Judges Chapter 3 Verse 1

• Don’t let that word “left” throw you off as we get into this text tonight. God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent which means He is all knowing, all powerful and all places at all times and so this word doesn’t mean, this statement doesn’t mean that He packed up His bag and departed in a physical sense or anthropomorphic sense. The original word “yanach” used 75 times in the Old Testament and it’s only translated “left” or “leave” 24 of the 75 times. The thought is that what He intended, which was for them to drive the inhabitants of the Promised Land, they did not do…and so they will not be used to test them and prove them…And so He allows what they demand…

Judges Chapter 3 Verses 2 – 6

• And so what is He doing by stepping back? He is giving them what they’ve asked for…so that they might be refined. He does this all the time with us…we press for self so much that the only way for us to learn that self is a dead end, is for Him to actually allow it…Why does He allow it? Because we do…ultimately it’s on us man…and so because we love the flesh…God teaches us to know war…

• Why doesn’t God just change me? Right here, right now? Just make me different? Because then you would not know war…No one likes to struggle against sin and self but the battle is good for us…We are taught not only to be strong but how to be strong…not only to walk in victory but to know how to beat down the flesh…see what I’m saying?

• I think of my children. I want them to have food, a home, all that they need to be well, but as they grow, they must learn to do those things on their own. Not just to know how to eat the food but how do they secure the food for themselves and ultimately, feed others…We learn quickly that if we make everything easy for our kids, we’re not really helping them are we? I love what David Guzik said, “The symbol of Christianity is a cross, not a feather bed!”

Judges Chapter 3 Verses 7 – 9

• God gave them exactly what they wanted…They didn’t want to serve God so He delivered them into the hands of a worldly king. They reaped exactly what they sowed…and what kills me is 8 years! 8 years! 2,920 days! 70,080 hours! 4.2M breaths! Moments!!! Man if we are wise…we break the minute we SENSE that we are slaves…
• And so finally when they cry out, the first judge, the first hero is raised up by the Lord and notice what makes him a judge…What makes him able to make war…

Judges Chapter 3 Verse 10

• That is it. What is your spiritual resume? Bible College? Seminary? Memorize the entire Bible? Been a Christian your whole life? What’s any of that worth without this? The Spirit of the Lord came upon him…That statement alone qualified Othniel, and qualifies any of us to judge…to save…to stand…and that statement alone enables us to make war…
• Nothing else we need to know about Othniel. Nothing can be added to that statement. See that? That is all there is man when it comes to overcoming the flesh, overcoming slavery, and how does the Spirit of God come upon us? Is it a heavenly lottery and every day your guardian angel gets a scratch ticket? NO WAY! Being in the word! Trusting in the Lord. Taking Him at His Word and walking in the hard places! How will you ever have the Spirit of the Lord come upon you when you NEVER need Him…because you’re doing all the work yourself…
• Working it all out in your own head. Based on your own experiences and what you think is right…man it is only when you begin the battle against self when the Spirit of the Lord is called upon by your spirit…

Judges Chapter 3 Verse 11

• And so the nation had rest for a generation. A biblical generation is 40, 80 or 120 years and so for a generation, the nation rested with Othniel as judge. This makes me think of my kids. If I will give my life to the Lord, not just live for Him, but GIVE Him my life…make Him the lead, the Judge, the Shot-caller…then an entire generation will have peace and a generation speaks of kiddos to me…that’s worth it enough for me to open my eyes and break quickly…

Judges Chapter 3 Verses 12 – 14

• Look at this cycle and don’t be fooled. Just because you won yesterday doesn’t mean you slack today! They get right back into bondage and this time…it’s worse! 18 years this time!!! This is precisely what Jesus said to the man that was lying by the pool with a condition of infirmity for 38 years! John Chapter 5 verse 14, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you…” 18 years this time…(which of course to me speaks of sin because it wreaks of triple six…)
• But this is the pattern we will see throughout the book of Judges…Why? Because they didn’t go and sin no more…they kept going back into this junk of serving false gods…(and not just doing these things but not replacing them with Godliness)…and progressively the consequence keeps getting worse and worse and finally in Chapter 10 God says, (turn over to Chapter 10 verses 11 -14)…what a horrible place to arrive!!
• But what God is basically saying is “zero out.” It is time for complete bankruptcy on self because you’re not learning…2,000 years ago this came to a head when God sent His Son…the ultimate Judge to put away sin once and for all and for anyone who would choose Him, choose Jesus over self, to them was given the power to learn…and He’s about to come again, this time to zero everything out for good…are you ready?

• Think of this as we close. Jesus said in John 6, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” What if you work 40+ hours every week and you get your paycheck and it is $0.00. Why aren’t you tired of that yet? I am, you say. But are you tired enough to quit? Get a job that pays…

• “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more…”