Articles
“In His Own Eyes”
“In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right . . .” (Judges 17:6).
Imagine it! A time in Israel’s history when everyone did what was right!
But if you know your Bible, you recognize that something is missing from the verse, as indicated by the three dots following the word “right.” The omitted phrase serves as the title of this article.
The book of Judges records a deadly recurring cycle. Israel would fall away from God, then God would punish them by means of a foreign oppressor such as the Midianites or Philistines.
When Israel would cry out to God for help, He would send them a deliverer. But after a period of relief from oppression, Israel would go right back into apostasy again, and the cycle continued.
But why? They forgot the God who had blessed them, turning instead to worthless idols. And so it went downhill from there.
"The period covered in the book of Judges has aptly been termed the 'dark ages' of Israel" (Charles Pledge, Getting Acquainted With the Old Testament, Vol. 2, p. 35).
So many people today are leaning on their own understanding, guided by their own subjective feelings (Prov. 3:5-6; 14:12; 28:26a; Jer. 10:23; 17:9; 2 Tim. 4:1-4). They do what is right in their own eyes. Is it any surprise that chaos reigns?
So in our own dark age what is the answer?
". . . to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:15 NASB).
". . . that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light . . ." (1 Peter 2:9).
Lord, help us this very day to do just that!
