Judges 1:22 – 26 “The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them. They sent spies to Bethel (formerly known as Luz), and when the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, “Please show us how to get into the city, and we will treat you kindly.” So the man showed them the entrance to the city, and they put the city to the sword but released that man and all his family. And the man went to the land of the Hittites, built a city, and called it Luz, which is its name to this day.”
If the name “Bethel” sounds familiar, that’s because it was the place where Jacob slept on his way out of Canaan and where he saw his vision of the heavenly ladder with angels ascending and descending. The name Bethel means “house of God.” But after the Israelites left for Egypt, others came in and built a city called Luz.
“Luz” means “departure” or “separation.” You have to feel sorry for this guy caught by the spies. What was he supposed to do? He could either save himself and his family, or they could all die with the rest of the city. So this inhabitant of Luz showed the spies the way into the city. Since most cities in those days were built on top of hills for safety against enemies, perhaps the entrance to the city gate was hidden between huge rocks, making it difficult to find. At any rate, this man and his family fled Luz and went east and established a new city away from the Israelites.
APPLICATION: The men of Joseph conquered because the Lord was with them. This statement implies that these men probably prayed and sought God’s guidance before tackling the conquest of Luz. And they were successful; they obliterated Luz.
In an earlier age, there was a saying, “Don’t go off half – cocked.” This phrase originated in the days of flintlock and caplock firearms, where the half-cock position of the hammer was both a rudimentary safety, and the proper position for priming the pan or inserting a percussion cap. The phrase was originally rendered, “to go off at half-cock.” Once the pan was primed with gun powder or a percussion cap was inserted, the gun could be fully cocked and prepared to fire. Any attempts to fire a gun when it was in the half cocked position would fail, making the shooter look ridiculous.
Throughout the time that Moses and Joshua were with the Israelites, they both warned the Israelites that seeking God had to be the major part of their preparations. When Joshua and the Israelites crossed the Jordan, they conquered Jericho so easily that they thought conquering the city of Ai would be simple. Unfortunately, a man named Achan had stolen some of the loot from Jericho and had hidden it against God’s orders. Eventually this man had to confess and he and his family be put to death before the Israelites could conquer Ai.
To go through life without God’s guidance is like trying to shoot one of those old guns when it’s in a half – cocked position. You might get lots of noise and smoke, but you won’t hit your target. “But,” you say, “I’m doing just fine. I have succeeded all on my own and I have never sought God’s help.” Oh? And how much peace do you have in your life? If you or someone you love are suddenly hit with sickness or an accident, what happens then? Money cannot buy peace of mind, neither can fame. Several years ago, I saw a tycoon from Singapore being interviewed on TV. This man was talking about all the charitable things he would do, once he had succeeded in getting enough money. The host was quite perplexed because this man was already a billionaire, so he asked the tycoon how much money would be enough. The tycoon simply answered, “More.” The lesson was obvious; this man would never be satisfied because he was looking for spiritual satisfaction in the wrong place.
There is no lasting peace when you are out of the center of God’s will. You will always suffer from a holy restlessness until you find what God wants you to do and then do it.
In the fall of 1985 I had completed my surgical training and was working temporarily for a chain of minor emergency clinics. Our income had drastically improved over the amount I made as a resident. We were in a good church and my husband also had a job he liked. Everything was fine….. except, it was not. We were uncomfortable without knowing why. The only thing we had not acted on was an application from a mission group sent by one of our friends. Not until we completed that application and submitted it did we achieve peace.
This was not a TV movie; that first mission group rejected us on the grounds of theological differences. (We were charismatics and that group did not believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.) But the important thing was that we had made a start, and now God could guide us. Eventually, we connected with a different mission group and came to Ghana, where God intended us to be. It is the certain knowledge that we are in the center of God’s will for our lives that has kept us going until now.
There is a meme that says, “No Jesus? No peace. Know Jesus? Know peace.” Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, all of us need peace! Many of us feel as if our lives are flying apart in all directions. We don’t want to go off half cocked but we do need guidance. Please help everyone who reads this devotional to search for Your perfect Will for their lives. Thank You that You are a good Father who does not play charades. Thank You that You will guide us when we ask. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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