YEAR 2, WEEK 27, Day 7, Sunday, 6 July 2025

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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 6 July 2025:

Psalm 79:1-2 — O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food, the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.

This national lament opens with grief and horror. The temple is defiled, Jerusalem is shattered, and God’s people are desecrated. This is not just military defeat—it is divine judgment. The psalmist sees clearly: this devastation is the result of Israel’s sin and God’s righteous anger.

Psalm 79:5 — How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?

Here is honest anguish. God’s people plead for mercy—not because they are innocent, but because they are desperate. They recognize that God’s judgment is justified, but they still cry out for compassion.

Psalm 79:8-9 — Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!

This is the heart of true repentance. The plea is not based on merit or works, but on God’s name and glory. This anticipates the gospel: God’s mercy poured out for His name’s sake, through Christ, not because we are worthy.

• Romans 3:23-25 — For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
• 2 Corinthians 7:10 — For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

Psalm 79:10 – Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants be known among the nations before our eyes!

It is sometimes hard to understand why wickedness continues and why God allows the innocent to suffer. We must remember that God has a plan and will remain faithful to His promise of Romans 8:28 to work all things together for good for those who love Him and who are called according to His Romans 8:29 purpose: to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Continue to trust and obey.

Of course, if we could humbly and honestly consider the patient grace and forgiveness God has shown us throughout our lives and continues to show us, and if we could truly contemplate the heart God has for terrible sinners, we might start to develop His heart and start actually loving our enemies and seeking their salvation rather than their condemnation. Rather than merely praying for relief from sinners, we might pray for their repentance and reprieve.

• 2 Peter 3:9 — The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

From a Christian perspective. Psalm 79 can be difficult to understand. In the same prayer, the palmist says, “Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us…,” but also, “Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you….” How can we reconcile the psalmist’s prayer with Jesus’ first words on the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) and His call to love our enemies and to take up our respective crosses daily while proclaiming the grace of God and interceding on behalf of sinners before they have repented?

The Psalmist is crying out from an Old Covenant perspective, while our cry in Christ should be from a New Covenant, Gospel, perspective. The psalmist is not wrong to cry out for justice. In fact, the longing for God to right wrongs, punish evil, and defend the oppressed is a righteous impulse. Even in Revelation, we hear the martyrs crying out: “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10) But in Christ, we learn something deeper: the heart of God is not only justice but mercy triumphing over judgment (James 2:13). The same judgment that the psalmist seeks was ultimately poured out on Jesus. And now, we’re called to imitate Christ—not merely demanding justice, but offering grace even to our enemies. Paul expresses this clearly: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God… ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.’” (Romans 12:19–20) This doesn’t erase the longing for justice. Rather, it entrusts it to God while choosing the path of Christlike love. As Christians, when we are persecuted by others, which comes with the job of sharing the Gospel and the love of Christ with unrepentant sinners, we must be very careful not to deny the Gospel because of bitterness.

• Ephesians 4:31 — Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
• Hebrews 12:15 — See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled….
• Matthew 5:44 — “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you….”

Psalm 79:13 — But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Even in devastation, the faithful look to the God who saves—not only for rescue, but for restoration and worship. This is the response of those who truly trust in God’s goodness. In the midst of suffering, continue to give thanks to God and to praise Him to all.

Judges 17:1-2 — There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse… behold, the silver is with me; I took it.”

Micah begins his story with confession for all the wrong reasons. This sets the tone for everything that follows: external religiosity without inward truth and for self-centered intent.

Judges 17:3-4 — And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image.”

Despite her intention to dedicate the silver to the Lord (which she only does partially), she violates the second commandment. God strictly forbade idols (Exodus 20:4-5), but her dedication is mixed with idolatry. This is syncretism—mixing true faith with false worship. Syncretism is, perhaps, the greatest threat to true religion –

• 2 Timothy 4:4 — And will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
• Ephesians 4:14 — So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
• Revelation 22:18-19 — I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
• Jeremiah 10:2 — Thus says the LORD: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the Gentiles are dismayed at them.”
• Matthew 15:9 – “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
• Revelation 3:16 — So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Diligent, prayerful, daily study and practice of God’s word will protect you from the deceitfulness of false teachings, customs, and traditions.

— John 8:44 — You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

• 2 Corinthians 4:4 — In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• 1 Timothy 4:1 — Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
• 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 — For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
• 1 Peter 5:8 — Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Judges 17:5 — And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest.

Micah sets up his own religion: his own house of worship, his own priest, his own practices. There is no mention of the tabernacle, of the Levitical priesthood, or of God’s law. It is DIY spirituality—deeply personal, deeply corrupt. This is a very common practice today – “I worship my God in my own personal way.” God has established His church for very specific reasons in very specific ways, and He commands His children to be intimately integrated within it. All the internet sermons in the world, seasoned with weekly church pop-ins is not substitute for the Gospel-centered community of a faithfully committed local congregation.

Judges 17:6 — In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

This haunting refrain summarizes the spiritual chaos of the time and ours. Without godly leadership, people followed feelings instead of truth. Micah and his mother meant well (in their view), but they worshiped God on their own terms.

“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This verse, which is repeated several times in Judges and can be considered the theme of the book of Judges, speaks to the calamity which befalls a people who do what they truly believe is right as opposed to what God says is right. The power of this statement is often missed by the modern reader who does not understand how shocking the actions described in Judges were to the Jewish reader of the time. Let’s briefly review some highlights from today’s readings:

A man steals 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother (unthinkable), and when he confesses to this crime, his mother doesn’t scold him but rather blesses him (absurdity) and promises to use all this money for idolatry (though calling it worship to the Lord). As shocking as all that is, she then dedicates only 200 of the 1,100 pieces (not what she had vowed), to carve an idol, yes, an idol.

Micah “ordains” the idol and makes one of his sons the ‘priest’ (about as flippantly as people become ordained today) until a Levite comes along who agrees to be Micah’s personal priest (instead of serving God’s Temple, supported by the people, as God requires). In the midst of all this incredible, shocking sin, much of which is punishable by death in God’s Old Covenant Law, Micah says, “Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest (Micah 17:13).”

Sneaking a peak at tomorrow’s readings, we see next that some Danites, on a mission of pillage, visit Micah’s house and the Levite actually blesses their evil journey: “Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord (Judges 18:6).” Have you seen examples lately of people or institutions offering benedictions for evil?

When the Danites return later to Micah’s house with a raiding party on a quest to attack a peaceful, unsuspecting village, they rob Micah’s house of its idols and take the Levite with them, whose “heart was glad” because he considered being the priest of the Danites a more prestigious position (again, shocking). Micah pleads with the Danites: “You take my gods that I made and the priest, and go away, and what have I left (Judges 18:24)?” Note that Micah’s idolatry has become everything to him. However, the Danites show no mercy. “But the people of Dan took what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, and they came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, and struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire (Judges 18:27).” This is the outcome of the Danite mission Micah had previously blessed in the name of the Lord.

The Nation had drifted into shocking lawlessness, completely rejecting God’s commands, while all the while, maintaining their religion and claims of godliness. They were both religious and heartless, abominable to the Lord. They conformed their religion to justify their own evil desires rather than pursuing the holiness of God. How did they get to this place? “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” They didn’t think they were doing wrong, but rather in their own eyes, they thought they were doing right. However, to anyone who knows God’s word, all of this should have been utterly deplorable. How is this account relevant today? Perhaps, what should be shocking to us is what is no longer shocking to us. Have you not noticed that the more the church drifts into sin the less we talk about sin? “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”

• John 4:24 — “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
• Colossians 2:23 — “These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”
• 2 Timothy 3:5 — “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

Judges 17:10 — And Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living.”

God gave specific instructions to the Israelites on how to care for the Levites who were also given specific instructions on when, where, and how to lead worship. However, by this point in Judges, the Levites have become traveling Priests for hire. Turning religion into a profession can be a dangerous thing. Today, there are many talented people profiting from the Gospel message. Matthew 10:8 — “You received without paying; give without pay.”

Judges 17:12 — And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.

Micah thought he could ordain priests. Lawless brings highly presumptuous religious activity which does not honor the holiness of God.

Judges 17:13 — Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”

He confuses the presence of religious appearance with God’s approval. Like many today, he assumes blessing will follow because he checked off spiritual boxes—never realizing he is far from God.

Deep in religious activity, Micah was completely out of touch with The Lord. Many claim to hear from God and presumptuously assume God is ordaining what they have chosen to do. However, their focus is self-serving rather than Christ-serving. God is not deceived. Spiritual talk is not the same as spiritual walk. Jesus said, if you haven’t started with denying self, and if you haven’t taken up your cross, you are not truly, wholeheartedly following Him, and God has not ordained it, regardless of how many Bible verses you attach to it out of context (Matthew 16:24). In the Old Testament, God condemns the defiled and lame sacrifices offered to Him by the people — “You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By saying, ‘The table of the LORD is contemptible.’ And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?” Says the LORD of hosts (Micah 1:7, 8).” Don’t offer to the Lord what is acceptable to you, offer what is acceptable to Him.

“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 6 July 2025: Psalm 79 shows us what true repentance looks like—a heart broken by sin, seeking God for His glory. Judges 17 shows us what false religion looks like—man-made, self-centered spirituality which, despite any sincerity or sacrifice, rejects God’s truth and actually dishonors His holy Name (character). The key difference is Christ-centered worship rather than self-centered religiosity.

God is not honored by emotion or tradition alone. He desires worship that is true, humble, selfless, and obedient. Today, examine your worship. Are you seeking God on His terms, or shaping faith around your own preferences? Do you want the blessings of God without true, faithful, wholehearted dedication to God? Have you formed your own version of Christianity which says God accepts relationship with you on your terms? Ask the Spirit to expose self-made religion. Turn again to the Word. Worship in spirit and in truth.

Pray: “Lord, search my heart and expose every way I have shaped my faith around my preferences instead of Your truth. Forgive my spiritual shortcuts and surface-level religion. Lead me to worship You with reverence, humility, and truth. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. In Jesus’ name, amen.”