A No-Named Prophet With The Word of God
“The Lord sent a prophet to them. He said to them, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I brought you out of Egypt and out of the place of slavery.”
Judge #5 A prophet
Now this prophet did not fight any kings or army but only declares the word of God as a rebuke to the sons of Israel. And he was ushering in one of the most famous Judges, Gideon. But I would still consider him a judge because he spoke concerning the sins of the sons of Israel. He was a type of John the Baptist preparing the way of Gideon.
Let’s look at what he had to say to the sons of Israel.
“This is what the Lord God of Israel says:”
He is speaking in the name of God so the sons of Israel need to listen.
“I brought you out of Egypt”
Reminding them of the stories told to them by their grandparents that have been passed down a few generations of the deliverance of God upon the sons of Israel that were in Egypt in the time of Moses.
“and out of the place of slavery.”
A feeling they know so well being subjected to mistreatment by the king of Midian. As he would descend upon the land to take anything and everything from them.
“I delivered you from the power of Egypt”
Through My many signs, plagues, and My heavy hand upon Pharaoh he let you go. But upon changing his mind I finally delivered you through the Red Sea and in it, he saw his demise.
“and the power of all who oppressed you.”
And for the first time in 430, years they were free and so were you! And I gave you My Promise Land filled with houses you did not build and vineyards that you did not sow and cultivate.
“I drove them out before you”
I went before you and took care of your enemies in this land as you saw fit to drive them out. I left those who you wanted to leave out of fear, for I was weakened in your eyes and they were lifted up.
“and gave you their land.”
As I routed them out of My Promise Land I did not keep the land for Myslef but I gave it to you so you may enjoy the Milk and Honey from My hand.
“I said to you: I am Yahweh your God.“
I commanded you to follow Me, My laws, statutes, and ordinances. And to continue to dive out those who live in the land so that it may all be yours.
“Do not fear the gods of the Amorites whose land you live in.”
I told you to forsake all their gods but you did not. You welcomed them into your houses and gave up your sons and daughter so that they may worship the gods of their spouses and I was no longer welcome in your house.
“But you did not obey Me.”
So I went and instructed the king of Midian to plunder My Promise Land so that you will once again be reliant on Me to supply all your needs. I am getting ready to send a man who will be your judge. You now have an obligation to humble yourselves before Me. Get rid of those idols that your sons and daughters have brought into the homes that I gave you. And follow him with all your heart, soul, and mind because I will be with him.
You can find his whole speech in Judges 6:9-10 HCSB
Every Judge had the same purpose, to turn the hearts of the people away from the gods of the land and toward the God of the Promise Land. And the people listened but would forget to teach their kids and grandkids the blessings of God. What was recited to the sons of Israel by this prophet was to be repeated from generation to generation while they traveled along the road, ate their meals, and as bedtime stories so that future generations would know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. “When the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would give you — a land with large and beautiful cities that you did not build, houses full of every good thing that you did not fill them with, wells dug that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant — and when you eat and are satisfied, be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Fear Yahweh your God, worship Him, and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God. Otherwise, the Lord your God will become angry with you and wipe you off the face of the earth. Do not test the Lord your God as you tested Him at Massah. Carefully observe the commands of the Lord your God, the decrees and statutes He has commanded you. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that you may prosper and so that you may enter and possess the good land the Lord your God swore to give your fathers, by driving out all your enemies before you, as the Lord has said.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-19 HCSB
This command is for us today just as it was in the days of the judges, Joshua, and Moses. If we fail to teach the next generation they will have the same enemies devastating the land that God has given us. We need to be the generation that proclaims The Word of God so that we and the generations that follow will live in the freedom God promises. We need to be the change the future generations are looking for. We need to have the resolve to follow God and teach it to the next generation will also follow God.
“Now Ezra had determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.”
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