Notes: June 12, 2008 - Judges 2 & 3
Bob Feather June 12th, 2008
Who were the judges, and what was their purpose?
Today’s reading provides the answers.
- After the death of Joshua the nation of Israel quickly forgot God, and adopted the religious practices of their pagan neighbors (Judges 2:12-13).
- God was angry with Israel, and turned His providence against them (Judges 2:14-15,20).
- The various Canaanite tribal nations that remained in the promised land were left to test Israel’s devotion to the Lord (Judges 3:1,4).
- When the oppression of the Canaanites became great, God would send a judge to deliver Israel from the oppression (Judges 2:16,18).
- But it wouldn’t be long before Israel would forget God again and return to its heathen and idolatrous ways (Judges 2:17,19).
Did the judges live and lead consecutively or concurrently?
- Questions of chronology and dating can be addressed to Nicholas through the contact page. He is well-studied on the subject. As we study the judges, make note of the oppressing nation, the years of oppression, and the years of rest from oppression. This is the first step in understanding the chronology.
- Othniel, Caleb’s nephew and son-in-law, delivered Israel from 8 years of Mesopotamian oppression. Attribute the 40 years’ rest to the presence of the Spirit of the Lord upon him (Judges 3:10).
- Ehud, a Benjamite (remember Judges 19-21!), brought Israel 80 years of rest after 18 years of Moabite oppression by his daring assassination of Eglon (verses 17-26). Ehud’s rallying cry: “The Lord has delivered your enemy into your hands” (Judges 3:28).
- Shamgar slew 600 Philistines with a cattle prod (Judges 3:31). Nothing else is known of him (Judges 5:6).
Meditation Points:
Do you see any modern religious groups which mix heathen idolatry with Christianity?
Do you know anyone who cries loudly for God’s help in times of trouble but quickly forgets God when the trouble goes away?
Has God ever used you to help someone else out of spiritual bondage? To do so, you had to judge their condition. Contrary to modern scripture-twisting, judging human conduct is not forbidden, it is commanded (Matthew 7:1-6; John 4:24). Why, God even has a whole book of Judges!
The Christian’s weapons against sin seem little more than ox goads; but be sure that the Word of God empowered by the God of the Word is mighty to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
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Judges 2:12-13
12And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
13And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
Judges 2:14-15,20
14And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
15Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
20And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
Judges 3:1,4
1Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
4And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
Judges 2:16,18
16Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
18And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
Judges 2:17,19
17And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
19And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
Judges 3:10
10And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim.
Judges 3:28
28And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not a man to pass over.
Judges 3:31
31And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered Israel.
Judges 5:6
6In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.
Matthew 7:1-6
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
John 4:24
24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
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