Reading with Ben

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Ruth.

This is episode #01 chapters 01 & 02.

Ruth Chapter 1, begins a story of commitment and dedication between two friends – Naomi and Ruth.

Ruth Chapter 2, Ruth, the widowed daughter-in-law of Naomi, goes to glean barley from the field of Boaz, Naomi’s wealthy kinsman. Boaz arrives from Bethlehem, sees the reapers in his field and blesses them. Then he sees Ruth, who is not an Israelite but a Moabite, and he asks his servant who she is.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #11 chapters 21.

Judges Chapter 21, of Judges begins with the children of Israel remembering a vow the made not to give their daughters to the men of Benjamin to wife. This is sad because we’re ending the book of Judges, since this is the last chapter.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #10 chapters 19 & 20.

Judges Chapter 19, starts with another reiteration that there was no king in Israel during these days of the judges, and the people and land was just in utter disorder.

Judges Chapter 20, begins with the tribes of Israel being distraught over the evil done against the Levite and his concubine in the previous chapter.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #09 chapters 17 & 18.

Judges Chapter 17, Micah builds a house of worship and hires a young Levite to serve as his priest.

Judges Chapter 18,  begins with a reiteration of the fact that Israel had no king during these days.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #08 chapters 15 & 16.

Judges chapter 15, summary was Samson’s revenge. The chapter began as Samson returned to visit his wife, at least what he thought was his wife. However, his would-be-father-in-law would not allow him to see his “wife” because he’d already given her away to Samson’s friend.

He did this because he believed Samson was upset that she gave up his riddle to those men at their wedding feast. So Samson’s would-be-father-in-law offered Samson’s would-be wife’s younger sister (he even had a unique selling proposition; she was prettier than her sister).

Judges chapter 16, summary began with a not so “Godly” story of Samson. He heads up to Gaza and gets a prostitute and lays with her.

While in Gaza, some Philistines spot him and lay wait for him to kill him.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #07 chapters 13 & 14.

Judges chapter 13 summary began with the story of a husband and wife who couldn’t have a child. The man was from the family of the tribe of Dan.

In Israel at this time, they had strayed away from God and as a result, they were in forced servitude to the Philistines for forty years. The man’s name is Manoah. In a bizarre event, an angel appeared to his wife who told her she would have a child soon.

Judges chapter 14, summary begins with a grown Samson seeing a beautiful woman of the daughters of Philistines and asking his parents to get her for him to wife.

Parents getting their sons wives was a tradition in the ole days and a Hebrew custom.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #06 chapters 11 & 12.

Judges Chapter 11, begins with a mighty man of valour named Jephthah who stands up to lead Israel against the Ammonites.

The Bible records him as the son of a harlot, so you can have humble beginnings and rise to greatness.

Judges chapter 12, summary begins with the men of Ephraim getting upset that they were not called to war with Jephthah.

They threaten to burn his house down because he didn’t call them.

Some people really like to fight. Jephthah actually had to fight against the men of Ephraim over this, and the men of Ephraim got slaughtered.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #05 chapters 09 & 10.

Judges chapter 9, summary had to be done in two part. Part 1 began with that one son of Jerubbaal, Abimelech, who was crafting a swift takeover of family leadership.

He went to get the men of Shechem behind him, using family as his campaign message.

They agreed and gave him money, which he used to hire vain and light thugs to be his enforcement crew. He goes to his father’s house at Ophrah, killing all his brothers, except one who hid himself. The one who hid was named Jotham.

Judges chapter 10, summary began with the new judge who arose after Abimelech’s death. The judge was a man from the tribe of Issachar. He arose in Israel and his name was Tola. He judged Israel for twenty-three years before he died.

After Tola, a man named Jair judged 22 years. Jair is noted to have had thirty sons. He was a busy man in family affairs. However, after Jair, Israel went back to the pagan gods of Baalim and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, Zidon, Moab, Ammon, and the Philistines.

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #04 chapters 07 & 08.

Judges chapter 7, summary it began with Gideon, now known as Jerubbaal. He prepared to attack the Midianites with his army.

God let’s him know he has too many men in his army; they may believe they conquered Midian on their own strength and numbers.

God orders Gideon to send some men home. Jerubbaal was left with ten thousand, which God still thought was too much.

Judges chapter 8, this chapter began with the children of Ephraim. They were upset with Gideon because he did not call them, initially, to the battle.

Fortunately and unfortunately, some people really enjoy a good fight, battle, or war. Gideon settled their frustration; he also continued to pursue the kings of Midian, namely Zebah and Zalmunna. Gideon asked the men of a town named Succoth to provide food for his small army.

They refused, and they demanded he first captures the kings of Midian. This was a way of saying, “finish the work, then get bread.” It also screamed, “we don’t think you can do it.”

Welcome back to Reading with Ben! Let's continue the lecture on the book of Judges.

This is episode #03 chapters 05 & 06.

Judges chapter 5, summary began as Deborah and Barak sang praises to their God. Why were they singing praises? It was because their God had allowed them to overcome their enemies.

Joyful times arose when Deborah arose in Israel as a mother. She sang the historical records and praises to the LORD God. She cursed those who did not come to help Israel and bless those that did, namely Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.

Judges chapter 6, summary is going to tell us about a man who judged Israel named Gideon. The chapter began as the Israelites turned away from God, returning to their evil ways in the sight of the LORD.

Because of this, God delivered them into the hands of the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites took everything from Israel, and Israel became greatly impoverished because of the Midianites. The Israelites did what they would normally do when oppressed; they went crying to God for help.

God sent them a prophet who told them what they did and remind them of all the good works God has done for them. Next, an angel was sent to a man named Gideon, a mighty man of valor.

Gideon asked the angel why all the hardship had fallen on Israel. The LORD told him to go in all his might and save Israel from the Midianites. The Sovereign LORD asked him, “haven’t I sent you,” therefore go with confidence.