Jeff Cavins

This wouldn't fly today. Okay, God, explain yourself. Because I've already kind of, you know, the jury has come back in, and I'm finding you wanting in these stories. And so people can approach it that way, or you can approach it as St. Thomas suggests, and that is that God is not arbitrary. You can approach this from the standpoint of trust. I know that he is faithful. I know that he's merciful.

I know that he is just, and he has covenant faithfulness. Therefore, Lord, I'm going to read it from that standpoint. And as St. Augustine says, if I can't understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see. That's one thing is we really want to challenge people about their perspective when they approach these stories.

I know that he is just, and he has covenant faithfulness. Therefore, Lord, I'm going to read it from that standpoint. And as St. Augustine says, if I can't understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see. That's one thing is we really want to challenge people about their perspective when they approach these stories.

I know that he is just, and he has covenant faithfulness. Therefore, Lord, I'm going to read it from that standpoint. And as St. Augustine says, if I can't understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see. That's one thing is we really want to challenge people about their perspective when they approach these stories.

And then the second is, you have to remember that this was written for you. This was written to encourage you, and it reveals God, and it reveals us, and this is ultimately about you. It's about you. And what happens to Israel certainly happens to us, but please, Lord, may our response be Be one of faithfulness because we have learned about Jesus Christ. And so those are the two perspectives.

And then the second is, you have to remember that this was written for you. This was written to encourage you, and it reveals God, and it reveals us, and this is ultimately about you. It's about you. And what happens to Israel certainly happens to us, but please, Lord, may our response be Be one of faithfulness because we have learned about Jesus Christ. And so those are the two perspectives.

And then the second is, you have to remember that this was written for you. This was written to encourage you, and it reveals God, and it reveals us, and this is ultimately about you. It's about you. And what happens to Israel certainly happens to us, but please, Lord, may our response be Be one of faithfulness because we have learned about Jesus Christ. And so those are the two perspectives.

It's not just their story. This is my story, too. And what is my attitude as I read these stories?

It's not just their story. This is my story, too. And what is my attitude as I read these stories?

It's not just their story. This is my story, too. And what is my attitude as I read these stories?

Yeah. You know, the one text that I think really stands out to me about this, the conquest with Joshua is when Joshua says, you know, he looks at the landscape and what the choices are out there now that they've come into the land. And he says, as for me and my house, we're going to serve.

Yeah. You know, the one text that I think really stands out to me about this, the conquest with Joshua is when Joshua says, you know, he looks at the landscape and what the choices are out there now that they've come into the land. And he says, as for me and my house, we're going to serve.

Yeah. You know, the one text that I think really stands out to me about this, the conquest with Joshua is when Joshua says, you know, he looks at the landscape and what the choices are out there now that they've come into the land. And he says, as for me and my house, we're going to serve.

And that's the question that we would ask of anybody listening to the readings or actually reading the Bible is, who are you going to serve? Now, that moves into that next part of the green period, and that's the Judges. And the book of Judges is a long book. And the way to understand it is that at the end of Joshua, Joshua dies, and suddenly they don't have any leadership anymore.

And that's the question that we would ask of anybody listening to the readings or actually reading the Bible is, who are you going to serve? Now, that moves into that next part of the green period, and that's the Judges. And the book of Judges is a long book. And the way to understand it is that at the end of Joshua, Joshua dies, and suddenly they don't have any leadership anymore.

And that's the question that we would ask of anybody listening to the readings or actually reading the Bible is, who are you going to serve? Now, that moves into that next part of the green period, and that's the Judges. And the book of Judges is a long book. And the way to understand it is that at the end of Joshua, Joshua dies, and suddenly they don't have any leadership anymore.

They had Moses for 80 years, they had Joshua, and now they don't have any central leadership at all, and they go through this rather lengthy period of time with no leadership, and And what happens is they enter into a cycle that is just deadly. And it's repeating seven times in the book of Judges, and it starts off with sin. And that sin, just remember S's here, the sin leads to servitude.

They had Moses for 80 years, they had Joshua, and now they don't have any central leadership at all, and they go through this rather lengthy period of time with no leadership, and And what happens is they enter into a cycle that is just deadly. And it's repeating seven times in the book of Judges, and it starts off with sin. And that sin, just remember S's here, the sin leads to servitude.

They had Moses for 80 years, they had Joshua, and now they don't have any central leadership at all, and they go through this rather lengthy period of time with no leadership, and And what happens is they enter into a cycle that is just deadly. And it's repeating seven times in the book of Judges, and it starts off with sin. And that sin, just remember S's here, the sin leads to servitude.

And isn't that a truth? Sin leads to servitude. We become slaves. The servitude, the slavery... leads to supplication. We pray and we ask God, please deliver us. And that supplication leads to salvation. God raises up a judge, which is not like Judge Judy, but it is like a warrior king almost. And then they receive victory.