Judg 6:2 | KingComments | STEP | Never before had the Israelites sunk so deeply. They are forced to be vagrants and refugees in their own land and they lose their freedom. This is the result when God’s people no longer appreciate the things of God. The people are scattered, each digs his own hiding place, there is no unity anymore. In a community of Christians where people can no longer enjoy together the blessings that God has given, where people no longer listen together to the Bible, quarrels and struggles easily prevail. Instead of looking at the Lord Jesus together, they look at each other. In doing so, one does not try to discover anything of the Lord Jesus in each other, but is annoyed by each other. The relationships can then become so clouded that there is no longer any trust in each other. Instead of friendship, openness, trust, freedom, we keep our mouth shut and avoid each other. Suspicion comes and whispers behind the hand. They have buried themselves in their own positions, the dens and caves and the strongholds. It will be a trench war. The end is that people bite and devour each other ( ). In this way the beauty of the Christian fellowship is corrupted and long-term friendships are broken. Lives embitter and faith communities explode.

‏ Judges 6:2

In the Dens, the Caves and the Strongholds

Never before had the Israelites sunk so deeply. They are forced to be vagrants and refugees in their own land and they lose their freedom. This is the result when God’s people no longer appreciate the things of God. The people are scattered, each digs his own hiding place, there is no unity anymore.

In a community of Christians where people can no longer enjoy together the blessings that God has given, where people no longer listen together to the Bible, quarrels and struggles easily prevail. Instead of looking at the Lord Jesus together, they look at each other. In doing so, one does not try to discover anything of the Lord Jesus in each other, but is annoyed by each other. The relationships can then become so clouded that there is no longer any trust in each other.

Instead of friendship, openness, trust, freedom, we keep our mouth shut and avoid each other. Suspicion comes and whispers behind the hand. They have buried themselves in their own positions, the dens and caves and the strongholds. It will be a trench war. The end is that people bite and devour each other (Gal 5:15). In this way the beauty of the Christian fellowship is corrupted and long-term friendships are broken. Lives embitter and faith communities explode.