Good day, everyone. Let's look at the third chapter of Judges. From beginning to end, the Book of Judges reveals a very important message. What exactly is this important message? If we look at it from the perspective of daily life, you may feel confused as to why God allows so many things to happen. Some people say, "God, why do you let me experience so many disasters?" Actually, God doesn't really care what you experience.

The theme of this chapter is "God is a God who tests people." Did you know that Chinese Mingding Destiny has a logical system? What is this logical system? God wants to choose treasures and discard the useless. Who is arranged to deal with those useless things? Demons are arranged to take them away. So if you look closely, you'll see how complex things are in this world, and you'll find that there are many foolish people. What seems extremely foolish in the eyes of people is actually wise in the eyes of God. I am particularly moved and surprised that such a good God exists, yet people do not come to love Him. Is our God good? God is very good! Then why can't people love this God well? They have to experience some disasters first. They just won't be content without experiencing some disasters. I really can't understand it.

Even now, you are still experiencing various things. I tell you, if you don't experience these things, if it doesn't hurt here or there, you won't come to seek God. If you are doing well, getting everything you want, having money and everything else, then you might not even know where you would be right now. So sometimes I feel that those people who are living prosperous lives but also fervently loving God are truly treasures. I've searched for a long time and haven't found many.

I. God Faces a Difficult Choice

Do you know that God really wants us to have a good life? Why did He bring us out of Egypt? He wanted us to have a good life. Why did He bring us to the Promised Land? He wanted us to have a good life. What God wants to give us is a land flowing with milk and honey. Alas, people just don't want it. What kind of mind is that? Ten spies entered the land of Canaan, carrying a large tree branch covered with fruit.

After twelve spies went in, they were able to return safely. Wasn't that because God allowed them to return? But they told the Israelites that there were giants in Canaan and they couldn't go in. I was thinking, what kind of mind is that? God wanted them to have a good life, but they didn't want to have a good life. They just wanted to die in the wilderness. That's the kind of people they were. So God left two of the ten spies, Joshua and Caleb.

The Israelites said, "Were there no graves in Egypt that you brought us to die here? Why must we go in to die?" I never understood. They had already taken a tour, experienced God, and God had brought them back safely. Why couldn't they go in again? I tell you, God tests people through warfare. If you are afraid to fight, you will not obtain the Promised Land.

I have seen many people, and even now, I am still confused by some very strange phenomena. I recently ministered to a person who said, "I want to die, I want to commit suicide." I said, "You have the heart to commit suicide, but why don't you have the heart to live on?" He said, "No, I'm afraid that in the future I won't have the ability to commit suicide." Then I tell you, it's easy to commit suicide. Learn from me and fast and pray for eighty days. You don't have to do anything, don't use your hands, and don't use your mouth. So sometimes I joke that one day I'll tell you I'm going to fast and pray for eighty days. Do you think that's really fasting and praying? That's just an appearance.

God wanted the Israelites to have a good life, but they didn't want it. As the Israelites lived a good life, they abandoned God. Isn't that very wicked? When the Israelites lived a hard life, they began to call on God, and then God saved them. Later, I discovered that aren't people all driven into the church by demons? I rarely see a person who is doing well in life, getting everything they want, and still believing in the Lord. I really haven't seen that kind of person, including myself. It's always when things are in a mess that they say, "I want to find a God!" That's how we all came to be. I am particularly moved. Why can't people live a good life? If they can live a good life, why don't they live it well? Why do they have to seek death? This is something I don't understand, and I think God doesn't understand it either.

Later, I discovered that God is a God who tests people. God does this on purpose. You say He does it on purpose, but why does He do it? Because God is a God who tests people. Even now, I tell you, no one chooses to leave the church while suffering. Among us, people leave the church when their lives are going well. Why? Because they feel, "What do I need you for?" People come to the church when they are about to die, and then they leave when they get better. I don't understand that either. I'm not that foolish. After I first met God, I felt that this God was good! This God is so good! I will never forsake my God in my life. Why? Because who knows what might happen one day.

Why should I forsake God to worship idols, and then God makes me live a hard life, and I call on God, and God saves me? Then I live a good life again, and then I forsake God again, and worship idols again, and then live a hard life again. Can't I live a good life? Do I have to be attacked by the enemies that the Lord sends, and then I call on God? I want to stay in God, I want to live in Jesus Christ. I hope everyone can be like this! Some people, with one move, go back to before liberation. One moment they are liberated, the next moment they are back to before liberation, one moment they are liberated, the next moment they are back to before liberation. If you are still not content, then let you go back to before creation, let you live in emptiness and chaos.

God really doesn't care about this matter. What is God doing? God is choosing treasures. If you don't know what God is doing, you think He is letting you live your life. God doesn't care about that. God is choosing treasures. When you look at it from this perspective, you will understand. You think your life is important to God, but God doesn't care much. For example, if you choose to forsake God when your life is going well, then forsake Him. You know, sometimes when people forsake God, they forsake Him for eighteen years.

Some people die in those eighteen years. If they die, then they die. Do you think God really cares? He doesn't care. God doesn't care if people die, and God doesn't care if people live. God cares about whether people are the treasures He wants. That's why I say God is a God who tests people. Everyone should think about whether you want to be a treasure in God's kingdom or garbage in God's eyes.

II. God Left These Nations to Test Israel

Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars of Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it). (Judges 3:1-2)

Look, these are the ones that were left. These nations were left to test the Israelites, to see if they would obey the commandments of the Lord and Moses, which He had commanded their ancestors. Ah, it's just to test them, to see if you are willing to keep the commandments of the Lord God. That's all it is. There is no sin that people cannot endure, only blessings that they cannot enjoy. If you can truly enjoy the blessings you can enjoy, then you are a blessed person, but some people really cannot enjoy these blessings.

God left these nations to test the Israelites, to test whether the Israelites were treasures, whether they would keep His commandments, because God's kingdom is full of treasures. So traditional theology says that in 2012, I was baptized, received grace, and was saved, and after I die, I will go to heaven. That is the logical system of traditional theology. But can they really go up? I don't see it. I really don't see that this person is a treasure in God's eyes. If I see them as garbage, of course, my eyesight is not good either. If people are upset when they see them, how upset must God be? My standards are so low, and God's standards are so high. It's all about testing.

Why does God do all these things? God does so many things in this world. He brought Jacob to Egypt through Joseph, made them slaves in Egypt, and then brought the Israelites out of Egypt through Moses. There are so many stories like this. Ah, it's upsetting to watch. Then they entered the wilderness. Oh, what a torment. After entering the wilderness, they worshiped the golden calf. After messing around with the golden calf for a long time, they were struck down by God again.

The Israelites were trained and trained, and then they were brought to the banks of the Jordan River, Kadesh Barnea. Later, twelve spies were sent in. Why not just go in directly? No, the twelve spies made up ten spies. Did God not know about this? Did God know that the ten spies would talk nonsense? He knew, and then they were killed by God for reporting bad news. The Israelites said, "Moses, you have killed God's people." These stories are exhausting to watch.

Later, I understood that God has clear love and hate. God will keep His covenant and show mercy to those who love Him to a thousand generations, but He will punish the sins of those who hate Him to the fourth generation. That's still pretty good. A thousand generations is much more than four generations. The entire Bible, from Judges back to Genesis, don't you understand? Why did you have to create a tree of the knowledge of good and evil? And why did you have to make the tree look good? Why didn't you make it look ugly, with thorns? As a result, the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil looked delicious, and it also gave them wisdom after eating it. And then they were told that after eating it, they would be able to distinguish good and evil like God. Oh my goodness, that sounds like it's going to kill people.

Are we all facing confusion? You don't need to be confused. God said, "I just want to put a tree there, I just want to test whether you will carefully keep and follow my commandments. If you don't follow them, one or more will die. Do I care? I don't care if a few more die." God really didn't care! You need to know that God doesn't care whether you leave the church or not. God doesn't care whether you live or die, whether you suffer or not, or whether you go to the underworld peacefully. God only cares about one thing: "This is a treasure, I want it!" God wants to take the treasure into His kingdom.

So this concept is not new. When I used to read the Bible, do you know how I read it? Few people read it like me. I read one English Bible until it was worn out because it was all paper back then. Now it's hard to wear them out because they are all on tablets or phones. You can wear out the phone and then install another one. There were many new words in the English Bible. I didn't know many words, so I needed to mark them with notes.

I read three Chinese Bibles, but now I read electronic versions, so it's hard to wear them out unless the phone breaks. I would read until two in the morning and then get up the next morning to go to work. What I'm saying may sometimes be exaggerated. It's not every day, definitely not every day, but much of the time it was like that. I filled the Bibles I read with writing.

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. (Proverbs 17:3)

Have you read this verse? God is the God who refines people's hearts. So sometimes, do we care about what God cares about? If you care about what God cares about, you know the Lord God, you know His actions. That's great. Don't care about your little trivial matters, don't be silly.

Some people are particularly silly. Last night I was ministering to a person, and I was teaching him how to become smart. I said, "You need to think about what the rewards are for doing this." As a result, he got angry. You need to know what the rewards are for doing that thing. Your temper is useless. He said, "That's true." I said, "If you can earn ten thousand dollars by doing this thing, and you can lose ten thousand dollars by doing that thing, which one do you do?" He said, "Of course I do the one that earns ten thousand dollars." I said, "What about a million?" He said, "Of course I want that even more." What about ten million? What about a billion? He said, "I want it." I discovered that people in this world often do stupid things, unbelievably stupid. For example, when I was talking yesterday, I mentioned a person who is still waiting for someone to apologize to him. I don't know what he wants to do with an apology. He's just being silly.

So God planted a tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and then people ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After eating it, people bullied him, and he went home feeling bad. After feeling bad at home, he got sick after a while and went to the hospital to see a doctor and spend money. How many points did he lose? First, he was taken advantage of. Second, he went home angry and lost two points. Third, he got sick and went to the hospital to see a doctor. Fourth, God doesn't like you anymore, He hates you because you ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and God sends a few little demons. Ah, what kind of mind is that?

I tell you, the Book of Judges records that people like to live their lives. People just like to live their lives. Look, they marry and are given in marriage, they plant and build, they buy and sell, they live their lives. As a result, as they live their lives, they forsake God, as they live their lives, they incur God's wrath, as they live their lives, they die. If people want to live their lives, and living their lives is their core interest, then they will attract old Ma. You slowly think about it. As you live your lives, no matter what kind of life you live, whether you live the life of a wealthy family or the life of a small family, whether you are a lady from a wealthy family or a daughter from a humble family, or a child from a poor family, in the end, as you live your lives, you will attract God's wrath.

So remember, why do people forsake God? Because of living their lives. Why do they become garbage in God's eyes? Living their lives. Why do they worship idols? Because trusting in the true God is not easy, His requirements are too high. So God finally regards living life as a test for people. As they live their lives, they end up in the garbage heap.

III. Living Life, Living Life, They Forsake God

Ah, how do they live this life? Because God left these nations. Ah, there are clan leaders and wealthy families on the Israeli side. There are also wealthy families on the Canaanite side. Ah, across a main road, one side is the Canaanites, and the other side is the Israelites. Are they well-matched? They are well-matched. The son of their family likes the daughter of the wealthy family across the road, and the son of the other family likes the daughter of the wealthy family on the Israeli side. And then? Originally, they couldn't do this, but the two children loved each other to death, and they couldn't be separated or broken apart.

Later, something else happened. They didn't come back last night. I tell you, there's trouble. What should they do? Oh, I tell you, when the parents stop them, the child becomes despondent. If the parents want to break them up, suddenly the 'sixth brother' jumps into the river. When the daughter on the Israeli side sees this, she says, "Oh, my brother jumped into the river, I'll come with you." As a result, the parents of both families say, "Why is this necessary?"

I'm telling a story. I ask you, if you were the parents of those children, what would you do? It's difficult. As a result, the son on this side likes the daughter on that side again. Ah, let's not do this anymore, let's not stop them. Let's call the parents on that side and have a ceremony first, and fulfill the children. Then they live the life of in-laws. As they live their lives, it's Chinese New Year, let's send them something, and then they send something here, and they send something there. They wrap some rice dumplings here, and they wrap some dumplings there. That's about it. The two families send things back and forth and live like this.

Another thing happened. What? The two families partnered to do business. The two families partnered to do business. I tell you, don't think I'm making this up. I'm telling the truth. The two families partnered to do business, and as they did business, they lost money. When they lost money, both families were upset, right? They were very upset. They got together and drank in silence, saying to the mother-in-law, "You pray to your God, and I'll pray to my God." Ah, I think you should pray to your God this month, and I'll pray to my God next month. As a result, when the Israelites prayed to God, they lost a lot of money. It didn't work. Next month it was the other family's turn, and when they prayed, they made a lot of money. I ask you, which one works? The God of the Gentiles works.

So sometimes I tell the brothers and sisters among us, "If you want to live a good life, hurry up and worship idols. Maybe it will work." If you want to be a treasure in God's eyes, come and worship this God. But the goals are different, so can the results be the same? The Israelites threw away the cross in their homes, threw away Jesus, threw away Jehovah, and replaced them with their Baal. As a result, when they changed, their business was extremely prosperous, and the Israelites became Gentiles.

If they live like this, where can they go? I tell you, if you want to do business, if you want to make money, I tell you, don't worship this God! If you want to gain life, if you want to live happily, joyfully, and well, trust in this God well, but that's not the goal. Living well is not the goal.

If Christians cannot see through the matter of living, if Christians cannot describe the matter of living as what? Living and living and then dying. If Christians are still living in the stage of basic needs, you cannot love God. How is it possible to love God? That's what I'm saying. You don't even have the qualifications to love the world. First, get some qualifications to love the world. After you have the qualifications, you have the qualifications to love the world, and then come when you also have the qualifications to love God. You don't even have the qualifications to love the world, living foolishly like that, right? Let's not even mention loving God or not loving God. I don't even like talking about this anymore. Why? Ah, it's useless even if I talk about it.

So if people don't know that living is vanity of vanities, then you should pursue loving the world well. If you believe that living is vanity of vanities, then you should pursue eternal life, because God is the God of eternal life. We value what God values, and we don't value what God doesn't value. A person's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. I have to tell you that one disaster will send you to the west, not the Western free world, but the Western Paradise. Go to Paradise, that place is very good.

Let's talk about the disaster. It is said that there was a couple in Zhuhai who were getting a divorce, and when they were dividing their property, they didn't divide it well. As a result, they became angry and drove a car and killed more than thirty people and then committed suicide. He made a profit, earning the lives of more than thirty people and seriously injuring more than forty people. I was thinking that the driver was not wronged, but those who died were wronged. You were just sitting on the threshold, sitting on the curb, and suddenly you were gone. One second you were looking at your phone, and the next second the phone was looking at you. That's how you were gone. Don't you think this is vanity? Don't you think it's a tragedy that people in this world live like this?

I tell you, young children need to know that living is vanity of vanities. Where does the pressure come from? Ah, what's the point of severe punishment? It's just one life. What can you do after punishing them? If punishment worked, it would have worked long ago. The things in this world remind us again and again, and we don't know who it will happen to. I tell you, those who were run over and killed, the day before they still thought, "Wow, I support Trump." If people don't know God, they live and live and then die, and they just think about living their lives all day long, not knowing when they can poop or pee, and they still think they are great. What can you do? Isn't this going to kill them?

So brothers and sisters, learn a lesson from the Israelites. I'm afraid you won't learn the lesson. If a person has experienced God, are you willing to know God better? Don't forsake God! A few nights ago, I received a message. He said, "Teacher, I want to leave the church. I am that foolish person." Why? Because nothing is happening anymore. Ten years ago, he came to the church when he was about to die, because when he was pursuing life, he was so arrogant with a little money in his hand. Later, he got a deadly disease, and the money was gone, so he came to me.

Do you think the work I do is a little upsetting? You say they come to me, but when they are doing well, they rarely come to me and say, "Teacher, I want to share some joy with you." There's no such thing. What is it all? They all come to me when they are about to die, when they can't poop, can't pee, have difficulty breathing, can't eat. It's all these things. I thank God! This is my job. I know what I'm doing. Sometimes I silently feel a little bit of sadness, but thank God, God wants to find treasures, and I want to be a treasure in God's eyes. That's my heart's desire.

So people live their little lives, and as they live their lives, disasters come, as they live their lives, they go to worship idols, as they live their lives, they go to pursue a good life. A few days ago, I found my Facebook account. In the blink of an eye, it had been seven or eight years since I had logged in. When I went in again, oh my goodness! I was shocked. I found that this person had died, and that person had died. They were all people I knew. Ah, people had died, but Facebook was still there. There was another person, and I wasn't sure if he was still alive, but his last update was in 2021. Was 2021 when COVID-19 happened? I don't know. Ah, many people died.

There was someone who became a preacher and then stopped. Oh, holding his child, full of joy. The child was also joyful, and he was also joyful. They were living a prosperous and happy life. I was thinking, a picture flashed in my mind, disaster is coming soon. People said, "Teacher, why are you still praying for this?" I said, "Living life is all about living life, and the joy of family replaces God." What happens when God is replaced? As they live their lives, they incur God's wrath.

I ask you, those who were killed by the car, they were still trying to get into good elementary schools, and they had just bought a school district house for their children. Anyway, they had many plans. They wanted to get a degree, write a thesis, anyway, they filled their lives up. Worship God? Where would they have time? Chinese Mingding Destiny? Don't even mention it. They will talk about that stuff when they encounter a disaster.

Recently, there was a couple where the husband couldn't pee, his legs were numb, and he couldn't walk. There was another couple, from a preacher's family, who had believed in the Lord since they were young, and they came to Shanghai to work. Guess how they came to me? Would they come to me if they were okay? How could they come to me if they had good things happen? "Teacher, we bought a house, and I collected so much rent, I'll give you half." There's no such thing. No, of course I don't want it either.

They were hit by a falling heavy object, and their legs were crushed. As a result, they became paralyzed, and they came to seek God. Doesn't that sound like the Book of Judges? Living life corrupts people! If people don't know how to fear God, they don't know when one day their legs will be paralyzed. Do you not need to fear God? As people live their lives, they forsake God.

I really have to remind everyone, including myself, I have to wake up. Some people died during COVID-19. You can't call them anymore, and they can't call you anymore. If they come to call you, you'll be scared to death. At night, they come to call you, "Hey, I'm here." That would be terrifying. Yesterday, when I looked at Facebook, ah, this one died of cancer, that one died of cancer, and another one died of COVID-19. I still felt a little sad in my heart. When they were living their lives, why didn't they consider this? It's useless to remind them! These people still thought they loved God very much and carefully followed God's word.

IV. Living Life, Living it in a Way That Provokes God's Wrath

Living life with your core interests will certainly provoke God's wrath and lead to troubles. I tell you, this is true for the Israelites and Christians in the world. Why? Because in life, ordinary days do not determine your future, but a disaster can! Suddenly, something falls and paralyzes your leg. Suddenly, a car turns over, and someone who was playing on their phone is gone—those 35 people just vanished. A hospital check-up reveals cancer, and soon, the person is gone.

Therefore, people must have foresight, see a bit further, and be tender-hearted, lest they live in a way that provokes God's wrath. People must fear God, for their days on earth are short. And they must know that when we are wealthy, we should willingly serve Jehovah. Write this down! Some say, "I can't do it." When they are wealthy, they are busy managing their finances and doing business, right? They are too busy when they are wealthy to care for God; they are managing their finances instead.

So remember, when you are wealthy, willingly serve Jehovah your God. If you do not willingly serve Jehovah your God, He will make you serve the enemies He sends to attack you. Ponder this carefully! People must have foresight and consider whether they will provoke God's wrath in the future.

On our website, a long time ago, I led you through a study of 《Kings》. If you search for 《Kings》 online, our Bible study material will be at the top. Why? Because it has a very high number of clicks. And why does it have so many clicks? The theme of 《Kings》 is "Doing what is right in the eyes of Jehovah." It seems many people want to do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah. Think about it, even kings still need to do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah. How much more should you? You must also do what is right in the eyes of Jehovah.

Disasters, being deceived, illnesses, accidents—these are all seeds you planted in the past, and now it is time to reap. Some say, "Teacher, I'll share some of my disaster with you." Oh no, I'll pass; you can keep it for yourself.

V. When People Cry Out to God, God Raises a Deliverer

The Israelites were oppressed for eight years. During these eight years, they were forced to pay tribute, and when it was not enough, they had to raise more, or they would be punished. Before Othniel was raised up, their lives were difficult, oppressed by Cushan-Rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. This king was raised up by God to punish the Israelites.

The Israelites lived fairly well at first, but gradually intermarried with the Canaanites, resulting in eight years of oppression by the king of Mesopotamia. The tribute demanded exceeded their ability to pay, so the Israelites had no choice but to cry out to God. God then raised up Othniel. Othniel was Caleb's son-in-law, a mighty warrior, but the Israelites did not listen to him until they were oppressed beyond endurance, and then they sought him out.

After Othniel was raised up, he judged Israel for forty years. During these forty years, the Israelites outwardly dared not worship idols or intermarry with the Canaanites, and they listened to Othniel because they would be disciplined if they did not. But as soon as Othniel died, the Israelites again did what was evil in the eyes of Jehovah because they had forgotten God's grace.

God then sent Eglon, king of Moab, to oppress the Israelites, and the Israelites cried out to God again. God raised up Ehud, the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was left-handed. He was sent to deliver tribute to the king of Moab, carrying a double-edged sword, and he assassinated the king of Moab. Ehud fled back to Israel and called on the people to follow him in rebellion against the Moabites. The Spirit of God was with him, and he was victorious. Through these histories, we should learn to be wise, for loving God is rewarding. I hope we can all be God's treasures in His eyes throughout our lives and not fall into the cycle of forsaking God and then crying out to Him.

VI. The Spirit of God Descends Upon Those He Chooses

I tell you, if God is to use you, you must not fear death. If you are afraid of death, God cannot use you. Do you think Othniel was afraid of death? He was not. Othniel was not afraid of death even when he was young. He fought hard for the water sources in his home, and he took on the most difficult battles. So Othniel was not afraid of death.

Ehud was also not afraid of death. Those who are not afraid of death will surely receive God's grace. Understand? In battle, bullets have no eyes, but in a way, they do have eyes, specifically targeting those who are afraid. They fly straight at them. But Othniel, who was not afraid of death, lived. Ehud, who was not afraid of death, also lived. And after Ehud won, he reigned for eighty years—quite remarkable.

Although we do not know exactly what Ehud did, he led the Israelites to victory over the king of Moab, leading them back to the path of fearing and serving God. So why is it that some people are not afraid of death? Why was Ehud not afraid of death? Because he trusted in God! He knew that bullets would have to detour around God. I believe that having the Spirit of God can help one avoid many disasters. God is a God who works with people; He works through people.

Do not underestimate this. God works through people, delivering enemies into the hands of those He chooses. The whole story of Ehud delivering the gift to the king of Moab is incredible. Ehud said, "King of Moab, I have a secret to tell you," and the king ordered his attendants to withdraw. But what if he killed the king after they withdrew? It doesn't seem very logical, but with the Spirit of God upon him, God wanted to do this through him. Some might say, "God, you are too cruel. You raised up the king of Moab to attack and oppress the Israelites. And then you send Ehud to kill him."

You don't need to feel sorry for Eglon, the king of Moab. God really doesn't care if one more or one less person dies. Your death doesn't matter to God, and neither does mine. Understand? Do you think your perspective is the same as God's? God really doesn't care if one pharaoh dies or two pharaohs die. So let's learn a lesson: fear God! Because God really doesn't care. What we need to care about is fearing God! This is the wisest choice a person can make in life.

I long for brothers and sisters to be raised up, to become treasures in God's eyes, to have a heart that fears God, and not to live only for personal comfort, indulging the flesh. Begin to live a God-centered life, because God tests people, a crucible for silver and a furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. What is in your heart? Brothers and sisters must know. Chinese Mingding Destiny is not the answer.

May God bless you all!
"""