True Strength

Judges 2-4; 6-8; 13-16 |May 30-June 5

After Joshua died, the Israelites forgot the Lord. Each time they forgot the Lord, they suffered from wars, captivity, and destruction. Their struggles would often remind them that they needed to turn back to the Lord and they would pray for help. When the people repented, the Lord would send a deliverer or a military leader called a “judge” to help them. Not all of the judges were righteous, but some had great faith and gained strength from the Lord. Some of these righteous judges were Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. Samson was blessed with great strength through his covenants with God. Samson later lost his strength when he broke his covenants. We learn throughout the Book of Judges that when the Israelites remembered the Lord they were blessed with His strength, and when they forget the Lord they were left to their own strength and suffered. True strength comes from the Lord.

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Scripture

Judges 3:7–9

“And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God… Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia…. And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them”

Questions

What happened to the Israelites when they forgot the Lord?
What happened to the Israelites when they repented and remembered the Lord again?
Were the Israelites stronger on their own or with the help of the Lord?
How can we have the strength of the Lord in our lives?

Quote

“…the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. And the promise is real that we can become new, changed, and better. And we can become stronger for the tests of life. We then go in the strength of the Lord, a strength developed in His service. He goes with us. And in time we become His tested and strengthened disciples.” Henry B. EyringGET THE FULL LESSON >

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Activity

Turning Bitter to Sweet

The Israelites suffered through bitter times when they forgot the Lord, but were blessed with strength when they repented. Use this object lesson to demonstrate the sweetness of repentance.