Hey good people!
What’s cracking?
Have you ever been so busy that you decide to write a blog post? That is me. Writing clears my mind and helps me release.
I would like to start off by saying, “God bless Amapiano and the creators of that amazing genre“. South Africans always hit the spot for me musically. The other day I watched a clip of South African firefighters singing at an airport in Canada upon their arrival; and I have to admit that those vocaaaals! Sheesh! Were all of them choir members? I’ve coined this simile; that, South Africans are to singing as Kenyans are to running. Speaking of Kenyans and running, Faith Kipyegon is the current world record holder for the Women’s 5000m race at 𝟏𝟒:𝟎𝟓:𝟐𝟎! Faith broke not just one, but two world records within a week, in the 1500m and 5000m races on June 2 and 9 (2023), respectively. She, like her fellow countryman Eliud Kipchoge, is now the Greatest of All Time (GOAT). Kenya now boasts of having two GOAT runners; one male and one female. Aren’t I one proud Kenyan right about now? You bet I am!
I like sampling new music and as we speak, I am listening to the album, 10 Years and Counting by Sphectacula and DJ Naves. My current favourite song by the duo is called Thel’Umoya; which means “Lord, pour Your Holy Spirit on us”; although that particular song is not in the 10 Years and Counting album, I just wanted to put that out there. 🙂 There is also a Thel’Umoya song by Benjamin Dube that I really love; and the Thel’Umoya by Zaza is amazing too; her vocals are orgasmic! [yes, you read that right 😛 ]
This morning, I listened to a T.D Jakes’ preaching called Caught! and I loved the perspective that the Holy Spirit revealed through that sermon. Bishop Jakes was preaching about the woman who was caught in the act of adultery and the religious leaders approached Jesus asking Him whether they should stone the woman in accordance to the Mosaic Law (John 8:1-11). Their intent was to trap Jesus so that they would have something against Him.
Onto some not-so-random announcement… I have a brand new email address; it’s hello@myfragranceofchrist.com 🙂 If you have a prayer request, article request, ad promotion request…. send those emails through! Email me guys, email me! In the Name of the Lord Jesus, e.m.a.i.l meeee! I am on free trial till August so make this time well worth it.
I’ve another question for you; have you ever done so much folly that you surprise yourself? Like, “what on earth have I done?” That was me yesterday. I may have pushed our good friend to the wall. Pray for me y’all. I am even scared of opening my messages. Lol. I can be out of hand sometimes.
I completed reading the Book of Judges and I must say that the storyline therein is wiiiiild! Whew!
From a father offering his virgin daughter to scoundrels (the Bible’s words, not mine) for her to be raped, to a husband cutting up his concubine and sending pieces of her body to the twelve tribes of Israel, to the son of a prostitute killing seventy of his half brothers on a single stone! It is wild. If you are looking for a movie script, then Judges is your place. Each sub-plot therein had me:
This is my fourth time reading the Book of Judges from start to finish; but this time round, I was studying it in context of the Israelites’ misdeeds that really upset God. If the Israelites’ actions in the Book of Judges left my mouth agape, I wonder what happened in Sodom and Gomorrah that made God burn the place down.
Then the Lord said, “I have heard many complaints against the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They are very evil.
Genesis 18:20 NCV
There must have been astronomical levels of sin(ning) going on there. I mean, how evil were these people?
There are some parallels in the gross misconduct of the Israelites in the Book of Judges and those in Sodom and Gomorrah. For instance, the men had an appetite for sodomizing visitors (by the way, is the noun sodomy derived from Sodom? Just wondering). Let’s take a look:
In Genesis:
“My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” 6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
Genesis 19: 2-6 NIV
What surprised me was Lot’s response to the miscreants:
7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” 9 “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
Genesis 19:7 – 8 NIV
Who in their right mind would give his own daughter(s) to be raped?
In Judges:
Again, we see some wicked men bang on an old man’s house, asking demanding to have sex with his guest…
“You are welcome at my house,” the old man said. “Let me supply whatever you need. Only don’t spend the night in the square.” 21 So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
22 While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have sex with him.”
Judges 19:20-22 NIV
What’s up with that behaviour though?
Some messed up stuff was happening with these folks. Well, just like Lot, the old man responded thus….
….. “No, my friends, don’t be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don’t do this outrageous thing. 24 Look, here is my virgin daughter, and his concubine. I will bring them out to you now, and you can use them and do to them whatever you wish. But as for this man, don’t do such an outrageous thing.”
Genesis 19:23 – 24 NIV
I am perturbed by the fact that both Lot and the old man were ready to offer their virgin daughters to be raped.
I have no words. None.
The interesting thing I noted is that both stories are in the 19th chapter of Genesis and Judges respectively. Reading some passages in the Bible can make those stories seem far fetched, but you know what? There is nothing new under the sun. Look at the sexual deviance we have in society today, the uprising of the pride movement and the LGBTQIA+ agenda and other “liberties” that are casually being adopted in our lifestyles when they are clearly against God’s law. For instance, sex before and/or outside of marriage is normalized in society now. It is totally “okay”… “it happens”.
Look, God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His word changes not. If God says fornication, adultery and other forms of moral corruption are wrong, then they remain wrong regardless of the era we are in. Just because it is widely accepted in society, doesn’t change the fact that they are wrong in God’s eyes.
‘I the Lord do not change.”
Malachi 3:6 NIV
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.
Hebrews 13:8 NIV
God is not human, that he should lie,
Numbers 23:19 NIV
not a human being, that he should change his mind.
So no matter how “woke” society gets, let us stick to the indisputable Word of God as our True North. Now back to Judges….there is this passage that really cracked my up! There is this guy called Micah (you can read about him in Judges 17) who had made some idols from silver and instated a Levite to be a priest in this shrine. I wonder what was so conspicuous about his house because people seemed to always stop by there when on transit.
One fateful day, the Danites decided to raid Micah’s place and look at what transpired:
The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance of the gate.
18 When the five men went into Micah’s house and took the idol, the ephod and the household gods, the priest said to them, ‘What are you doing?’
19 They answered him, ‘Be quiet! Don’t say a word. Come with us, and be our father and priest. Isn’t it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man’s household?’ 20 The priest was very pleased. He took the ephod, the household gods and the idol and went along with the people. 21 Putting their little children, their livestock and their possessions in front of them, they turned away and left.
Judges 18: 17 – 21 NIV
When Micah realized what had happened, he called for help from his neighbors and started shouting after the Danites. Let’s see how that turned out for him:
22 When they had gone some distance from Micah’s house, the men who lived near Micah were called together and overtook the Danites. 23 As they shouted after them, the Danites turned and said to Micah, ‘What’s the matter with you that you called out your men to fight?’
24 He replied, ‘You took the gods I made, and my priest, and went away. What else do I have? How can you ask, “What’s the matter with you?”’
Judges 18:22 – 24 NIV
Verse 24 had my belly aching from laughter……
Haha! Those guys though. Lol.
The Book of Judges invokes all kinds of emotions from the reader; from laughter, to sadness, to outrage, to suspense, to confusion…. you are in for a rollercoaster ride when you read that book. Prepare yourself for an exhilarating time!
I have had such fun writing this article and it is my prayer that you have not only had fun reading this as well, but have also learnt something new about God and some of the lesser known Biblical characters and the not-so-famous Bible stories.
Thank you for staying with me till the end. 🙂 If you are new here, please feel at home. I am elated to have you. Kindly subscribe below to stay up-to-date with the latest articles and join this lovely community of believers.
Speaking of believers, are you reading this article and haven’t given your life to Christ yet? Well, you are a prayer away from salvation. Please repeat the prayer below out loud:
Dear Lord,
Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I believe in my heart that you died and rose again and I confess with my mouth that You are Lord and Saviour in my heart and in my life. I denounce my former ways and choose to be Your child. Thank You for setting me free. I am now born again.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
It’s that simple. You are now born again!
Are you looking forward to reading the Book of Judges? Or if you’ve read it before, what was/is your favourite part? Let me know in the comments section below.
God loves you so much.
XO,
That Lady
#SpreadTheGospel 
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