A commentary published by Magnolia Tribune says the Israelites’ cries for help in Judges show how helplessness can prompt true faith. The piece cites Judges 6:3 and 6, which describe Midianite and Amalekite oppression and Israel’s plea to the Lord.
The commentary says the people of Israel repeatedly fell into a cycle of sin and repentance. It cites Judges 6:1 and Judges 6:8 and 10 to say a prophet reminded them that God had delivered them from Egypt and that they had not obeyed his voice, the Tribune reports.
The article links that Old Testament pattern to New Testament teaching. It quotes Matthew 5:3, saying Jesus promises the kingdom to those who are “poor in spirit,” and it cites Psalm 121:6-8 in noting that God’s protection is promised even when deliverance comes by difficult means, Magnolia Tribune states.
The Tribune also highlights a moment of mercy in Judges when “the angel of the Lord” appears with the words “The Lord is with you” (Judges 6:12). The commentary concludes that God often uses hardship to draw people to dependence on him and urges readers to cry out for help, the piece says.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
