The book of Judges provides for us both good and bad examples of how God’s people respond to him. We see a people who are now in the land God promised their forefathers but they are surrounded by their enemies and are worshipping other gods. The people of Israel begin to disobey God by making covenants with their enemies, enslaving the inhabitants and worshipping false idols (Judges 1:27-2:11). God had commanded them to fully possess the land so they could worship him free from fear or compromise. Because they did not trust God’s strength they fell into a cycle of idolatry that frankly makes the book of Judges exhausting to read.

The people cycle through disobedience, disapproval, and distress over and over. They disobey; God disapproves; He then shows that disapproval by causing them distress. But because God is faithful to His promise never to forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6-8) he continues to deliver them despite their disobedience. His deliverance is marked by their crying out to him. We should respond to God similarly when we are in distress for, in Jesus, we have a similar promise (Matthew 6:25-34).

Note the cycle in the following examples:

“And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.” (Judges 3:7-9, emphasis added)

“And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.” (Judges 4:1-3, emphasis added)

“The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years…. And Israel was brought very low because of Midian. And the people of Israel cried out for help to the Lord. When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord on account of the Midianites, the Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery.” (Judges 6:1, 6-8, emphasis added)

The lesson for us is clear. We should cry out to God for help even when our troubles result from our own disobedience. Crying out to God for help when we are in distress not only shows our faith that he is able to bring relief but also glorifies God’s compassion for us in Jesus. You don’t ask for help from those who are either unwilling or unable to provide it. Israel cries out to God and in every instance he responds to their need by saving them from enemies. Their consistent failure to trust God and obey his commands leads to their distress; their crying out to Him then leads to God’s deliverance.

We should learn to trust God and so follow his commands. When we don’t exercise such faith, however, we have a subsequent opportunity to exercise faith: Faith that he is willing and able to save us. We shouldn’t pair our lack of faith in God’s strength on the front end, leading our disobedience, with a lack of faith in God’s mercy or compassion when we are dealing with the consequences of our sin. Let us aim, first, to obey him. Then, when we fail, may we trust that for those in Jesus he always exercises mercy and compassion. He will bring us to his heavenly Kingdom.

[This devotion elaborates on points made in the August 21 sermon. The audio of that sermon will be available shortly at this link.]