"After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel." [Judges 2:10]
Our knowledge, our attitudes, our beliefs, what we think is right and wrong or socially acceptable is so generational. Just ask the beleaguered smoker huddled in a doorway. I'm always amazed by our lack of institutional memory and our disregard of history. I remember as a child, one of our criticisms of Catholicism was how Catholics used God's money to build huge cathedrals that they argued pointed others to God. Today, our constructions might be slightly more utilitarian. Slightly. Just substitute flat screen televisions for stained glass windows and we now build the very same Cathedrals arguing that they point others to God. Really? Or do they point to our own desire for comfort and equipment and facility? I've never bought (literally) the thought that buildings are a great conversion or service medium. God sent his son. Not an auditorium with a really great sound system. If we have a lack in our congregations, it's not really for commercial appliances in our kitchens -- it's for believing and serving people. People point people to God. Not buildings.
I also find it amusing in a Bible class or religious discussion when we condemn the thoughts or attitudes of the church and church leaders of our youth or what we thought as believers "back then." Don't we know that the next generation will arise and, like us, they have the truth and criticize what we thought back then.
Anyway, I think a sense of history and our place in it is a valuable thing.
This is the age of the judges. Though the people have forgotten God, He will not forget or totally abandon them. He still listens when they cry out and raises someone up. He's always got someone out there. Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar -- not your most-used flannel graph characters. I'd definitely trade a psalm or two or maybe even the whole book of Song of Solomon (since it's so little used) for a bit more about these guys and gals. How did Othniel overcome King Chshan-Rishathaim in battle? Was it by openly miraculous means? Torches and jars? Horns and people shouting? Marching in silence? Making the sun stand still in the sky? Holding his hands up to God? And what did the people say and think when they discovered that God was with them? Did they kneel? Did they weep? Did they promise (again) that they would never forsake Him?
We have a bit more here on Ehud. Hey, we know he's a left hander. Odd enough to mention even back then. There's enough of a story about Ehud that I'm surprised he's not spoken about more. Maybe it's our sensitivity to the size-challenged. Or the bathroom humor in the story.... "They waited until the point of embarrassment...." [Judges 3:25] Then Shamgar strikes down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad and that's pretty much the extent of what we know in scripture. I mean, that's pretty much the plot of the 300 movie and it gets nearly 2 hrs on the screen. We'd love a Shamgar fight scene.
I would absolutely love to know more about these guys. Details, please! But then...the Lord taps me on the shoulder and whispers in my ear that I know so little about the much God has revealed in scripture. Sorry, Lord. Let me get back to the script.
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