Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
Judges 2: 1-2
2:1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
2:2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
A Genuine Revival—
[Judges 2:1, 2 quoted.] The people bowed before God in contrition and repentance. They offered sacrifice, and confessed to God and to one another. The sacrifices they offered would have been of no value if they had not shown true repentance. Their contrition was genuine. The grace of Christ wrought in their hearts as they confessed their sins and offered sacrifice, and God forgave them. {2BC 1001.1}
The revival was genuine. It wrought a reformation among the people. They remained true to the covenant they had made. The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen the great works of the Lord. Their sins were repented of and forgiven, but the seed of evil had been sown, and it sprang up to bear fruit. Joshua’s life of steadfast integrity closed. His voice was no longer heard in reproof and warning. One by one the faithful sentinels who had crossed the Jordan laid off their armor. A new generation came upon the scene of action. The people departed from God. Their worship was mingled with erroneous principles and ambitious pride (The Review and Herald, September 25, 1900). {2BC 1001.2}
We live in this world but need not be of this world. We should minister to sinners; however, we should not partake of in their sins. When bringing the gospel truth to the lost, do not lose yourself to their ways. Sin is to be called by its rightful name and not to be excused. When sin is excused it becomes commonplace, therefore being minimized and acceptable. This happened to God’s chosen people when they intermingled with the heathens, to the point where one people could not be distinguished from the other. It is not too late if you go to God today in contrition and repentance. Obey the word of God and He will never break His covenant with you.
Our Father,
We thank You for all Your wonderful promises to us. We know that Your promises are sure if we follow in Your ways. We pray that while we minister to the lost, You grant us wisdom and understanding and not excuse sin. Help us help the lost find their way to You. We pray to be used as Your vessels, to be called by You, that You do not pass us by. Help us not to fall away as the people did after Joshua and remain steadfast and true to Your word. Help us as we remain
in this world and not become of this world. We thank You and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
