rated R for violence
May 23, 2009
All the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).
READ: Judges 2:10-17
The youth group was shocked at their leader’s claim: “The Bible is full of R-rated stories.” “Really? Where?” they asked. “I’m not telling you,” he said.
It’s true. The Bible is rife with sordid stuff. In fact, God told Israel to “completely destroy” the inhabitants of the Promised Land and take their place in Canaan (Deuteronomy 20:17-18). Why? Because of the Canaanites’ depraved religious practices.
But the Israelites failed in that mission. The book of Joshua tells of their inability to eradicate the inhabitants. The book of Judges tells the sad story of what happened next. The Israelites were enticed to worship other gods, and sex was a big part of this idolatry (Judges 2:12,17).
The Canaanites “worshiped” the god of agriculture with fertility rites that included temple prostitution. Not surprisingly, Hebrew males found such a system to be appealing. Let’s see, sex with a prostitute, and my crops grow? Right, I’m in. And the part about having a god you could actually see seemed real nice too. Soon, it was impossible to tell the Israelites from the Canaanites, and God’s chosen people were enslaved by tribes that they should have annihilated—per God’s commands.
So why is Judges, with its narrative of debauchery, dismemberment, and death, included in the Bible? Two primary reasons that I can see:
• It’s true. The book of Judges doesn’t tell about a nation’s greatness, it shows the human race as it really is.
• It reveals God’s ways. This R-rated book shows the unexpected deliverance that comes from our infinitely surprising God (v.16).
When we follow God, we choose His help and blessing. But that help seldom comes in the form that we expect. The book of Judges gives us a glimpse of His loving creativity in spite of our willful rebellion. —Tim Gustafson
What is tempting you to turn away from God? In what ways are you demanding results now, rather than waiting patiently for the Lord?
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