Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 18.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+18&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“18 When these went into Micah’s house and took the graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?”  19 They said to him, “Be silent, put your hand over your mouth and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest.  Is it better for you to be a priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?”  20 The priest’s heart was glad, and he took the ephod and household idols and the graven image and went among the people.

21 Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the livestock and the valuables in front of them.  22 When they had gone some distance from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house assembled and overtook the sons of Dan. 23 They cried to the sons of Dan, who turned around and said to Micah, “What is the matter with you, that you have assembled together?” 24 He said, “You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and have gone away, and what do I have besides?  So how can you say to me, ‘What is the matter with you?’”  25 The sons of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, or else fierce men will fall upon you and you will lose your life, with the lives of your household.”  26 So the sons of Dan went on their way; and when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.

27 Then they took what Micah had made and the priest who had belonged to him, and came to Laish, to a people quiet and secure, and struck them with the edge of the sword;  and they burned the city with fire.  28 And there was no one to deliver them, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with anyone, and it was in the valley which is near Beth-rehob.  And they rebuilt the city and lived in it.”  Judges 18:18-28.

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The priest counted the cost, and he concluded that it was best for him to leave the house of Micah and be a priest to the tribe of Dan.

Micah and his neighbors counted the cost, and they concluded that it was best for them to back down and not fight against the sons of Dan who took Micah’s graven image, the ephod and household idols and the molten image.

The sons of Dan counted the cost, and they concluded that they could wage war and be victorious over the people of Laish.

All of this counting the cost in today’s Scripture points us to what Jesus said in Luke 14:28-33.

“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’  Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?  Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.  So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.”  Luke 14:28-33.

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”  Philippians 3:7-9.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;  and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”  Matthew 13:44.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”  Matthew 13:45-46.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 17.

“1 Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah.  2 He said to his mother, “The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me;  I took it.”  And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the Lord.”  3 He then returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son to make a graven image and a molten image;  now therefore, I will return them to you.”  4 So when he returned the silver to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith who made them into a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah.  5 And the man Micah had a shrine and he made an ephod and household idols and consecrated one of his sons, that he might become his priest.  6 In those days there was no king in Israel;  every man did what was right in his own eyes. 

7 Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite;  and he was staying there.  8 Then the man departed from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to stay wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah.  9 Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?”  And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to stay wherever I may find a place.”  10 Micah then said to him, “Dwell with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your maintenance.”  So the Levite went in.  11 The Levite agreed to live with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons.  12 So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in the house of Micah.  13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as priest.”  Judges Chapter 17.

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Micah wrongly thought the LORD would prosper him just because he did one thing right, namely, that the priest should be a Levite.  But, Micah should never have had a priest in the first place nor a shrine, an ephod, nor household idols.  And, he should not have consecrated one of his sons to become his priest.

Micah also thought that everything was OK just because he returned eleven hundred pieces of silver that he took from his mother.  But, Micah should have never taken the silver from her in the first place.  Just because his mother blessed him does not mean that Micah would be blessed by the LORD.

In summary, “In those days there was no king in Israel;  every man did what was right in his own eyes.”  Verse 6.

Today, we too can pull out one portion from Scripture and do one thing right and think we are righteous and that the LORD will prosper us.  We too can do what is right in our own eyes and think we are righteous and that the LORD will prosper us.  But, we would be wrong like Micah in thinking that way.

But, the blessed man is the one who delights in God’s Word and meditates on it day and night to fully live by it by God’s grace.

“2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.”  Psalm 1:2-3.

“So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.”  Deuteronomy 29:9.

Who can do all things right?  Who can obey all of God’s commandments?

But, there is hope!

“Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”  Deuteronomy 30:6.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 16.  Here is a I link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges%2016&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me?  You have deceived me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.”  16 It came about when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death.  17 So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb.  If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all that was in his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all that is in his heart.”  Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair.  Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him.  20 She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!”  And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.”  But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.  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. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it was shaved off.

23 Now the lords of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god, and to rejoice, for they said,

“Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hands.”

24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, for they said,

“Our god has given our enemy into our hands,
Even the destroyer of our country,
Who has slain many of us.”

25 It so happened when they were in high spirits, that they said, “Call for Samson, that he may amuse us.”  So they called for Samson from the prison, and he entertained them.  And they made him stand between the pillars.  26 Then Samson said to the boy who was holding his hand, “Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them.”  27 Now the house was full of men and women, and all the lords of the Philistines were there.  And about 3,000 men and women were on the roof looking on while Samson was amusing them.

28 Then Samson called to the Lord and said, “O Lord God, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.”  29 Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left.  30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it.  So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life.  31 Then his brothers and all his father’s household came down, took him, brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father.  Thus he had judged Israel twenty years.”  Judges 16:15-31.

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Despite his great strength, Samson had weaknesses.

Samson was sinful.  He visited a harlot.  Verse 1.

Samson was foolish.  Even though Samson clearly knew that Delilah deceived and betrayed him three times (verses 6-14), he revealed the source of his strength to her (verse 17) which resulted in the affliction of his eyes being gouged out and being chained by his enemy, the Philistines.

And yet, in all the weaknesses of Samson with chains binding him and with eyes gouged out and in his sin and foolishness, Samson prayed to the LORD (verse 28), and the LORD granted his prayer request (verses 28-30). 

We too have weaknesses.

But, there is hope for us too!

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!  Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.  And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”  Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;  for when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;  and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:25-28.

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:1-5.

“For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God.  For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.”  2 Corinthians 13:4.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:15-16.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 15.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+15&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails.  5 When he had set fire to the torches, he released the foxes into the standing grain of the Philistines, thus burning up both the shocks and the standing grain, along with the vineyards and groves.  6 Then the Philistines said, “Who did this?”  And they said, “Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he took his wife and gave her to his companion.”  So the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire.  7 Samson said to them, “Since you act like this, I will surely take revenge on you, but after that I will quit.”  8 He struck them ruthlessly with a great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

9 Then the Philistines went up and camped in Judah, and spread out in Lehi.  10 The men of Judah said, “Why have you come up against us?”  And they said, “We have come up to bind Samson in order to do to him as he did to us.”  11 Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us?  What then is this that you have done to us?”  And he said to them, “As they did to me, so I have done to them.”  12 They said to him, “We have come down to bind you so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.”  And Samson said to them, “Swear to me that you will not kill me.”  13 So they said to him, “No, but we will bind you fast and give you into their hands;  yet surely we will not kill you.”  Then they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.

14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him.  And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands.  15 He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, so he reached out and took it and killed a thousand men with it.  16 Then Samson said,

“With the jawbone of a donkey,
Heaps upon heaps,
With the jawbone of a donkey
I have killed a thousand men.”

17 When he had finished speaking, he threw the jawbone from his hand;  and he named that place Ramath-lehi.  18 Then he became very thirsty, and he called to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of Your servant, and now shall I die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?”  19 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.  Therefore he named it En-hakkore, which is in Lehi to this day.  20 So he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.”  Judges 15:4-20.

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Here in today’s Scripture, Samson experienced a physical affliction (thirst) for which he needed to be revived.  And, God indeed did revive him.

We all experience physical, mental, and spiritual afflictions for which we need to be revived.

But, there is hope!  

“For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.”  Isaiah 57:15.

“1 Come, let us return to the Lord.
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
2 “He will revive us after two days;
He will raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
3 “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”  Hosea 6:1-3.

“Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear.
O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years,
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.”  Habakkuk 3:2.

“… Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
O Lord God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.”  Psalm 80:18-19.

“Revive me according to Your lovingkindness,
So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.”  Psalm 119:88.

“I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me.”  Psalm 119:93.

“I am exceedingly afflicted;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word.”  Psalm 119:107.

“Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
Revive me, O Lord, according to Your ordinances.”  Psalm 119:149.

“154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
Revive me according to Your word.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
For they do not seek Your statutes.
156 Great are Your mercies, O Lord;
Revive me according to Your ordinances.”  Psalm 119:154-156.

“7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 138:7-8.

“17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,
You who have done great things;
O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses
Will revive me again,
And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness
And turn to comfort me.”  Psalm 71:17-21.

“4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
5 Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord,
And grant us Your salvation.”  Psalm 85:4-7.

“37 Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,
And revive me in Your ways.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
As that which produces reverence for You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness.”  Psalm 119:37-40.

“49 Remember the word to Your servant,
In which You have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your word has revived me.”  Psalm 119:49-50.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 14.

“1 Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines.  2 So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines;  now therefore, get her for me as a wife.”  3 Then his father and his mother said to him, “Is there no woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”  But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.”  4 However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

5 Then Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother, and came as far as the vineyards of Timnah;  and behold, a young lion came roaring toward him.  6 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand;  but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.  7 So he went down and talked to the woman;  and she looked good to Samson.  8 When he returned later to take her, he turned aside to look at the carcass of the lion;  and behold, a swarm of bees and honey were in the body of the lion.  9 So he scraped the honey into his hands and went on, eating as he went.  When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them and they ate it;  but he did not tell them that he had scraped the honey out of the body of the lion.

10 Then his father went down to the woman;  and Samson made a feast there, for the young men customarily did this. 11 When they saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

12 Then Samson said to them, “Let me now propound a riddle to you;  if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.  13 But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes.”  And they said to him, “Propound your riddle, that we may hear it.”  14 So he said to them,

“Out of the eater came something to eat,
And out of the strong came something sweet.”

But they could not tell the riddle in three days.

15 Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire.  Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?”  16 Samson’s wife wept before him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me;  you have propounded a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?”  17 However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted.  And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard.  She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.  18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

“What is sweeter than honey?
And what is stronger than a lion?”

And he said to them,

“If you had not plowed with my heifer,
You would not have found out my riddle.”

19 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle.  And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house.  20 But Samson’s wife was given to his companion who had been his friend.”  Judges Chapter 14.

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We see that the Spirit of the LORD is stronger than a lion in verses 5, 6, and 19 of today’s Scripture and other Scripture such as the following Romans 15:18-19.

“For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit;  so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”   Romans 15:18-19.

But, we also see that the Spirit of the LORD is sweeter than honey in the following Psalm 19:7-10 and other Scripture.

“7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true;  they are righteous altogether.
10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”  Psalm 19:7-10.

Although Psalm 19:7-10 only mentions the law of the LORD, the Spirit of the LORD transforms us, His chosen ones, so that the words of the LORD taste sweet to us.

The Canons of Dordt state in part that the “… grace of regeneration … spiritually quickens, heals, corrects, and at the same time sweetly and powerfully bends it (our will) …”  See Article 16 of THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE  Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.  For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?”  2 Corinthians 2:14-16.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 13.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+13&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, so that the Lord gave them into the hands of the Philistines forty years.

2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah;  and his wife was barren and had borne no children.  3 Then the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and give birth to a son.  4 Now therefore, be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. 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 Nazirite to God from the womb;  and he shall begin to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.  6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A man of God came to me and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome. And I did not ask him where he came from, nor did he tell me his name. ”

…

15 Then Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “Please let us detain you so that we may prepare a young goat for you.”  16 The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Though you detain me, I will not eat your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, then offer it to the Lord.” For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the Lord. 17 Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that when your words come to pass, we may honor you?”  18 But the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”  19 So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering and offered it on the rock to the Lord, and He performed wonders while Manoah and his wife looked on.  20 For it came about when the flame went up from the altar toward heaven, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar.  When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground.

21 Now the angel of the Lord did not appear to Manoah or his wife again.  Then Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.  22 So Manoah said to his wife, “We will surely die, for we have seen God.”  23 But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had desired to kill us, He would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering from our hands, nor would He have shown us all these things, nor would He have let us hear things like this at this time.”

24 Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the Lord blessed him.  25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”  Judges Chapter 13:  Verses 1-6 and 15-25.

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We see too that the LORD is “wonderful”!  Verse 18.  The LORD indeed is “very awesome”!  Verse 6.

Other doctrine focuses on man, trying to “puff” man up.

But, our Reformed Doctrine focuses on our Wonderful God and His wonderful deeds.

“On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.”  Psalm 145:5.

“24 Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and joy are in His place.
28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
Worship the Lord in holy array.
30 Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”  1 Chronicles 16:24-31.  Psalm Chapter 96 is very similar Scripture.

“1 O sing to the Lord a new song,
For He has done wonderful things,
His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.
2 The Lord has made known His salvation;
He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”  Psalm 98:1-3.

“6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.  Isaiah 9:6-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges Chapter 12.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+12&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then the men of Ephraim were summoned, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you?  We will burn your house down on you.”  2 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.  3 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.  Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”  Judges 12:1-3.

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Compare trusting in man with trusting in God.  In verse 2, we see the result of trusting in man:  “you did not deliver me from their hand.”  In verse 3, we see the result of trusting in God:  “the Lord gave them into my hand.”

We also see this simple and sharp contrast of trusting in man versus trusting in God in the following Scripture.

“5 Thus says the Lord,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8.

And yet, we see something more in today’s Scripture and in Jeremiah 17:5-8.

Jephthah (and we too) could be boastful and think:  “I was wise enough to trust in God.  I exercised my free will to choose to believe in God and trust him.”   But, it would be wrong to be boastful and to think that way.

In today’s Scripture, we notice that Jephthah admitted that he called them (men of Ephraim) to help him, and that when he saw that they would not help him, he took his life in his hands.  Verses 2-3.  By doing these things, he first trusted in man (in men of Ephraim and later in himself).  Only at the end did he recognize that the LORD gave them into his hands.

In Jeremiah 17:5-8, we notice that there is more than just “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind”, we read that this man “makes flesh his strength”.  In other words, it is not just that he trusts in mankind, he actively builds up (“makes’) his faith in man.

In Jeremiah 17:5-8, we also notice that there is more than just “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord”, we read that this trust “is the LORD”.  In other words, this trust comes from the LORD.  The LORD gives and infuses this trust in the LORD in this man.

Here is what the Canons of Dordt state in part about this gift of faith.

“Article 14.  Faith is therefore to be considered as the gift of God, not on account of its being offered by God to man, to be accepted or rejected at his pleasure;  but because it is in reality conferred, breathed, and infused into him; or even because God bestows the power or ability to believe, and then expects that man should by the exercise of his own free will, consent to the terms of that salvation, and actually believe in Christ;  but because he who works in man both to will and to do, and indeed all things in all, produces both the will to believe, and the act of believing also.  THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE  Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.”

“Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”  2 Peter 1:1-3.

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 11:29-40.

“29 Now the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon.  30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord and said, “If You will indeed give the sons of Ammon into my hand, 31 then it shall be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, it shall be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”  32 So Jephthah crossed over to the sons of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord gave them into his hand.  33 He struck them with a very great slaughter from Aroer to the entrance of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim.  So the sons of Ammon were subdued before the sons of Israel.

34 When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter.  35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “Alas, my daughter!  You have brought me very low, and you are among those who trouble me;  for I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot take it back.”  36 So she said to him, “My father, you have given your word to the Lord;  do to me as you have said, since the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the sons of Ammon.”  37 She said to her father, “Let this thing be done for me;  let me alone two months, that I may go to the mountains and weep because of my virginity, I and my companions.”  38 Then he said, “Go.”  So he sent her away for two months;  and she left with her companions, and wept on the mountains because of her virginity.  39 At the end of two months she returned to her father, who did to her according to the vow which he had made;  and she had no relations with a man.  Thus it became a custom in Israel, 40 that the daughters of Israel went yearly to commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in the year.”   Judges 11:29-40.

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Today’s Scripture show the harsh consequences of making a rash and foolish vow (which appear to be that Jephthah’s daughter could not have relations with a man thus likely depriving Jephthah and his daughter of descendants).

“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’  But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’;  anything beyond these is of evil.”  Matthew 5:33-37.

But, there is more that we can learn from today’s Scripture than the simple and superficial lesson that we should not make vows.

The deeper, more important lesson is that the LORD loves His elect, His chosen ones, and gladly gives them what is good without the need for us to make a bribe, vows, or somehow otherwise earn the gifts of God.  

“Yet on your fathers did the Lord set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.  So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer.  For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.”  Deuteronomy 10:15-17.

Reformed Doctrine understands and teaches that we cannot earn God’s grace.  It should make sense that if indeed our natural condition was one of “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, then there is nothing within us that could motivate God to save us or otherwise give us good gifts.

One of the Five Solas of the Reformation is “Sola Gratia” (Grace Alone).  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-8.  “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”  Romans 11:6.

Therefore, we do not need to bribe the LORD or otherwise try somehow to earn His favor and gifts.

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32.

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

Today’s devotion comes from Judges 11:1-28.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+11&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“12 Now Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the sons of Ammon, saying, “What is between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?”  13 The king of the sons of Ammon said to the messengers of Jephthah, “Because Israel took away my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and the Jordan;  therefore, return them peaceably now.”  14 But Jephthah sent messengers again to the king of the sons of Ammon, 15 and they said to him, “Thus says Jephthah, ‘Israel did not take away the land of Moab nor the land of the sons of Ammon.

…

21 The Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.  22 So they possessed all the territory of the Amorites, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.  23 Since now the Lord, the God of Israel, drove out the Amorites from before His people Israel, are you then to possess it?  24 Do you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whatever the Lord our God has driven out before us, we will possess it.  25 Now are you any better than Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab?  Did he ever strive with Israel, or did he ever fight against them?  26 While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the cities that are on the banks of the Arnon, three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time?  27 I therefore have not sinned against you, but you are doing me wrong by making war against me;  may the Lord, the Judge, judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.’”  28 But the king of the sons of Ammon disregarded the message which Jephthah sent him.”  Judges Chapter 11:  Verses 12-15 and 21-28.

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Other doctrine is more interested in man and what man has done and should do.

Reformed Doctrine is more interested in God and what God has done and will do.

Reformed Doctrine searches Scripture to understand and know God.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

Today, Reformed Doctrine delights to find this insight about the LORD that He is “the Judge” in verse 27 of today’s Scripture.  The LORD exercises justice, righteousness, and lovingkindness as “the Judge”, declaring “I delight in these things”.  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“8 The Lord judges the peoples;
Vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
9 O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous;
For the righteous God tries the hearts and minds.
10 My shield is with God,
Who saves the upright in heart.
11 God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.”  Psalm 7:8-11.

“19 Arise, O Lord, do not let man prevail;
Let the nations be judged before You.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord;
Let the nations know that they are but men.  Selah.”  Psalm 9:19-20.

“1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken,
And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone forth.
3 May our God come and not keep silence;
Fire devours before Him,
And it is very tempestuous around Him.
4 He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge.  Selah.”  Psalm 50:1-6.

“10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
And the peoples in His faithfulness.”  Psalm 96:10-13.

“For the Lord will judge His people
And will have compassion on His servants.”  Psalm 135:14.

“For the Lord is our judge,
The Lord is our lawgiver,
The Lord is our king;
He will save us—”  Isaiah 33:22.

I will be leaving on Thursday, February 26, 2015 on a hiking trip to the Grand Canyon/Sedona/Phoenix areas with 7 other high school classmates.  God willing, my next devotion will be on Sunday, March 8, 2015.

The Canons of Dordt present “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

While I am away, I thought that it would be best to recommend the following parts of the Canons of Dordt.  You can click on the link to the part that you want to read, and you will be pleasantly surprised how succinctly and clearly these truths are presented.

FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of Divine Predestination

SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby

THIRD AND FOURTH HEADS OF DOCTRINE
Of the Corruption of Man, His Conversion to God, and the Manner Thereof.

FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE
Of the Perseverance of the Saints

CONCLUSION