Today's Reading: Judges 3-5
The book of Judges is a favorite of pre-adolescent boys. All the war, all the gore, all the heroic, edgy drama.
In today's reading we can find all the things young teenage boys love:
Violence and war (3:2)
Heroes who make really cool weapons (3:16)
Stealth and intrigue (3:17-20)
Fat villains who get it in the gut (3:21-22)
Bathroom talk (3:24-25)
Great escapes (3:26-27)
Really gory, explicit deaths (4:21)
While mothers and young girls shake their heads at the book of Judges and try to make it more palatable by theologizing, boys (and grown up boys) secretly cheer on the heroes, secretly cry for more blood and gore, secretly say a strong "YES!" as they read these stories.
Why do boys and men have this passion for adventure/action flicks?
The hormone, testosterone, which is 10 times higher in the adult male than in the adult female, is the major reason. Testosterone supports muscle growth, decreases fat and encourages aggression in the human male. It is essential in the reproductive process and maintenance in the function of the male brain.
When testosterone is not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, all hell can break loose. Violence, anger, rage, extreme aggression, overbearing strength, sexual activity out of control.
All these things are very hard for women to confront with much success.
Under the control of the Holy Spirit, testosterone becomes every woman's dream of the perfect male: strong, brave, confident, protective, nurturing, seeker of justice and truth.
In the book of Judges, God teaches men war. God fills men with the Holy Spirit to battle other men who are not under God's control. Men who back down from the challenge of fighting others who are out of control are mocked. When women have to step up to the plate, men are shamed.
Do I understand all this? No.
Do I see this played out daily in society? Yes.
Do I have any answers about this or a better idea? No.
This one is a mystery to me, a Pandora's box. As a female, I hate gore, I hate violence, I hate war. I always wonder if all the gore is truly necessary.
Why did Cain have to kill Abel?
Why didn't they sit down for tea and talk it out?
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If you are genuine in your questions the answers are:
ReplyDeleteThe failure began in the beginning with Eve, she was deceived by the serpent in Gen 3:4-5 - Paul, when speaking to Timothy in 1 Tim 2:14 explained that Eve was 'deceived' by the serpent and Adam wasn't Adam, knowing what being alone was like Gen 2:18-20 did not want to be left alone, knowingly took of the fruit and sinned. Together they knew what they had done was wrong, and now knew they were naked, and joined in union and Cain was conceived. He became the first seed of the serpent Gen 3:15. From this point forward man began to sin as after the curse in Gen 3 man now had a bias toward sin, that was not present before.
The rest of scripture is all about the battle between the 'seed of the serpent' and the 'seed of the woman' - This is represented in Cain and Abel, those in Gen 6 Sons of God and Daughters of men - all through scripture the faithful represent the seed of the woman, the wicked the seed of the serpent!
Then we come to the book of the judges - the summary is the last verse - Every man did that which was right in his 'own' eyes - ie - mankind - left to themselves are base, evil and selfish. Without God, or Godliness through his laws and commandments man has no purpose and direction and is evil.
Judges is not chronological, proven by the fact that the events in 20:28 include Phinehas that was priest at the time of Joshua 24:33 - so the story of Judges shows that man left to himself will decline - read the stories, they start positive and get more debauched and depraved as the book progresses - there is NO inherent goodness in man - Eccl 7:29 - God made man upright but he sought out all forms of wickedness
The only hope is through the ultimate 'seed of the woman' - Christ
However there is hope, and this is the beauty of it: God wants the man to guide and set direction for the woman his wife, to be her strength, guide protector and leader, and God wants the woman to be the Grace, mercy and to follow the Man in his guidance of the family. Yet this is the beauty of it in Exod 34:6-7 God declares His character. However his character is Mercy and gracious, and long suffering and forgiving first, but will destroy the wicked if there is no repentance.
Man's character is to judge first and show mercy second. Ie punish, judge, and show retribution first, and then possibly show mercy and forgiveness second. However woman has been created to show mercy and forgiveness first and possibly judge second.
So this is the beauty of God's plan, the Man is to set the direction for the family and his wife, but he needs to learn from his wife to be more like God, in being merciful first and judge later.
When I truly understood this my life became easier, conflicts were resolved, and to be 'more like God' is His plan for the earth - Num 14:21!
- God bless