Judg 3:9 | KingComments | STEP | From this situation, Israel can only be delivered by a man like Othniel. We have already met him in Judges 1 ( ). There he emerges as a faithful man and an overcomer within his own circle. He is someone who has interest for the blessing of God. He lets himself be inspired to act in faith. The starting point of his life is the Word of God. After all, he has taken Debir, hasn’t he ( )? Debir means ‘speaking of God’. We have also seen in Judges 1 how important his relationship with Achsah is. His marriage to Achsah shows that he does not participate in the general sin of Israel mentioned in of this chapter. He did not take a wife from the nations, but one from the people of God. He abides by God’s Word. To say it with a word from 1 Corinthians 7, he marries “in the Lord” ( ). Because he is personally free from the sins of the people, God can use him. All these things make it clear how things stand in Othniel’s personal life. He who does not manage his affairs at home according to God’s Word should not think that he can do anything for the benefit of the whole people. “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much” ( ). The education at home, in the family, is still the best preparation for serving the Lord in the church. As has already been mentioned, today we recognize the judges mainly in the overseers or elders in the church. It is written of an overseer that it must be someone “who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)” ( ). These are the people who can help other believers today to escape the grip of the world that has caught them again. With their help these believers can enjoy God’s triumphs again.

‏ Judges 3:9

Othniel

From this situation, Israel can only be delivered by a man like Othniel. We have already met him in Judges 1 (Jdg 1:13-15). There he emerges as a faithful man and an overcomer within his own circle. He is someone who has interest for the blessing of God. He lets himself be inspired to act in faith. The starting point of his life is the Word of God. After all, he has taken Debir, hasn’t he (Jdg 1:12-13)? Debir means ‘speaking of God’.

We have also seen in Judges 1 how important his relationship with Achsah is. His marriage to Achsah shows that he does not participate in the general sin of Israel mentioned in Jdg 3:5-6 of this chapter. He did not take a wife from the nations, but one from the people of God. He abides by God’s Word. To say it with a word from 1 Corinthians 7, he marries “in the Lord” (1Cor 7:39). Because he is personally free from the sins of the people, God can use him. All these things make it clear how things stand in Othniel’s personal life.

He who does not manage his affairs at home according to God’s Word should not think that he can do anything for the benefit of the whole people. “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much” (Lk 16:10). The education at home, in the family, is still the best preparation for serving the Lord in the church.

As has already been mentioned, today we recognize the judges mainly in the overseers or elders in the church. It is written of an overseer that it must be someone “who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)” (1Tim 3:4-5). These are the people who can help other believers today to escape the grip of the world that has caught them again. With their help these believers can enjoy God’s triumphs again.