O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 11, 2009 10:38 PM Subject: Daily Bible reading For Thursday March 12 > Judges 4-6 (The Message) > > Judges 4 > > Deborah > 1-3The People of Israel kept right on doing evil in God's sight. With Ehud > dead, God sold them off > to Jabin king of Canaan who ruled from Hazor. Sisera, > who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim, was the commander of his army. The People > of Israel cried out to > God because he had cruelly oppressed them with his nine > hundred iron chariots for twenty years. > > 4-5 Deborah was a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth. She was judge over > Israel at that time. She held > court under Deborah's Palm between Ramah and Bethel > in the hills of Ephraim. The People of Israel went to her in matters of > justice. > > 6-7 She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to > him, "It has become clear > that God, the God of Israel, commands you: Go to Mount > Tabor and prepare for battle. Take ten companies of soldiers from Naphtali > and Zebulun. I'll take > care of getting Sisera, the leader of Jabin's army, to > the Kishon River with all his chariots and troops. And I'll make sure you > win the battle." > > 8 Barak said, "If you go with me, I'll go. But if you don't go with me, I > won't go." > > 9-10 She said, "Of course I'll go with you. But understand that with an > attitude like that, > there'll be no glory in it for you. God will use a woman's > hand to take care of Sisera." > > Deborah got ready and went with Barak to Kedesh. Barak called Zebulun > and Naphtali together at > Kedesh. Ten companies of men followed him. And Deborah > was with him. > > 11-13 It happened that Heber the Kenite had parted company with the other > Kenites, the descendants > of Hobab, Moses' in-law. He was now living at Zaanannim > Oak near Kedesh. They told Sisera that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to > Mount Tabor. Sisera > immediately called up all his chariots to the Kishon River-nine > hundred iron chariots!-along with all his troops who were with him at > Harosheth Haggoyim. > > 14 Deborah said to Barak, "Charge! This very day God has given you victory > over Sisera. Isn't God > marching before you?" > > Barak charged down the slopes of Mount Tabor, his ten companies > following him. > > 15-16 God routed Sisera-all those chariots, all those troops!-before > Barak. Sisera jumped out of > his chariot and ran. Barak chased the chariots and troops > all the way to Harosheth Haggoyim. Sisera's entire fighting force was > killed-not one man left. > > 17-18 Meanwhile Sisera, running for his life, headed for the tent of Jael, > wife of Heber the > Kenite. Jabin king of Hazor and Heber the Kenite were on good > terms with one another. Jael stepped out to meet Sisera and said, "Come > in, sir. Stay here with me. > Don't be afraid." > > So he went with her into her tent. She covered him with a blanket. > > 19 He said to her, "Please, a little water. I'm thirsty." > > She opened a bottle of milk, gave him a drink, and then covered him up > again. > > 20 He then said, "Stand at the tent flap. If anyone comes by and asks you, > 'Is there anyone here?' > tell him, 'No, not a soul.'" > > 21 Then while he was fast asleep from exhaustion, Jael wife of Heber took > a tent peg and hammer, > tiptoed toward him, and drove the tent peg through his > temple and all the way into the ground. He convulsed and died. > > 22 Barak arrived in pursuit of Sisera. Jael went out to greet him. She > said, "Come, I'll show you > the man you're looking for." He went with her and there > he was-Sisera, stretched out, dead, with a tent peg through his temple. > > 23-24 On that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan before the People of > Israel. The People of > Israel pressed harder and harder on Jabin king of Canaan > until there was nothing left of him. > > Judges 5 > 1 That day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: 2 When they > let down their hair in > Israel, > they let it blow wild in the wind. > The people volunteered with abandon, > bless God! > 3 Hear O kings! Listen O princes! > To God, yes to God, I'll sing, > Make music to God, > to the God of Israel. > 4-5 God, when you left Seir, > marched across the fields of Edom, > Earth quaked, yes, the skies poured rain, > oh, the clouds made rivers. > Mountains leapt before God, the Sinai God, > before God, the God of Israel. > 6-8 In the time of Shamgar son of Anath, > and in the time of Jael, > Public roads were abandoned, > travelers went by backroads. > Warriors became fat and sloppy, > no fight left in them. > Then you, Deborah, rose up; > you got up, a mother in Israel. > God chose new leaders, > who then fought at the gates. > And not a shield or spear to be seen > among the forty companies of Israel. > 9 Lift your hearts high, O Israel, > with abandon, volunteering yourselves with the people-bless God! > > 10-11 You who ride on prize donkeys comfortably mounted on blankets > And you who walk down the roads, > ponder, attend! > Gather at the town well > and listen to them sing, > Chanting the tale of God's victories, > his victories accomplished in Israel. > Then the people of God > went down to the city gates. > 12 Wake up, wake up, Deborah! > Wake up, wake up, sing a song! > On your feet, Barak! > Take your prisoners, son of Abinoam! > > 13-18 Then the remnant went down to greet the brave ones. > The people of God joined the mighty ones. > The captains from Ephraim came to the valley, > behind you, Benjamin, with your troops. > Captains marched down from Makir, > from Zebulun high-ranking leaders came down. > Issachar's princes rallied to Deborah, > Issachar stood fast with Barak, > backing him up on the field of battle. > But in Reuben's divisions there was much second-guessing. > Why all those campfire discussions? > Diverted and distracted, > Reuben's divisions couldn't make up their minds. > Gilead played it safe across the Jordan, > and Dan, why did he go off sailing? > Asher kept his distance on the seacoast, > safe and secure in his harbors. > But Zebulun risked life and limb, defied death, > as did Naphtali on the battle heights. > > 19-23 The kings came, they fought, > the kings of Canaan fought. > At Taanach they fought, at Megiddo's brook, > but they took no silver, no plunder. > The stars in the sky joined the fight, > from their courses they fought against Sisera. > The torrent Kishon swept them away, > the torrent attacked them, the torrent Kishon. > Oh, you'll stomp on the necks of the strong! > Then the hoofs of the horses pounded, > charging, stampeding stallions. > "Curse Meroz," says God's angel. > "Curse, double curse, its people, > Because they didn't come when God needed them, > didn't rally to God's side with valiant fighters." > > 24-27 Most blessed of all women is Jael, > wife of Heber the Kenite, > most blessed of homemaking women. > He asked for water, > she brought milk; > In a handsome bowl, > she offered cream. > She grabbed a tent peg in her left hand, > with her right hand she seized a hammer. > She hammered Sisera, she smashed his head, > she drove a hole through his temple. > He slumped at her feet. He fell. He sprawled. > He slumped at her feet. He fell. > Slumped. Fallen. Dead. > > 28-30 Sisera's mother waited at the window, > a weary, anxious watch. > "What's keeping his chariot? > What delays his chariot's rumble?" > The wisest of her ladies-in-waiting answers > with calm, reassuring words, > "Don't you think they're busy at plunder, > dividing up the loot? > A girl, maybe two girls, > for each man, > And for Sisera a bright silk shirt, > a prize, fancy silk shirt! > And a colorful scarf-make it two scarves- > to grace the neck of the plunderer." > > 31 Thus may all God's enemies perish, > while his lovers be like the unclouded sun. > > The land was quiet for forty years. > > Judges 6 > > Gideon > 1-6 Yet again the People of Israel went back to doing evil in God's sight. > God put them under the > domination of Midian for seven years. Midian overpowered > Israel. Because of Midian, the People of Israel made for themselves > hideouts in the mountains-caves > and forts. When Israel planted its crops, Midian and > Amalek, the easterners, would invade them, camp in their fields, and > destroy their crops all the way > down to Gaza. They left nothing for them to live on, > neither sheep nor ox nor donkey. Bringing their cattle and tents, they > came in and took over, like > an invasion of locusts. And their camels-past counting! > They marched in and devastated the country. The People of Israel, reduced > to grinding poverty by > Midian, cried out to God for help. > > 7-10 One time when the People of Israel had cried out to God because of > Midian, God sent them a > prophet with this message: "God, the God of Israel, says, > I delivered you from Egypt, > I freed you from a life of slavery; > I rescued you from Egypt's brutality > and then from every oppressor; > I pushed them out of your way > and gave you their land. > > "And I said to you, 'I am God, your God. Don't for a minute be afraid > of the gods of the > Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you didn't listen > to me." > > 11-12 One day the angel of God came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah > that belonged to Joash the > Abiezrite, whose son Gideon was threshing wheat in > the winepress, out of sight of the Midianites. The angel of God appeared > to him and said, "God is > with you, O mighty warrior!" > > 13 Gideon replied, "With me, my master? If God is with us, why has all > this happened to us? Where > are all the miracle-wonders our parents and grandparents > told us about, telling us, 'Didn't God deliver us from Egypt?' The fact > is, God has nothing to do > with us-he has turned us over to Midian." > > 14 But God faced him directly: "Go in this strength that is yours. Save > Israel from Midian. Haven't > I just sent you?" > > 15 Gideon said to him, "Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save > Israel? Look at me. My > clan's the weakest in Manasseh and I'm the runt of the > litter." > > 16 God said to him, "I'll be with you. Believe me, you'll defeat Midian as > one man." > > 17-18 Gideon said, "If you're serious about this, do me a favor: Give me a > sign to back up what > you're telling me. Don't leave until I come back and bring > you my gift." > > He said, "I'll wait till you get back." > > 19 Gideon went and prepared a young goat and a huge amount of unraised > bread (he used over half a > bushel of flour!). He put the meat in a basket and the > broth in a pot and took them back under the shade of the oak tree for a > sacred meal. > > 20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and unraised bread, place > them on that rock, and > pour the broth on them." Gideon did it. > > 21-22 The angel of God stretched out the tip of the stick he was holding > and touched the meat and > the bread. Fire broke out of the rock and burned up the > meat and bread while the angel of God slipped away out of sight. And > Gideon knew it was the angel of > God! > > Gideon said, "Oh no! Master, God! I have seen the angel of God > face-to-face!" > > 23 But God reassured him, "Easy now. Don't panic. You won't die." > > 24 Then Gideon built an altar there to God and named it "God's Peace." > It's still called that at > Ophrah of Abiezer. > > 25-26 That night this happened. God said to him, "Take your father's best > seven-year-old bull, the > prime one. Tear down your father's Baal altar and chop > down the Asherah fertility pole beside it. Then build an altar to God, > your God, on the top of this > hill. Take the prime bull and present it as a Whole-Burnt-Offering, > using firewood from the Asherah pole that you cut down." > > 27 Gideon selected ten men from his servants and did exactly what God had > told him. But because of > his family and the people in the neighborhood, he was > afraid to do it openly, so he did it that night. > > 28 Early in the morning, the people in town were shocked to find Baal's > altar torn down, the > Asherah pole beside it chopped down, and the prime bull burning > away on the altar that had been built. > > 29 They kept asking, "Who did this?" > > Questions and more questions, and then the answer: "Gideon son of Joash > did it." > > 30 The men of the town demanded of Joash: "Bring out your son! He must > die! Why, he tore down the > Baal altar and chopped down the Asherah tree!" > > 31 But Joash stood up to the crowd pressing in on him, "Are you going to > fight Baal's battles for > him? Are you going to save him? Anyone who takes Baal's > side will be dead by morning. If Baal is a god in fact, let him fight his > own battles and defend his > own altar." > > 32 They nicknamed Gideon that day Jerub-Baal because after he had torn > down the Baal altar, he had > said, "Let Baal fight his own battles." > > 33-35 All the Midianites and Amalekites (the easterners) got together, > crossed the river, and made > camp in the Valley of Jezreel. God's Spirit came over > Gideon. He blew his ram's horn trumpet and the Abiezrites came out, ready > to follow him. He > dispatched messengers all through Manasseh, calling them to > the battle; also to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. They all came. > > 36-37 Gideon said to God, "If this is right, if you are using me to save > Israel as you've said, > then look: I'm placing a fleece of wool on the threshing > floor. If dew is on the fleece only, but the floor is dry, then I know > that you will use me to save > Israel, as you said." > > 38 That's what happened. When he got up early the next morning, he wrung > out the fleece-enough dew > to fill a bowl with water! > > 39 Then Gideon said to God, "Don't be impatient with me, but let me say > one more thing. I want to > try another time with the fleece. But this time let the > fleece stay dry, while the dew drenches the ground." > > 40 God made it happen that very night. Only the fleece was dry while the > ground was wet with dew. > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
