Anointed for Justice

In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25

The book of Judges took place at a point in time when there was no king in Israel. A time when the people of the land governed themselves and did what they saw fit. It was a time so relevant to our present day. Those days were parallel to the ones we live in.

Keep in mind, Israel is a nation that God chose for His own inheritance. It consists of God's chosen people. When the Bible makes mention of Israel it is also making mention of you because you are one of God’s chosen people.

The king of Israel should be no one other than God Himself. The people in general, at that point in time, did not know their God. Therefore they had no guidance from Him. To have no relationship with the Lord is to have no king. To have no king is to have no hope.

When we read the words "no king in Israel" we can also get a clear understanding that there was literally no crowned ruler sitting on the throne. Nor was there a throne that one could sit on. This also goes to show that there was no real leadership in Israel.

After the death of Joshua, there was no longer anyone to influence the people in the ways of the Lord. Without God and without any real leadership in the land, the people did what was right in their own eyes. What seemed right to the people of Israel, however, was evil in the sight of the Lord. The Bible says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death "(Proverbs 14:12). There is a big difference between the way that seems right and the way that is right.

Jesus is the only right way . Scripture tells us He is the way, the truth, and the life. It is His teachings that we must learn to apply to our lives and His example that we must follow.

As we take our journey through the book of Judges we will find that the people of Israel were not living in accordance with God’s will. They fell into idolatry, homosexuality, violence, discord, and many other sinful acts. We will be discussing their behavior as we proceed with the revelations that God gives us throughout our study.

As we study the book of Judges we will find a repetitive cycle where the Israelites do evil in the sight of the Lord, God hands them over to their enemies, they cry out, and the Lord raises a judge to deliver them from their oppression. When the judge dies the people go back to doing evil and the cycle repeats itself. The cycle is that of sin, bondage, repentance, and devotion, followed by sin, bondage, repentance and devotion. Time and time again this cycle repeats itself.

The cycle was repetitive in the times of the judges and it has also been repetitive throughout history. The word of God is alive and active or should we say, live and in effect. As it is written so shall it be. If that was a cycle then it will be a cycle now. The scriptures are still as relevant as ever in our present day.

Take a look around you and see for yourself. It isn’t hard to recognize the turmoil and chaos going on in the world today. Idolatry, witchcraft, homosexuality, etc. Everything that took place during the time of the book of Judges is taking place at this very moment.

One of the most important pieces of information that we can get from this book is that God does not let sin go unpunished. Those that disregarded His laws were disciplined for their wrongdoing.

He disciplined Israel by using the hand of their enemies to dominate them. During the chastisement the people were pushed into a position to cry out and return to the Lord.

God is still actively using this same strategy today to bring His people back to Himself. This is why you see so many people living lives that have been dominated by the enemy. Overthrown by sex, drugs and alcohol. Stripped down to the bare minimum and suffering poverty because God has handed them over to their sinful desires.

This is God's way of getting our attention when we get out of line. It is when we hit rock bottom that we finally realize how much we need Him. He allows disaster to come our way so that we can cry out to Him.

The beauty of these scriptures is that God hears the cries of His people and does something about it. He raises up judges to deliver the people from the same oppression that He allowed to overthrow them in the first place.

The judges were imperfect people who God anointed to bring justice to His people. They had flaws and made many mistakes but in the process they carried out a noble task. They fought for the people and brought deliverance to them.

We all know that Christ alone is our Savoir. It is Christ alone who redeems us from sin and death and it is Christ alone that paid the ultimate sacrifice. Yet Christ in all His glory will use some of the least likely individuals to introduce Himself to the world. He does bring deliverance to His people by the hands of a chosen vessel.

Although there has always been a sense of the Lord’s existence within our hearts, we never really got to know Him until a certain man or woman came into our lives to lead the way. The same way He used that man or woman of God to pray for you and fight for you on a spiritual level is the same way that He wants to use you to help others.

As we look at all the chaos and the ruckus in the world today, we can see how things are out of order. We can see the relevance of the scripture but we can also be optimistic knowing that God has a plan.

God always has a soldier to raise up. Perhaps that person is you. Perhaps He can use you for something greater than you have ever imagined.

There are so many lost sheep needing guidance in the world today and knowing this should make you want to rise up and be the leader you were called to be.

Perhaps you have heard the calling of God in your life but you didn’t know how big of a deal it really is. You have been hand-picked by the Creator Himself. You are chosen to do so much more than you could possibly fathom. God wants to use you in such a way that He can be glorified through you. You were called to do great things. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these (John 14:11 NIV).

Maybe you’re still in a place of struggle or maybe you are encountering a bit of suffering at the moment. These are things that we all have to go through. Maybe you’re still fighting an addiction, or going through a divorce. Perhaps the storms of life have brought the tidal waves against your house and you wonder if it’s possible for God to actually use you for something great. Continue to seek His face. He will heal you, and He will use you in ways that you could never imagine.

Getting involved in the work of God is to get involved in something bigger than yourself. If your heart is in the right place and you believe that God will use you to make a difference, then He will. As your faith is let it be done unto you. Find your purpose and you allow the Spirit to guide your life. Do something for the King of kings and it will be remembered throughout eternity.

God is calling you to fulfil the purpose of an upward calling. In order to meet the challenge of this upward calling you will have to rise above your circumstances. Part of your calling is becoming an overcomer. If you can overcome your demons then you will influence others to do the same. God wants to use you to bring a great victory to His children.