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Journey Through the Bible 40 – The Period of the Judges – Introduction

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr

Passage: Judges 1-3

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JOURNEY THROUGH THE BIBLE (40)

As we continue our examination of the 17 time periods of Bible history, tonight we begin a study of the 8^th period – the period of the judges.

 

1. Introduction to the period of the judges
   1. This is the beginning of darker times in the history of Israel. After darkness in Egypt and the wilderness wanderings, Israel conquered and received their promised land – Canaan.  During the period of the conquest and dividing of the land, they were somewhat godly.  We now find a period of decline and inconsistency.
   2. The book of judges records a “roller coaster” of faithfulness and rebellion toward God. There are 14  “judges” mentioned in the book (Samuel will be the 15^th and final judge).  The period of the judges also includes the book of Ruth and 1 Samuel 1-8.  Saul will be anointed king in 1 Samuel 9.
   3. The word “judge” is not what we would think of a jurist in our court system (though some judges did some of that). Rather it was reference to military leaders who delivered Israel from various oppressive neighbors.  It would be closer to references to God judging the wicked – meaning He condemns and punishes them.  If anything, these “judges” rendered judgment against the oppressors of Israel.
   4. The period of the judges begins with events leading up to Othniel and ends with Samuel as the final “judge”. It is a challenging period to nail down its duration.
      1. Estimates place the events in the book of Judges between 300 & 450 years.
      2. As to the book of Judges, many of the accounts of oppression (especially later) could overlap because they were regional conflicts, so a few “judges” could be delivering different portions of the land at the same time.
      3. Acts 13:20 identifies the period of the judges as 450 years.  And as you go through the book of Judges, you find that all the cycles add up to 450 years (which is likely where Paul got his number)
2. Judges 1-3
   1. Judges 1 records some conquests that take place after the death of Joshua (his death will be remembered in Judges 2:7-10). There is likely some overlap with the latter part of Joshua in these descriptions.
      1. NOTE: Before noting this text recall Deuteronomy 7:20-26 where the LORD told Israel he would not drive the nations out immediately lest the land be overtaken with beasts. They were to drive them out in time (and persistently) AND destroy their idols.  This explains why there were still inhabitants to be dealt with.  Also, continually God placed conditions on His continued help – namely they needed to remain faithful to Him.
      2. Judges 1:1-4 – Israel asks who will go up first and the LORD said Judah would go first. Vs. 3 notes they enlisted the help of Simeon (If you examine a map of the tribal divisions, Simeon was incorporated into Judah’s territory).
      3. 1:4-7 describes a successful battle in Judah at a place called Bezek. A king, Adoni-Bezek is captured and his thumbs and big toes cut off (something he had regularly done to those he defeated – 70 kings).  He is brought to Jerusalem and dies (How we are not told).
      4. 1:8 – Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it and set the city on fire.
      5. 1:9-20 describes further conquests of Judah, INCLUDING a retelling of Calab claiming his land (this shows that some the battles of this chapter overlap some of the conquests recorded in Joshua).
         1. 18 – Judah conquered Gaza, Ashkelon and Ekron. These would become territories of the Philistines.  Judah may have secured the area, but they did not maintain its security.
         2. 19 notes that while Judah was successful in the mountains, they did not drive out the inhabitants of the lowlands because they had chariots.
      6. 1:21 – The children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem. NOTE: In vs. 7 we noted Judah took and burned the city.  Add to this Joshua 15:63 which tells us Judah was unable to conquer Jerusalem.  Possible answers: 1) Vs. 7 & 21 are addressing different times (one successful, while the other was not), thus Judah was successful and then Jebusites reoccupied the city, or 2) different parts of the city.  Perhaps Judah conquered the lower part of the city but could not breach the walls of the upper city (both Judah and Benjamin).
      7. 1:22-26 records a successful conquest by the house of Joseph against Bethel.
         1. NOTE: This chapter of mostly success is related to Judah. As we further study the history of Israel and Judah when they divide, Judah remains faithful for more than a century (~135 years) after Israel is defeated and carried away by Assyria.  They are also noted for more pockets of righteousness during their existence (Northern Israel had NONE).
      8. 1:27-36 failures
         1. 1:27-33 records the failures of 4 tribes Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun and Asher failing to drive out inhabitants. Instead, they DID subdue them and put them under tribute.  NOTE: This shows that they COULD have finished the job if they were willing to keep going.
         2. 1:34-36 records the Amorites forcing the children of Dan into the mountains. With help, they too were put under tribute but NOT driven away.
   2. 2:1-6 – The response of YHWH
      1. The Angel of YHWH came to Israel and declared He had made a covenant with them and promised that He would never break that covenant, BUT (vs. 2) there were conditions: Do NOT make a covenant with the inhabitants (we noted 4x the word “tribute” used), tear down their altars (obviously they allowed them to continue to worship their idolatrous gods).  They had not obeyed.
      2. 2:3 – Therefore, YHWH was no longer going to drive out the rest, but they would be thorns in their side and their gods a snare (cf. Numbers 33:55, Joshua 23:13). It was Israel that broke the covenant!
      3. 2:4-6 – the people wept and sacrificed to the Lord. Joshua dismissed the people and they went to their inheritances to possess the land.  NOTE: The timing of this takes us back to before the death of Joshua.
   3. 2:7-10 records the death of Joshua again at age 110 and buried within his inheritance.
      1. NOTE vs. 10, When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. This becomes the foundation of the book of Judges and the spotted history of Israel and Judah.
      2. 2:11-23 – we will read this as it describes the recurring cycle that is the foundation of Judges.
         1. 11-13 – the children of Israel did evil and served the Baals, forsook YHWH, follower other gods among the people and thus provoked YHWH to anger.
         2. 14-15 – YHWH delivered them into the hands of plunderers (enemies) who would devastate their land.
         3. 15 – “they were greatly distressed”. In these times, they would cry out to God for deliverance.  There was repentance.
         4. 16-19 – YHWH would raise up judges to deliver them. When they were delivered there would be peace until the judge died.
         5. THEN the cycle began again.
      3. 20-23 – describes again that the LORD was done driving out their enemies because of their transgressions. They remained and became a test of their faithfulness.
      4. 3:1-6 lists some of the nations that remained in the land so that YHWH could test Israel to know their faithfulness.
3. Lessons
   1. Work together – Judah asked Simeon to help. Scriptures are clear that when we work together, we are more likely to be successful.   The church is described as a body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27) with each part important and when we are working together, we function smoothly.  Ephesians 4:16 – when “every part does its share” it causes growth of the body…;   Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 speaks of how two are better than one, and a 3-fold chord is not easily broken.
   2. You have to finish the job. This was Israel’s failure as recorded in our texts.  God was with them and they were successful.  But when the job became difficult or exhausting, they stopped rather than completing the job.  WHEN we start something, we are not done UNTIL the job is completed.  If you have sin in your life, it takes great effort to drive it out (depending on how engrained it is).  You may win small battles, but the war is not complete until you utterly drive out the enemy (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – you bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”)  Galatians 6:9 tells us to not grow wearing in doing good…
   3. When God makes conditions, we need to respect them. God made a lasting covenant, BUT a covenant requires 2 (or more) parties each carrying out their part.  Israel broke the covenant, and God in his patience, finally “had enough”.  We have addressed boundaries continually as we speak of authority.  1 Corinthians 4:6.
   4. Are you leaving a spiritual legacy? Judges 2:10 is a key verse to why we have the rest of the book. Parents today are often concerned about leaving a legacy for their children.  And that is a good thing.  Proverbs 13:22 says A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.  We think of this materially, but what about spiritually.  The fall of Israel throughout this book goes back to their failure to follow the LOM.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9.  It was a law that we engrained in the Israelites.  And one that FAILED to be followed leading to the time of the judges.   Ephesians 6:4 – fathers are called to bring up their children in the training and admonition of the Lord.  2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15 – Paul commends the faith in Timothy that was instilled in him by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice.    FRIENDS, the future of the church depends on our willingness to ground the next generation in truth.  Don’t assume that they know what to do or WHY.  That is why we emphasize first principle and other lessons from time to time.  We need it!
   5. How thorough is your repentance? Israel would repent, but only for awhile.  Then they returned to their sinful deeds, and often more intensely.  True repentance is not only a change of action, but a change of heart.  2 Corinthians 7:9-11 describes what true repentance looks like.  Acts 19:19 describes true repentance as those who practiced magic in Ephesus burned their books in the sight of all (NOTE: They did not donate them to Goodwill or sell them on Ebay).

 

As we shall see, the period of the judges, was tragic.  But there are lessons for us to learn from it, if we will.  Let us resolve that we will never reach the point where our covenant with God is broken, either as Christians OR His church.  Think about it!