Scripture: The “Book of Judges”
 
Thought for the Day: “Judges” is an interesting peek into the cyclical nature of both Scripture and the ancient Judaic worldview into which Jesus was born. The number seven was particularly important to the ancients, as it indicated the sacred measurement of time. The Sabbath falls on the seventh day, Pentecost happens seven weeks after the liturgical year begins, a sabbatical is to be taken every seventh year, and the Jubilee is celebrated after seven times seven years.
 
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that “The Book of Judges” repeats a cycle of sin, defeat, repentance, and deliverance seven times. The cycle begins in 3:7, “The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.” The result of this transgression is that the Israelites are subjects of the Cushan kingdom for eight years. Notice they are subject for eight years, eight being a number that represents, among other things, the beginning of a new cycle—it is seven plus one. Eight is regeneration and resurrection. On the eighth year, Othniel saves the Israelites, and they live in peace and prosperity for 40 years (the number 40 represents a lifetime or a generation). Then the entire cycle starts again—Israel messes up, they are defeated by an enemy, they ask God for help, God sends a savior and all is well, until Israel messes up, they are defeated etc. Guess how many times this cycle occurs in “The book of Judges”? You go it. Seven. I’ve included all the references at the end of today’s “Daily Wonder” for the other geeks like me.
 
Cycles have always been enormously important to human beings. Before we decided there were seven days to the week, we worked and worshipped according to lunar cycles. As our tools for and powers of observation improved, we moved the way we measure things to solar cycles. Today we use atomic cycles to measure everything from the age of ancient wonders like the Pyramids, to the age of the universe itself.
 
It helps to understand and realize the cyclical nature of existence, because I think it brings us some peace and comfort. Reading through “The Book of Judges” and noticing the cycles of loss and regeneration the Israelites go through is incredibly powerful. Here we see a people (who represent all people, incidentally), going through the same struggles we all go through. Like the ancient Israelites, things that keep us away from God for a time often interrupt our own faith journeys. These things can be people, governments, addictions, or distractions like materialism. Yet, just like the ancient Israelites, when we ask God for help, we are delivered from whatever has disconnected us, and our journey begins anew.
 
Prayer: God who is my beginning and ending, make me more aware of the cycles in my life and my world. Help me more quickly notice when I am disconnected from you, because as soon as I become aware of my disconnect, you are there, regenerating me and saving me, energizing me for the next cycle of my life. Amen.
 
Note: Here’s the entire cycle of “sin”, defeat, repentance, help from God, and salvation in “Judges”. For more info check out Charles Caldwell Ryrie’s “Concise Guide to the Bible” (San Bernardino, CA: Here’s Life Publishers, 1983).
 
Othniel, 3:7–11.
Ehud and Shamgar, 3:12–31.
Deborah and Barak, 4–5.
Gideon, 6:1–8:32.
Tola and Jair, 8:33–10:5.
Jephthah (and successors), 10:6–12:15.
Samson, 13–16