Cycle of Spiritual Darkness

During the period of the Judges the people went through cycles in their spiritual lives. The Israelites would stay faithful to God during the period that they had a strong leader. Once the leader died they would fall away. They would rebel and disobey the laws of God. The angel of God rebuked the children of Israel saying that since they did not completely capture Canaan, the people living in their land would be like thorns in their sides and their gods would be a constant temptation for them (Judges 2:3). The same enemies they were supposed to have driven out when they conquered Canaan, became like disciplinarians for them. When they rebelled, since they had abandoned God, they would be defeated in battles and oppressed by their enemies.

The children of Israel would go through periods of prolonged darkness. When they began to suffer, they would repent of their sins. When they repented, the ever gracious and compassionate God would send them a deliverer or a raise a leader from amongst them who would free them from their oppression. During the time of the Crisis Leader they would continue to obey God and follow in the ways that were set for them. After a while they would again rebel and fall away. This cycle continued for many centuries even during the times of the Kings (Judges 3:16-19).

1. Obedience
2. Disobedience
3. Oppression and Suffering
4. Repentance
5. Deliverance

The Israelites went through phases of darkness when they completely blocked God out of their lives, when they wandered away worshipping other Gods and living lives that were not pleasing to God. Just like the Israelites do we as Christians continue to go through these cycles in our lives? Isn’t this cycle true in churches today? When a strong pastor leaves and is replaced by another, sometimes the congregation starts to back slide or starts looking elsewhere for fellowship. We as people are so dependent on the able leadership and guidance of our pastors or spiritual guides. Have you experienced temptations from old friends and places when you wander away? Why do we disobey God’s laws and end up in a state of enslavement to our sins? When do we realize the need to free us from this enslavement? How do we find deliverance? How do we free ourselves from going through this cycle all our lives?

The challenge for us as Christians is to strengthen our faith so that we can be a support to our pastors who are there to shepherd us. When there is a void in leadership it becomes incumbent on this support structure to be so strong that people continue to be nourished during the transition.