Judges 2:7-8, 11-19

Israel Struggles to Remain Faithful

7 Mwet Israel nukewa elos orekma nu sin LEUM GOD ke lusen moul lal Joshua, na tukun el misa ah, elos srakna orekma nu sin LEUM GOD ke mwet kol tokol Joshua elos srakna moul, su tuh sifacna liye orekma yohk lun LEUM GOD nu sin mwet Israel ke mutalos.

a. Joshua dismissing of Israel (Josh 24:28), -

b. vv. 6-7, Israel’s obedient years before and after Joshua’s death (2:6-7).

c. There was a covenant renewal ceremony at Shechem, described in Joshua 24:1-27.

d. v. 31, “Mwet Israel elos kulansupu LEUM GOD ke lusen moul lal Joshua nufon,

ac tukun el misa ah, elos tafwelana ke lusen moul lun mwet kol lalos su liye ma nukewa ma LEUM GOD El oru nu sin Israel.

e. This service was a faithful response to all great things the LORD

had done for Israel in the

Exodus from Egypt,

The wilderness wanderings,

and the initial Conquest of the land.

[Joshua’s obituary (2:8-9)

8 Joshua, mwet kulansap lun LEUM GOD, su wen natul Nun, el misa ke el yac siofok singoul.. 7-8,

a. In contrast with Moses (Josh 1:1-9; Num 27:12-23),

Joshua died without appointing a successor,

thus setting the stage for a period of the Judges.

[vv. 11-19, THE PATTERN OF THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES

Mwet Israel Tia Sifil Alu Nu Sin LEUM GOD

11 Mwet Israel elos orekma koluk ye mutun LEUM GOD ac elos mutawauk in kulansupu god pukanten pangpang Baal.†

12 Elos tia sifil alu nu sin LEUM GOD lun mwet matu lalos, su tuh usalosme liki facl Egypt, a elos mutawauk in alu nu sin god saya, god lun mwet Canaan su muta inmasrlolos. Elos epasr nu sin god inge, ac aktoasrye LEUM GOD.

13 Elos forla liki LEUM GOD, ac orekma nu sin Baal ac Astarte.‡ 14 Na LEUM GOD El arulana mulat sin mwet Israel, ac El lela tuh mwet lokoalok lalos in tuku pisre ma lalos. El fuhlela tuh mwet lokoalok su raunelosla in ku lukelos, ac mwet Israel elos koflana lainulos.

15 Pacl nukewa mwet Israel uh fin som in mweun, LEUM GOD El ac tia welulos, a El ac lainulos in oana ke El tuh fahk nu selos ah. Inge mwet Israel elos muta in ongoiya lulap.

16 Na LEUM GOD El pakiya mwet nununku in molela mwet Israel liki mwet lokoalok lalos.

17 Tusruktu, mwet Israel elos tiana porongo mwet kol lalos inge. Elos pilesru LEUM GOD ac alu nu sin god saya. Mwet matu lalos ah tuh akos ma sap lun LEUM GOD, tusruktu fwil sasu se inge, elos tiana.

18 Pacl nukewa ma LEUM GOD El ac srukak sie mwet nununku in kol mwet Israel, El ac kasrel ac molela mwet Israel liki mwet lokoalok lalos ke lusenna moul lun mwet nununku sac. LEUM GOD El pakomuta mwet Israel ke sripen sasao lalos ke keok ac ongoiya nu selos.

19 Tusruktu ke pacl se ma mwet nununku se inge ac misa uh, na mwet inge ac sifilpa folokla nu ke moul matu lalos uh, ac orekma koluk yohk liki na mwet matu lalos ah. Elos ac kulansupu ac alu nu sin god saya, ac likkekelana in oru ouiya koluk lalos.

ISRAEL’S DOWNWARD SPIRAL UNDER THE JUDGES

VV. 11-13, THE SIN OR DEFECTION OF THE ISRAELITES

VV. 14-15, THE DEFEAT AND DISTRESS OF THE ISRAELITES

VV. 16-19, THE DELIVERANCE BY THE JUDGES

ONCE GOD HAD RAISED UP A JUDGE,

THE DELIVERANCE FROM THE ENEMY WAS EFFECTIVE DURING THE REST OF THAT JUDGE’S LIFETIME

BECAUSE THE LORD HAD COMPASSION ON HIS PEOPLE.

BUT WHEN THE JUDGE DIED,

ISRAEL REACTIVATED HER DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION

BY FOLLOWING WAYS EVEN MORE CORRUPT THAN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CORRUPT GENERATION.

V.17, SEEMS TO REFER TO THE OBEDIENT GENERATION OF JOSHUA’S DAY,

V.19, REFERS TO THE PRECEDING GENERATION.

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WEDNESDAY, OCT. 12, 2022

GOD’S POWER IS A TREASURE,

2 CORINT 4:1-7,

4:2, PREACHERS, TEACHERS, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO TALKS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST MUST REMEMBER THAT THEY STAND IN GOD’S PRESENCE,

HE HEARS EVERY WORD

WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE ABOUT CHRIST BE CAREFUL NOT TO DISTORT THE MESSAGE TO PLEASE THE AUDIENCE.

PROCLAIM THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD.

4:3,4,

THE GOSPEL IS OPEN AND REVEALED TO EVERYONE,

EXCEPT TO THOSE WHO REFUSE TO BELIEVE

SATAN IS “THE GOD OF THIS AGE,

HIS WORK IS TO DECEIVE AND HE HAS BLINDED THOSE WHO DON’T BELIEVE IN CHRIST (11:14, 15)

THE ALLURE OF MONEY, POWER AND PLEASURE BLINDS PEOPLE TO THE LIGHT OF CHRIST’S GOSPEL.

THOSE WHO REJECT CHRIST AND PREFER THEIR OWN PURSUITS HAVE UNKNOWINGLY MADE SATAN THEIR GOD.

4:5,

THE FOCUS OF PAUL’S PREACHING WAS CHRIST AND NOT HIMSELF

WHEN U WITNESS, TELL PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE,

Ma Saok Lun Ngun, In Ahlu Orekla Ke Fohk Kle

1 Ke sripen pakoten lun God, El ase orekma se inge kunasr, ouinge kut tia fuhleak.

Paul painted an appealing pix of what it means to be a Christian minister.

Why would Paul keep going—even in the face of trials and suffering?

6 El pa ase ku nu sesr in kulansupu sie wuleang sasu, su tia orekla oana ma sap simla uh, a ma ke Ngun. Tuh ma sap ma simla uh use misa, a Ngun ase moul.

2 Kut sisla orekma lukma ac mwe mwekin nukewa; kut tiana orekma in kiapu mwet, kut tia pac aktafongye kas lun God. Ke kalem lulap lun ma pwaye, kut moul ye mutun God ac srike in fahkkutyak tuh mwet nukewa in etekut ac lulalfongi kut.

7 “Tuh kut moul ke ma kut lulalfongi, tia ke ma kut liye.”

3 Tuh Wosasu se su kut fahkak fin wikla, el wikla na nu selos su tuhlac.

4 Elos tia lulalfongi, mweyen god koluk lun facl se inge el aklohsrye nunak lalos. El kosrala tuh elos in tia liye kalem se ma srelosi — kalem se ma tuku liki Pweng Wo ke wolana lun Christ, su oapana luman God.

(Paul once was blinded to Spiritual truth)

He persecuted the Christians,

vowing to destroy them in any way possible.

Paul had been an instrument of Satan.

Christ had broken through Satan’s deception and had revealed the truth to Paul.

A glorious vision of Christ finally had opened Paul’s eyes to the truth.

(Acts 9:1-18) Paul had been physically blinded for a while.

5 Tuh kut tia fahkak kacsr sifacna; a kut fahkak ke Jesus Christ lah el Leum, ac kut fahkak lah kut mwet kulansap lowos inen Jesus.

The focus of Paul’s preaching was on Christ Jesus and not himself.

6 God se na su tuh fahk, “Lela kalem in tolak in lohsr uh!” pa God se su oru kalem lal in tolak insiasr, in akkalemye nu sesr lah wolana lal pa kalem ke mutun Jesus Christ.

7 Tusruktu kut, su ma saok lun Ngun uh oasr yorosr, kut oana ahlu orekla ke fohk kle, tuh in kalem lah ku fulatlana ma lun God, ac tia ma lasr.

People keep treasures in safety deposit boxes and vaults.

But God places his precious treasure—the message that frees people from sin—in perishable containers; that is, in human beings.

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THURSDAY, OCT 13, 2022

AFFLICTED BUT RENEWED DAILY

2 CORINTH 4:8-18,

I. vv. 8-12,

PAUL REMINDS US THAT THOUGH WE MAY THINK WE ARE AT THE END OF THE ROPE,

WE ARE NEVER AT THE END OF THE HOPE.

OUR PERISHABLE BODIES ARE SUBJECT TO SIN AND SUFFERING,

BUT GOD NEVER ABANDONS US.

BECAUSE CHRIST HAS WON THE VICTORY OVER DEATH,

WE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

ALL OUR RISKS, HUMILIATIONS, AND TRIALS ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHRIST TO DEMOSTRATE HIS POWER AND PRESENCE IN AND THROUGH US.

VV. 15-18

PAUL HAD FACED SUFFERINGS, TRIALS, AND DISTRESS AS HE PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS.

BUT HE KNEW THAT THEY WOULD ONE DAY BE OVER,

AND HE WOULD OBTAIN GOD’S REST AND REWARDS.

AS WE FACE GREAT TROUBLES, IT’S EASY TO FOCUS ON PAIN RATHER THAN ON OUR ULTIMATE GOAL.

JUST AS ATHLETES CONCENTRATE ON THE FINISH LINE AND IGNORE THEIR DISCOMFORT,

WE TOO MUST FOCUS ON THE REWARD TO OUR FAITH

AND THE JOY THAT LAST FOREVER.

NO MATTERWHAT HAPPENS TO US IN LIFE,

WE HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE,

WHEN ALL SUFFERING WILL END AND ALL SORROW WILL FLEE AWAY (ISAIAH 35:10)

8 Pacl puspis akkeokyeyuk kut, tusruktu kut tiana kunausyukla; kutu pacl uh kut alolo, tusruktu kut tiana fuhleak;

Paul recounted how weak he, as a human being really was.

He freely admitted he had been crushed and perplexed.

Few teachers would admit to being perplexed because they might lose the respect of the audience.

Then he added the words, GOD NEVER ABANDONS US.

9 kalyeiyuk kut, a kut tiana mukaimtalla; ac finne anwuk kut, kut tia misa.

10 Pacl nukewa kut pulakin misa lun Jesus in manosr, tuh mwet uh fah ku pac in liye moul lal in kut.

11 In moul lasr nufon kut apkuran in misa ke sripen Jesus, tuh moul lal in ku in liyeyuk in manosr.

12 Kalmeya pa, misa pa orekma in kut, a moul pa orekma in kowos.

JESUS WAS PAUL’S MODEL

JESUS GAVE IT ALL UP TO SUFFER HUMILIATION, INSULTS, AND FINALLY DEATH (PHILLIPIANS 2:5-11)

PAUL SAW HIS OWN SUFFERINGS FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST AS SHARING IN THE DEATH OF JESUS.

JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS TO SAVE BELIEVERS FROM THEIR SINS.

JESUS WARNED HIS FOLLOWERS THEY COULD ALSO EXPECT SUFFERING AND HARDSHIP (JOHN 15:20-21)

13 Ma Simusla uh fahk, “Nga lulalfongi, na pa nga kaskas.” Kain in lulalfongi sacna oasr yorosr, pa oru kut kaskas.

14 Kut etu lah God, su akmoulyauk Leum Jesus, El ac fah oayapa akmoulyekutyak yurin Jesus, ac eis kut nukewa, wi kowos, nu ye mutal.

PAUL, LIKE PSALMIST (116) HAD EXPERIENCED FEAR OF DEATH,

HE CRIED OUT TO GOD (116:4).

THE PSALMIST BELIEVED THAT GOD WOULD ANSWER HIS PRAYERS (116:1)

SO HE VOWED TO PRAY AS LONG AS HE HAD BREATH (116:2)

15 Ma inge nukewa orek keiwos; ac ke ac puseni mwet su eis kulang lun God, ac fah oayapa puseni pre in sang kulo lalos, nu ke wolana lun God.

Moul Ke Lulalfongi

ALL OF THE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES HE HAD ENDURED WERE FOR THEIR BENEFITS.

16 Ke sripa inge nunak lasr uh tiana munasla. Manosr finne mutawauk in munasla, a moul in ngun lasr uh aksasuyeyuk len nu ke len.

PAUL AND HIS COLLEAGUES WOULD NEVER GIVE UP BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE GREAT POWER BEHIND THEIR MESSAGE.

17 Ac mwe lokoalok srisrik ma kut keok kac inge, su ma nu ke kitin pacl na, ac fah pwanma wolana lulap ac kawil, su yohk liki na mwe lokoalok nu sesr uh.

18 Tuh kut tiana lohang nu ke ma kut ku in liye, a nu ke ma su kut tia ku in liye. Ma ku in liyeyuk uh sukawil, a ma tia ku in liyeyuk uh pa kawil uh.