Judges 17 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 17.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/17/1/s_228001

Meditate on verse 6.

In those days there was no king in Israel;

every man did what was right in his own eyes.

Observe every man doing what was right in his own eyes, yet evil in the eyes of God:

·      Micah’s mother asked God to bless her son after he stole from her (v. 2).

·      She dedicated the stolen silver to the LORD then gave it back to Micah to make idols (v. 3).

·      Micah made a shrine for the idols and kept them in his home.  He made one of his sons a priest to serve his idols (v. 5).

·      A Levite, willing to stay anywhere, lived in Micah’s house of idols (vs. 9-11).

·      Micah thought the LORD would bless him because he made the Levite his personal priest (vs. 12-13).

There are staggering parallels from Micah’s story with people today. Parents bless their disobedient, rebellious children with more and more toys and gadgets instead of disciplining them, admonishing them in the fear of God. Money is used to buy things that detract from time and devotion to the LORD. Children are encouraged to serve those idols instead of serving God. The LORD is not consulted about where to go and what to do. In the midst of their idolatry, people call on the name of the LORD to invoke His blessings on them. “LORD, convict us!”

Pray the opposite of Judges 17:6 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, be King in my family! 

Let us stop doing what is right in our own eyes

and do what is right in Your eyes.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 16 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 16.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/16/1/s_227001

Meditate on verse 21.

Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes,

and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains,

and he was a grinder in the prison.

Samson had a problem with women, often succumbing to ones he saw and doing with them what was right in his own eyes. By the end of his life, his enticement by the visual became his undoing. His last woman, Delilah, betrayed him to the Philistines. These enemies seized him and gouged out his eyes (v. 21). He no longer sinned with that part of his body.

Jesus preached a lot about eyes. He said, “The eye is the lamp of the body; if your eye is bad, your whole body is full of darkness. Is your eye envious? Take the log out of your eye, and tear out your eye if it makes you stumble” (Matthew 5:29; 6:22-23; 7:5; 20:15). Jesus wanted his followers to understand that doing what was right in their own eyes was sinning.

God wants you to understand these truths. Seek to do what is right in His eyes rather than what is right in the eyes of the world.

Use the words from Judges 16:28 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“O LORD God, please remember _________ and me,

 and please strengthen us again this time.

O God, may our eyes not be the cause for vengeance.

Let us see with Your eyes, LORD Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

 

Judges 15 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 15.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/15/1/s_226001

Meditate on verse 19a.

But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi so that water came out of it. 

When he drank, his strength returned and he revived. 

Recall God’s purpose for Samson was to “begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (Judges 13:5). In the stories you have read so far, he has killed at least 1,030 of them (Judges 14:19; 15:15). After killing 1,000 Philistines he was very thirsty, so he called on the LORD for help (vs. 15-18). Samson was dependent on the Spirit of God for his extraordinary strength, and he needed the LORD for a drink of water (vs. 14, 19).

Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37b-38). Jesus was talking about His Spirit (John 7:39).

If you are a Christian, the same Spirit of the LORD that gave Samson the power to tear a lion apart with his bare hands lives inside of you (Judges 14:6)! The same Spirit of the LORD that let Samson kill 30 Philistines lives inside of you (Judges 14:19)! The same Spirit of the LORD that removed the bonds from Samson and enabled him to kill 1,000 Philistines with a donkey’s jawbone, lives inside of you (vs. 14-15)!

Drink deeply of His Spirit and use the words from Judges 15:18-19 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, You have given great deliverance to ________ and me.

Let us drink You, our Living Water.  Let our strength return.  Revive us!

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 14 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 14.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/14/1/s_225001

Meditate on verses 3b and 7.

But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.”

So he went down and talked to the woman; and she looked good to Samson.

These meditation verses introduce the theme of Judges: “Every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6). Contrary to God’s law (Deuteronomy 7:3-4), Samson chose to marry an idol-worshipping Philistine simply because she looked good to him. In his eyes, it was the right thing to do.

King David lived with the consequences of seeing a woman who looked good to him, then doing to her “what was right in his own eyes” (2 Samuel 11). He wrote: “Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes, for it flatters him in his own eyes” (Psalm 36:1-2a).

Ask the LORD to put “fear of God” glasses over your eyes; let them filter everything you see. Make decisions based on what is right in God’s eyes, not what is right in your own eyes.

Use the words from Judges 14:3, 6, and 19 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Spirit of the LORD, come upon ________ and me mightily

 to do what looks good to You. 

Let us not get something (or someone) because it looks good to us.

Keep our eyes on You, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 13 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/13/1/s_224001

Meditate on verse 5.

For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son,

and no razor shall come upon his head,

for the boy shall be a Nazirite¹ to God from the womb,

and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

What an incredible encounter with God! Manoah and his wife were childless when God appeared to them and told them they would have a son (vs. 2-5, 22). Their boy, Samson, was set apart for God’s purposes before he was even conceived (v. 7). Before his birth, the LORD taught Samson’s father and mother how to parent him because Manoah asked God to teach them (vs. 8-14).

If you are a parent, have you given your children to the LORD to be used for His purposes? Have you asked the LORD to teach you how to parent your child? Have you given yourself to God to be used as He desires? Share these incredible insights from God’s Word with other parents.

Pray Judges 13:7-8 and 24-25 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, make _______ and me like a Nazirite, devoted to You,

 from the womb to the day of our death. 

God, come and teach us what to do for the children in our lives.

Let us and our children grow up and be blessed by You.

 Spirit of the LORD, begin to stir in us.

For Your purposes, Jesus~”

1. Nazarite means “consecrated or devoted one.” Retrieved from www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/ lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H5139&t=NASB

Judges 12 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 12.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/12/1/s_223001

Meditate on verses 2-3a.

Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.

 When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands

 and crossed over against the sons of Ammon, and the LORD gave them into my hand.”

Judges is about people who need deliverance from sin and its consequences.  They looked to other people for deliverance, and they even tried to deliver themselves.  Every effort proved futile.  They needed a Savior; they needed the LORD. 

The Hebrew word that is translated as deliver in Judges is also used in Isaiah 49:26 where it is translated as Savior1.

And all flesh will know that I, the LORD,

 am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

—Isaiah 49:26b

Our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,

who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed…

Titus 2:13b-14a

Jesus is the Deliverer, the Savior!  Let Him deliver you from recycled sins, so you can live for Him.

Use the words from Judges 12:3 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, I see that _______ will not deliver ________ and me.

Let us stop taking our lives into our own hands.

We give our lives to You.

In Your name, Jesus, our Deliverer and Savior ~”

1. Retrieved from: www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H3467&t=NASB

Judges 11 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 11.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/11/1/s_222001

Meditate on verse 29a.

Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah…

Jephthah’s is a story of a valiant warrior with the Spirit of the LORD who made serious mistakes.  What is the LORD teaching you from Jephthah’s life?

·      Jephthah was a valiant warrior (v. 1).  Let God make you a valiant warrior in His Kingdom.

·      Jephthah was the son of a harlot and rejected by his half-brothers (vs. 1-2).  Let God use you regardless of your family history.

·      Jephthah was surrounded by worthless fellows (v. 3).  Surround yourself with people who love the LORD and obey His Word.

·      Jephthah had the Spirit of the LORD so that he covered a lot of ground (v. 29).  Let God’s Spirit lead you wherever He wants you to go.

·      Jephthah made a foolish request of the LORD (v. 30).  Do not let God’s work in your life go to your head, so that you ask Him to put things into your hand instead of putting everything into His hand.

·      Jephthah made a foolish vow to the LORD (v. 31).  Jesus said, “Make no oath at all” (Matthew 5:34).

Use the words from Judges 11:1, 3, and 29-30 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, make ________ and me Your valiant warriors.

Do not let worthless fellows gather around us and go out with us.

Spirit of the LORD, be upon us to lead us wherever You will.

Let us make no foolish requests and vows.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 10 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 10.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/10/1/s_221001

Meditate on verses 13-14.

Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods;

therefore I will no longer deliver you. 

Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen;

 let them deliver you in the time of your distress.

God’s conversation with the children of Israel in this chapter is unlike any other recorded in Judges. Listen to it carefully and apply it to your life.

When the oppressed Israelites again cried to God, He reminded them of all the times He delivered them in the past, yet every time, they cycled back into forsaking Him and serving other gods (vs. 10-13). Enough was enough! This time, the LORD told them to cry out to those gods for help (v 14).

Are you caught in the sin cycle? Is the LORD saying, “Enough is enough! Let the gods you have forsaken Me for, take care of you”? Of course, the LORD knows those gods will never take care of you but will destroy you. He is waiting for you to come to your senses, confess your sins, and commit yourself wholeheartedly to Him. He is heartbroken over your misery and mercifully wants you to return to Him.

Pray Judges 10:15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, _______ and I have sinned. 

Do to us whatever seems good to You;

only please deliver us this day.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 9 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 9.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/9/1/s_220001

Meditate on verses 8-9.

Once the trees went forth to anoint a king over them,

 and they said to the olive tree, “Reign over us!” 

But the olive tree said to them, “Shall I leave my fatness with which God

and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?”

The LORD likes to teach with parables. Jotham told one of the first ones in this chapter (vs. 8-15).

After the massacre of Gideon’s 70 sons, Jotham, a survivor, told this parable to the men of Shechem when they made Abimelech, the assassin, their king. In the story, the trees asked an olive tree, a fig tree, and a vine to rule over them. The olive, fig, and vine declined because they were fulfilling their purpose and had no desire to wave (rule) over the other trees. The trees resorted to asking the worthless bramble to be their ruler. He gladly accepted and invited the trees to sit in his shade. Of course brambles do not produce shade, only piercing, painful thorns.

God was to be Israel’s only king, but in their sinful delusion, the people wanted a human king, even a worthless one like thorny, evil Abimelech.

As a Christian, Jesus is to be your King. Are there areas of your life being ruled by worthless brambles? Remove the brambles, like the woman removed Abimelech (v. 53), then stay focused on God’s purpose for you.

Use the words from Judges 9:9, 11, and 13 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, make _______ and me like an olive tree which brings honor to You and men.

Make us like a fig tree producing sweet and good fruit.

Make us like a vine which cheers You and men.

For Your glory, King Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 8 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 8.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/8/1/s_219001

Meditate on verses 23-24a

But Gideon said to them,

“I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you;

 the LORD shall rule over you.”

 Yet Gideon said…

Gideon went from a trembling man to become the valiant warrior the LORD said he would be (Judges 6:11-16). God raised him out of a wine press and used him to subdue the mighty Midianite and Amalekite armies (Judges 6:11; 7:12). He was courageous before his enemies and his bullying kinsmen, and he declared that God would rule over the people (vs. 8-23). His story should have stopped there, but instead it continued with “yet Gideon said ...” (v. 24). When Gideon opened his mouth and asked for spoils for himself, the cycle of sin began again.

Can you relate to Gideon? You serve the LORD, fearfully believing God will do what He said He would do through you. The LORD gets the victory, and you get some courage, fighting spiritual battles. At some point in the victories, your Christ-confidence changes to self-confidence, and you get carried away with yourself, saying prideful, sinful things.

Learn from Gideon. Stop, if you are about to say or do something regrettable. Ask the LORD to keep you from sinning, then walk the rest of the day pleasing Him.

Pray Judges 8:23 and 27 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, rule over ______ and me.

Help us not say or do anything that

 would become a snare to our household.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 7 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 7.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/7/1/s_218001

Meditate on verses 20b-21a.

A sword for the LORD and for Gideon! 

Each stood in his place around the camp.

What a great story of victory with the LORD! After reducing Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300 men, God miraculously used them to conquer the Midianite and Amalekite armies, whose men and camels were too numerous to count.

This story is so typical of God. He puts you in an impossible situation (v. 12). He gives you signs of His presence (vs. 13-15), then He ensures that He will get the glory for the victory by removing what makes you prideful (vs. 2-8). He overcomes your fears (vs. 9-11). He sets the sword of the enemy against itself (v. 22), and He removes the enemies’ heads (v.25).

Is this a typical story in your life? Obey God’s Word, which is the sword of the LORD (Ephesians 6:17), and take a stand in the place He puts you. You will see His victory!

Pray Judges 7:7, 15, and 20-21 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, deliver ______ and me! 

We bow in worship of You; give _______ into our hands.

With Your sword, LORD, we stand in the place You put us.

For the glory of Your victory, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 6 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 6.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/6/1/s_217001

Meditate on verse 12b.

The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior.

God used Midian to punish Israel for doing evil (v. 1). The Midianites ravaged the Israelites, and they cried to God for help. God reminded them He rescued them from slavery to the Egyptians, brought them to the land of promise, and taught them how to live with Him. Yet they disobeyed, resulting in extreme oppression by their enemies. God sent them a deliverer named Gideon. Though he was a fearful man, God saw his destiny and called him “valiant warrior” (v. 12).

This story has many practical applications for you. The LORD delivered you from slavery to sin, brought you to the land of promises in Christ, and teaches you with His Word and His Spirit. When you obey Him, sin does not ravage your life. Listen for the name God has given you. It will describe how God sees you and who He is shaping you to be. Have the courage to cut down the idols in your home, church, city, etc. Experience the LORD’s peace as you obey Him.

Pray Judges 6:12, 14, and 23-25 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, be with _______ and me and make us valiant warriors.

As You look at us, we go in Your strength

to deliver our people from the hand of the enemy.

Give us Your peace.  Do not let us fear.  Do not let us die.

Let us pull down and cut down all the idols.

By Your name, The LORD is Peace, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 5 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 5.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/5/1/s_216001

Meditate on verse 13b.

The people of the LORD came down to me as warriors.

Judges 5 gives you more information about this time in Israel’s history. The roads were not safe (v. 6). The battles against the Canaanites were at the city gates, but the Israelite armies had no weapons to fight them (v. 8). Many of the men who should have been fighting were away, daydreaming in the fields, sitting on the seashore, and out at sea (vs. 16-17). They were so self-absorbed that some wanted to die (v. 18). Rather than focusing on God’s purposes, they focused on themselves; the result was rampant sin, being overcome by the enemy, and the anger of God burning against them.

Thankfully, the LORD did not turn His back on His rebellious people; instead He raised up two women who led Israel and destroyed formidable opponents.

Take courage from the story of Deborah and Jael and aspire to be like them. The LORD will strengthen you for the battle; He needs you to be willing to fight.

Pray Judges 5:13, 21, and 31 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let _______ and me come to You as warriors.

Let our souls march on with strength.

We love You; let us be like the rising of the sun in its might.

For the sake of Your Kingdom, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 4 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 4.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/4/1/s_215001

Meditate on verse 9.

She (Deborah) said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the honor shall not be yours on the journey that you are about to take, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hands of a woman.”  Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

The Israelites continued in their sin cycle, and the LORD continued to give them over to their enemies. When they cried out in their oppression, the LORD sent two women to bring deliverance, Deborah, a prophetess and a judge, and Jael, a cunning, brave, and strong wife (vs. 4, 17-21).

The LORD uses those who willingly follow and serve Him to be His leaders. Do not let your gender, age, occupation, nationality, etc. be an excuse not to lead. Deborah and Jael both accomplished tasks that would have typically been done by men, but the LORD chose them to lead an army and a nation and to kill a commander of 900 iron chariots who had terrorized Israel for 20 years (v. 3).

Are you willing to do whatever God asks you to do?

Pray Judges 4:14-15 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let this be the day that You give ________ into our hands.

LORD, go before us.  Rout the enemy!

For Your sake, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Judges 3 - Praying God's Word

Please read Judges 3.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/jdg/3/1/s_214001

Meditate on verse 7.

The sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD

 and forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and Asheroth.

Israel was drowning in sin and experiencing the anger of God.  In the midst of their distress, they cried to the LORD, who faithfully answered their cries with deliverers or judges to lead them back to Him.  Three of Israel’s judges are mentioned in this chapter.  Learn from these men, making appropriate applications to your life.

·      The Spirit of the LORD came upon Othniel, and he went out to war (v. 10).     —Fight the spiritual battles by the power of God’s Spirit.

·      Ehud turned from the idols and delivered God’s message to the king (v. 19).                —Pass by the temptation to sin and be used as God’s messenger.

·      Ehud had the sword he needed to kill the king (v. 21).                                               —God will give you the weapons you need to fight His battles.

·      Moab was subdued and Israel was undisturbed under Ehud’s leadership (vs. 26-30).

—Your faithfulness can bring rest to those around you.

·      Shamgar killed 600 Philistines and saved Israel (v. 31).

—God will make you victorious.

Pray Judges 3:10, 26, and 28 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Spirit of the LORD, come upon ______ and me.

Let us prevail over the enemy. 

Let us pass by the idols and escape from evil.

LORD, give the enemy into our hands.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell