6th.: In time of affliction, ‘Cry out to the Lord’
In what was becoming rather routine,
“... the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of [various enemies].” (Judg. 6:1).
Because
“... I said unto you, ‘I am the Lord your God. Fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell. But ye have not obeyed my voice.’” (Judg. 6:10)
Judg. 5:8a puts it as, “They chose new gods.”
Whenever the Jews worshipped other gods,
1. God would send enemies to punish them.
2. The Jews eventually remembered the Lord God (Judg. 5:11b).
3. The people of Israel would then gather together at the gates (Judg. 5:11d), and
”children of Israel cried unto the Lord.” (Judg. 6:6b).
Difficult times can come upon us for any number of different reasons.
1. Maybe because we have put other things in front of God. In such cases, we need to repent [turn away] from those other things, and put God first in our lives.
If this is the reason, then it is good to “Cry out to the Lord, and confess our sins to Him, asking for His mercy and help.”
“In their affliction they will seek me early. “ (Hos. 5:15b)
“For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives.” (Heb. 12:6)