus Christ made the first covenant, and the laws it was based on, obsolete. In His great mercy, He remembers our sins and "lawless deeds" no more. We do still need to live wise, righteous lives--and when we do, it helps us anticipate going to heaven with joy. But Hebrews eight is straightforward. The writer confirms that this new covenant is not based on works of righteousness on our part. It is based on the mercy of God and the work of Jesus Christ.

Judges 14, Proverbs 22, Hebrews 7

In case we forget that God is always at work around us, and that He always accomplishes his purposes, the fourteenth chapter of Judges is in the Bible. What looks like another slide away from the Lord on Samson's part, capitulation on his parents' part, and deviousness on the part of Samson's wife, is all part of God's plan. He knew how it would play out, and used the events to set up the Philistines. No matter how things appear to us, we must remember that God is in charge and will not be thwarted.

The writer of the Proverbs reminds us that the reason he wrote them was to teach us truth and so that we will trust in the Lord. This is the way we should approach the reading of all scripture. So that we can learn truth and to trust in the Lord.

The truth about the Lord Jesus Christ is told to us in Hebrews 8. He is our priest, the only one we need, the only one who can save us. He is better than the Levitical priests and brought to an end the need for them. And He ever lives to intercede for us. (See verse 25.)

Back when Abraham offered His tithe to Melchizedek, God was working on His plan for salvation through Jesus Christ. When Samson married a Philistine woman, God was working on His plan to save Israel and when Solomon wrote Proverbs, God was at work to teach all his readers how to live godly lives.

You are part of His plan. Watch for His work around you.