Not Judge Judy! Judge Jehovah

INTRO

That can really wake someone up. Question -- does that sound intimidate you? It does me. It’s a sound I almost heard a number of years ago. Allow me to explain. Shortly after we returned to Minnesota from navy life, I heard a knock at the door one afternoon. I answered the door, and there to my surprise was a Blue Earth County sheriff deputy. In her hand was a summons -- a summons I had to sign for and take possession. To be honest, I was completely dumbfounded. I closed the door, sat down, and began to sift through a very, lengthy document. The short of it was, my parents and I were beings sued. I should probably back up.

While I was in high school, I worked at McD’s. One summer afternoon, after I finished with the breakfast shift, I punched out and took-off for home. I hopped in our Toyota Tercel and coasted through the parking lot. The parking lot was L-shaped; nevertheless, as I rounded the corner I saw a school bus parked in the drive-through lane. I knew that meant, “go slow.” Just as that thought crossed my mind, a young girl ran out from the bus and literally into my car. She hit the hood and window, and flew back onto the pavement.

We knew her injuries were severe. We dialed 911 and waited for the police and paramedics to arrive. However, against our pleading, the camp counselor -- who was responsible for the young girl -- picked her up and moved her to the curb. That was a no-no since we weren’t qualified to medically move her. Nevertheless, that’s what happened. Minutes later the paramedics and police arrived, and I gave my statement to they as well as the insurance adjuster. After that, to be honest, what happened next was kind of a blur.

I’m sure the insurance company paid the girls medical expenses after the accident. However, upon the girls eighteenth birthday, she and her mother must decided to go for more. We didn’t know why -- they simply did. They first tried to sue the bus company with no prevail, the camp the girl attended no longer existed, and McDonalds I am sure was out of reach. As a last in a string of many lawsuits, they brought a lawsuit against me and my parents. I didn’t have any assets to relinquish; but that wasn’t the case for my parents.

Our insurance company provided representation, and I was scheduled for a deposition. Truly, I feared going to court -- the deposition was bad enough. I sat across from the girl’s attorney as he grilled me endless. Honestly, he tried to put words in my mouth as he passionately -- but ruthlessly -- recreated a fabled sequence of events. Truthfully, I may have said something that wasn’t true if not for my dedicated, legal representation. In any event, I felt the power of our legal system in those days. Thankfully, the suit was closed; we never had to go to court. I didn’t have to hear the banging of a gavel -- such as this.

However, someday, I’m going to have hear the banging of God’s gavel -- for he’s the ultimate judge. One day, I’m going to have to stand trial for all the sins I’ve committed. At some point in all our futures, we’re all going have to face to highest Judge in the highest court in any land -- and nope, that’s not Judge Judy. We’re all going to have face Judge Jehovah.

This morning, we’re going to look at the Book of Judges and see how the Lord God judged Israel in the time of the judges, by providing defense attorneys to lead Israel back to righteousness, so Judge Jehovah would compassion on them.

FILL IN THE GAPS

Let’s first fill in the gaps. The best way to catch up from last week is to read portions of Judges Chapter 2. But, before we dig in, let me encourage you -- this week -- to go home and read the entire book of Judges once through to get the gist of the entire story, but then a second time a bit slower to catch the details you missed the first time. Simply, we don’t have enough time to cover the entire book this morning in detail. Instead, we’re going to hone in on who and the why of verses 16-19, because that little section speaks volumes.

Let’s read together Judges, Chapter 2, verses 10-15. READ JUDGES 2:10-15. Okay, so the entire nation moved into the Promised Land and fought for what they believed with God leading the way. For the most part, the first generation into the Promised Land obeyed God — for the exception of an infraction here and there. However, as the text states, that first generation passed away, and another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.