Lasting Deliverance

Judges 6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. Here is a summary of the book of Judges: Israel turned from the Lord, and went after false gods. The Lord turned them over to their enemies. Israel repented, and God delivered them by empowering a judge who brought them back to the Lord. After the judge would die, Israel would turn from God, and the cycle would begin again. It was a cycle of sin that kept on turning, and it revealed the weakness of man and his inability to keep God's law. Has anything really changed since then? Are we any better at avoiding the cycle of sin? No, we are not any better, but yes, everything has changed! Jesus, the righteous judge (2 Timothy 4:8) has set us free from the cycle of sin by paying the price for all of our sins. In Paul's words "the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). Even though our flesh may still fail to please Him, His grace has brought us into a new world of fellowship with God and overcoming power against the enemy. Deliverance has come to stay!