Judges 13:1 - 16:31

Nine: It was completely fair all those guys got killed because they had probably killed a lot of Israelites. Never trust women (except my dog) period. 

Twelve: Samson had his problems but God used him to kill lots of Philistines. You have to be able to control yourself. 

Forty-seven: It's easy to think, I'm not like Samson but the truth is I'm more like him than I should be. Further we're told that at least once his escapades were the Holy Spirit moving in him, something I don't think I can claim at those moments when I should be controlling myself better. 

Judges 6:1 - 7:25

Nine: Gideon was kind of a coward, but you don't need to be brave to be a hero. I can stand up for some one even if the other side seems stronger.

Twelve: It was wonderful what God did for Gideon, a guy who was not very strong. He was able to use 300 men to destroy the camp of Midian.

Forty-seven: I keep thinking about all the times in this story we see people who are afraid. Gideon shows fear at least twice and he loose 22,000 men to fear. Yet God didn't need any of that to overcome. He didn't even need the swords of Israel just some torches and horns. 

Judges 4:1 - 5:31

Nine: The Lord showed His power and His wrath on the enemy. He was right about a woman saving the entire day. Obey the Lord; He will deliver you.

Twelve: I thought Barak was cowardly because he didn't want to lead the people by himself. If he had, God would have delivered Sisera into his hand. It was cool that God completely destroyed the army. 

Forty-seven: Today I've gotten distracted by my youngest. Remember him, "smack down" boy from yesterday? Today, because he knows this story, he specifically asked to not hear the details of Sisera's death. It is rather a grisly scene.

However I can't help but notice Barak's unwillingness to lead the army and puzzle at it. Was he being cowardly? Lazy? Disobedient? Untrusting? I don't know. It does tell me that no matter what my first gut reaction is when I hear God's voice I should listen.  

Judges 2:6 - 3:6

Nine: These guys are going to get what's coming to them and the Philistines are going to come and smack them down. They shouldn't have disobeyed those judges.

Twelve: They should have obeyed God. Their parents did the wrong thing: they did not teach the children about God and what He did for them.

Forty-seven: As a parent I often wonder, am I really transmitting what I believe to my children? Are they taking it in an internalizing it as their own or are they simply my little parrots who will one day fly away. I take hope in my twelve year old's answer, but I do wonder how those who took the land could not teach their own children their story. Did they just get too busy?