“They cried to the Lord.”
In response to Israelites cry of distress in the hands of their oppressors, God raised up a deliverer called Othniel. The sequel to the story was, “And the land had rest for 40 years.”
It happened again that they disobeyed God and came under the hands of the Moabites. Again, they cried to the Lord. God raised up a deliverer. This time, it was Ehud. He was left-handed, but this provided him the opportunity to do a daring deed to ensure the deliverance of Israelites from their oppressors. At the end of the story, the land had rest, this time for 80 years.
When they sinned against the Lord again, and were greatly distressed under the hands of Sisera, then they cried to the Lord. Now, God raised up a woman, Deborah, who went up with Barak against the oppressors. At Deborah’s assurance Barak went up to war against Sisera, and the Lord confused and terrified Sisera before Barak. With the intervention of another woman, Jael, Sisera was killed and the land had rest for 40 years.
This story from the book of Judges is very instructive for a number of reasons. First, we see God using the people considered unusual and unexpected to bring deliverance to His people. Ehud as a left-handed man was not considered as a threat by the Moabites, and yet what was considered then as unusual was the very thing God used to bring about deliverance. We see a woman, who at that time was considered as unexpected, raised up as a judge. She was known for her wisdom and courage. God used her to bring deliverance and rest to the Israelites. We also see in the story, God using unusual means to bring victory when Shamgar used an ox goad to kill 600 men.
God indeed works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform in the lives of those who trust in Him and who cry out to Him in their time of distress, oppression and trials. Each time the Israelites turned back to God, He heard them. He responded by raising up a deliverer. He gave them rest and peace from wars and oppression in the hands of their enemies.
I can relate to this story. I had many reasons to cry out to the Lord when my body was battered and weakened under the strain of long-term afflictions. There were nights that the pain and distress was so agonizing that all I could do was to use every strength left in me to cry out to God, “I know You see me where I am right now, deliver me O Lord, from this affliction, deliver me from this pain.” One night, I begged God to knock me out so that I could sleep and not feel any pain or distress. At each time, it seemed that was exactly what God did, He overpowered my distress with His presence and enveloped me with His peace. The rest and peace I experienced is beyond what words can describe. The next thing I saw after that cry was the light of a brand new day, after a long, dark and wearisome night.
Honestly, I can testify that I am experiencing rest and peace in this phase of my life after 20 long years of distress under the strain of affliction. This is what God does for those who put their trust and hope in Him, those who cry out to Him. He gives them rest and peace. It is available to all.
We must also note that the Israelites had rest for only a period. It was for a season; it was not continuous. Because each time they sinned and did evil in God’s sight, there were consequences for their actions. They were weakened, and their enemies were strengthened against them. The hands of God resisted them to such an extent that they suffered agonizing distress in the hands of their enemies.
What an inexpressible joy it gives us as Christians to know that God has raised up a Strong Deliverer, Who came to deliver us from the hands of our many oppressors and enemies. Not only that, He has also given us the assurance of everlasting rest. His name is Jesus Christ, and it is only in Him that we find true rest.
Rest is God-given, but it must also be a response to Jesus’ command in Mark 6:31: “Come away by yourselves and rest a while.”
This is an imperative that requires a deliberate and conscious action. Even more important in the busy lives we tend to live.
When our list of things to do each day is as long as our arms, the tendency is to begin to run around like a headless chicken and dissipate our energy without accomplishing much. But when we take time to dwell quietly in the presence of God and commit our plans, tasks and assignment to God, He gives us clarity, insight and direction.
Jesus commanded us to come away from the noise and the hustle and bustle of daily life to a solitary quiet place, and rest for a period. This may be in the form of a vacation or a personal retreat. This type of rest gives us clearer perspectives, improving our efficiency and making us more productive in quantity and quality.
Be assured that in whatever situation you may be in, you can cry out to God. He will hear you, work things out in His mysterious way to bring you into a place of rest. I encourage you also to heed Jesus’s command: take a break, go away to a quiet place and get a good rest. It will do you a world of good.