Judges 3 and 4 recounts that God leaves the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites in the Promised Land to test Israel and see if they will obey the commandments of the Lord. They were to keep separated from the other nations and not take their gods. But instead they marry the women from these nations and give their daughters to marry them. They begin to worship the Baals and Asherahs (gods and goddesses).  God becomes angry and allows the king of Aram to conquer them and rule them for 8 years.

The people cry out to the Lord and God raises up Othniel, Caleb’s brother as a judge over Israel. He goes to war and defeats the king of Aram. Othniel is the judge over a peaceful Israel for 40 years. When he dies the Israelites again disobey God’s commandments and this time God turns them over to the king of Moab for 18 years.

The people cry out to the Lord and God sends Ehud, who kills the king of Moab and defeats the Moabites and there is peace for 80 years. After Ehud dies the people again disobey God’s commandments. So King Jabin of Canaan oppresses them for 20 years.

The people cry out to the Lord. God appoints the prophetess Deborah to be judge over Israel. Deborah summons Barak from Naphtali to gather troops to defeat Sisera the general of Jabin’s army. Barak confronts Sisera’s army at Mount Tabor. The army is killed by Sisera escapes. He goes to Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses’ father-in-law. Heber is allies with Jabin. Jael agrees to hide Sisera in her tent. Jael turns on Sisera and kills him. As Barak comes by in pursuit of Sisera, Jael shows the dead general to him. The Israelites destroy the king of Canaan.

We are beginning to see a pattern here. As generations pass the people forget the commandments of God and are disobedient. God punishes the people but shows them mercy when they cry out to Him. Each new judge is able to keep the people in check for their lifetime. But memory fades again.

With Mark 1 we return to the gospels. Mark is the shortest of the gospel accounts. It is considered to be source material for Matthew and Luke. Mark tells the story of Jesus life as a hurried account of immediate events.

As the gospel begins John the baptizer appears in the wilderness proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Many people come to him to confess their sins and be baptized in the Jordan. John tells them that someone is coming who will baptize them with more than water. He will baptize them with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus also comes to John for baptism. As Jesus comes out of the water the Holy Spirit comes on him like a dove and God’s voice comes from heaven saying that Jesus is His Son with whom God is pleased.

Immediately the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness where he is tempted by Satan. He is there for 40 days. The number 40 continues to be significant as a time of testing: the 40 days and nights of the flood, the 40 years in the wilderness for the people of Israel, and the 40 days of temptation for Jesus. These experiences are meant to prepare the chosen person or people for the task ahead. Jesus is prepared and wastes no time.

John is arrested and Jesus goes to Galilee to declare the God’s kingdom is here. Jesus sees some fishermen: Andrew, Simon, James and John. He calls to them to follow him and they come immediately. Jesus goes to Capernaum on the Sabbath and teaches in the synagogue astounding the listeners. A demon-possessed man calls out to Jesus acknowledging that he is the Holy One of God and has come to destroy the demons. Jesus orders them out of the man and they leave. People recognize that Jesus has an authority they have not seen before.

They leave the synagogue and go to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick and Jesus heals her.

Everywhere Jesus goes people come to be healed. Jesus also teaches in the synagogues wherever he goes. (Doesn’t this remind you of Paul?). A man with leprosy comes to Jesus and says with confidence that if Jesus chooses he can make him clean. Jesus chooses and the man is made clean. Jesus tells the man not to tell anyone about the healing but only go to a priest to make an offering of cleansing, just as Moses commanded. But the man cannot keep quiet and soon Jesus cannot go into towns but stays in the country where people come to him.

So much has happened in just the first chapter. Can’t you feel the excitement of this telling of the good news? It is hard to stop reading.