Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What Does It Take To Set You Off? | Judges | Judges 12:1-7

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life in the time it takes to get to work. I'm Keith Simon. I'm Tanya Wilmuth. And I'm Patrick Miller. Right now, we're going through the Book of Judges. If you haven't subscribed to our new podcast, Truth Over Tribe, I'd encourage you to take some time and go do that right now. We've got interviews about culture, politics, and the things you really care about with people like John Mark Comer, John Tyson, Oz Guinness, and many, many others. It's going to be a great podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:33 I've been excited about the interviews and the topics that we've taken on. So stop right now. Go subscribe to Truth Over Tribe on your podcast player. On the 4th of July, we are setting off fireworks at our house. We live in the country, so that's kind of where we all landed because there are fewer rules out here. We have a friend that goes all out. He has a yearly ritual of buying the big fireworks like you see at the commercial

Starting point is 00:00:57 fireworks display. And now that we have plenty of help, lots of teenagers, he can simultaneously set off several at once for our grand finale. Our oldest, Braden, had lit one of them, and he started to head over to the save zone when he realized that the whole thing had turned sideways and was launching missiles that were intended to go several hundred feet into the sky toward him, the other boys, and the whole arsenal of fireworks. From those of us who were watching, all we could see was fireheaded toward the boys,

Starting point is 00:01:28 toward the jeep, toward the trees, and then smoke and a slew of boys running for cover. It was all starting to clear, and we were all running down the long driveway to see who was hurt and what they needed when we heard somebody say, we're okay. Apparently, our friend had pulled the boys into the Jeep where they ducked and covered until everything stopped lighting and booming. Braden had a burn on his ankle, and some of the boys had scratches from running for cover, but thankfully, the stack of fireworks hadn't been lit and no one got hit directly. I think this kind of describes the way we felt over the last few months, as we've all tried to navigate. all the things that happened, all of the personal and real things that came with them. Sometimes we're the ones lighting the fire that goes off sideways, spewing rockets that we didn't really intend, but spearing them anyway. And sometimes we're the ones running from someone else's

Starting point is 00:02:18 missiles coming toward us. But collectively, we've all been watching as the smoke clears, assessing the damage, looking for those who've been hurt or those we've hurt, and hoping we can hear the words, I'm okay. But are we really okay? Or are we like the stack of unlit fireworks, just sitting targets for the next thing that comes at us and sets us off? Does it take much to fuel the flame that's already kindled in our hearts? Jephthah, from Judges 12, was a judge and a leader for the Israelites that had a deep fire kindling away in his thoughts and in his heart. He was an effective leader and negotiator, but he was also deeply wounded by his own assumptions, words, and mistakes. And by the time we

Starting point is 00:03:01 reached judges chapter 12, it doesn't take much fuel to fan his flames. He's not the only one, though. A large and influential group called the Ephraimites are also troubled. They've been left out of an important battle and didn't get a slice of the victory like they wanted. And they're so angry about what they see as injustice that they come after Jeptha with their anger, and they threaten the judge's life. In Chapter 12, they say, we're going to burn down your house over your head. Jephthah hold his position and explains his reasoning like he's done before with other accusations, but this time he doesn't wait for them to respond. After they said that, he called together the men of Gilead and fought against them. So the people of Ephraim threatened to burn down Jephth's house,

Starting point is 00:03:48 and then Jephtha goes above and beyond that threat to destroy any person that wasn't part of his tribe. In short, one tribe of the people of God destroyed 42,000 people of God from a another tribe. And all it took was a tiny little match to set the whole thing on fire. Hundreds of years later, in his letter addressing the 12 tribes, James wrote about the potential fire hazards lurking within. In James 3.5, he says, Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one's life on fire, and itself is set on fire by hell.

Starting point is 00:04:34 The tongue itself is just a thing, but James believes it reveals what's smoldering beneath and also adds fuel to the flames already smoldering. When you throw someone under the bus and catch yourself and feel badly, do you also recognize that there's something inside you that wanted to throw them under the bus from the beginning? And on the other hand, when you throw someone under the bus and don't catch yourself, do we realize that it just adds fuel to something we're already? thinking. Our tongues both reveal what's burning beneath, and they make the fire burn harder. For Jephthah, the flame was already there. When Ephraim questioned him, he acted defensively

Starting point is 00:05:11 instead of pausing and seeking the Lord as he'd done before. And he missed the opportunity to throw water on the flame, so his hurt and his distorted feelings were justified instead of corrected. Then he spewed a threat that made his flame burn hotter. He moved quickly, taking advantage of the courage his anger gave him to destroy everyone who didn't agree and identify with him. The people of God have turned on one another and we can only imagine the destruction left in their midst. We can imagine the collateral damage to the rest of the people and land around them in Judges 12. This isn't a new concept or even an ancient one to us either. As people of God, we can't help but be aware of the ways we've turned on each other and the damage we've left

Starting point is 00:05:55 behind. The damage we're leaving behind if we don't take care of the source of. of the flames. As Israel's leader, Jephthah allowed his earthly wisdom to take over his heart. Rather than measuring what he felt against God's word and God's truth, he assumed that if other people were causing his problems, they were the problem. James in the New Testament calls us to examine the fire differently. To look at what lies within instead of around us. He asks, what causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? When our so-called wisdom creates division and disorder, it isn't the wisdom of heaven, but earthly wisdom built on envy and selfish ambition.

Starting point is 00:06:40 Godly wisdom doesn't create fires, it puts them out. If we're stuck in the cycle of frustration and judgment and name-calling, we have another option. The gospel has set us free from the cycle, and Jesus lights the way. In John 1010, Jesus says, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. As our good shepherd, Jesus has given his life for us so that we can hear his voice and be one flock with one shepherd.

Starting point is 00:07:14 Jesus' way is different and it's better. What Jesus shows us how to do and empowers us to do is very different and very much better than the things that set our world on fire. We know what fire looks like. We know how to start a fire. But what is the wisdom God offers? What does that look like? What is God offered to all who believe?

Starting point is 00:07:37 James 317 describes, But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. Let's take a closer look at what that verse says about heavenly wisdom. First, the wisdom from heaven is pure. Our thoughts and words are rooted in the love and mercy of Christ.

Starting point is 00:08:10 We come to him with our sin and receive his mercy. We come to him with our thoughts and allow his word to correct them. The wisdom of heaven is peace-loving. We have one shepherd who cares for us and loves us all deeply. His love and grace poured out on us unifies us with him and with one another. So we don't seem to create division and disorder, but to find common ground and ways to love our neighbor as ourselves. The wisdom of heaven is considerate.

Starting point is 00:08:40 It does not interrupt or exploit. It does not use social media to slander or to cancel. The wisdom of heaven is submissive. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. We follow and reflect. his truth when we follow his example. The wisdom of heaven is full of mercy and good fruit. When our hearts and wills are in line with Jesus, our lives are marked with generosity,

Starting point is 00:09:05 and our thoughts are generous instead of condemning. Needs are met with real action, not just brushed over or explained away. And the wisdom of heaven is impartial and sincere. Love isn't extended only to those who make the same choices, and acts of mercy aren't reserved for moments in the spotlight or when they'll be noticed. Hands and feet devoted to Jesus, reach out to all beliefs, all regions, all people. I just want to pause for a minute and let you know that I have no ground to stand really on any of that.

Starting point is 00:09:38 If these truths need to sink deep, it's my heart where the deepest waters lie. And seriously, even as I'm writing this, I'm thinking about how hard it is, but we have hope, I have hope. Our hope doesn't lie in what happens outside of us, but what God will do within. The wisdom of heaven does not promise to take us out of the fires that burn around us, but Jesus does give us the tools to navigate the fire, starting first with our own flames. Jesus gives His spirit to change who we are from within,

Starting point is 00:10:12 so we might deal with the world in a way that reflects the one who is the true hope for all. Are you giving Jesus the space and the time? to deal with your heart today? Are you giving him the true thoughts of your heart in repentance and confession so that he can shape you and mold you to make your thoughts more like his? Thanks be to Jesus for what he can and will do in us. Amen. Thanks for listening.

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Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What Does It Take To Set You Off? | Judges | Judges 12:1-7

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