Front matter (continued, part 36)
Real leaders don't use people to build their authority; they use their authority to build people. Many a soldier in the Jewish army became a hero because Joshua was in command. A true leader is one who leaves behind people who have achieved far more than they would have achieved had they not followed his or her leadership.
It takes planning and strategy to do the work of the Lord successfully. The leader who drifts with the tide and changes direction with every new wind isn't a leader at all. A Roman proverb says, "When the pilot doesn't know what port he's heading for, no wind is the right wind." If you know where you're going, you can adjust your sails when the storm starts to blow and still arrive at the right port.
He was concerned about the future. When King Hezekiah was told that the kingdom of Judah would eventually go into captivity in Babylon, his response was, "At least there will be peace and truth in my days" (Isa. 39:8 nkjv). I don't want to be critical of a great king, but this statement seems to reek of selfishness. Isn't a king supposed to be concerned about the generations to come?
He didn't quit. When he was defeated at Ai, Joshua admitted failure, sought the face of the Lord, went back, and won the battle. When he foolishly made a league with the Gibeonites, he admitted his mistake and put it to work for him. The successful leader isn't the one who is always right, because no such person exists. Successful leaders are people who make the best decisions they can and keep on going when they make mistakes. They learn from their mistakes and know how to snatch victory out of defeat.
Joshua's two farewell speeches (chaps. 23—24) give ample evidence that he was a true leader, burdened for the future of his country. He wanted to be sure that the people knew the Lord and wanted to serve Him with their whole heart. People who think only of what they can get today are only opportunists and not true leaders. Leadership means planting the right seeds that will bear fruit in years to come for the benefit of others, and Joshua did that.
The American humorist Elbert Hubbard said, "Experience is the name everyone gives his mistakes." Someone has said that experience is a tough teacher because it always gives the exam first and teaches the lesson afterward. If we turn our mistakes into mirrors, we'll see only ourselves, and this will make us miserable. But if by faith we turn our mistakes into windows, we'll see the Lord and get the strength we need to try again. To quote Elbert Hubbard again: "There is no failure except in no longer trying."
He glorified God. There was a time in Joshua's life when he was jealous for the honor of his master, Moses (Num. 11:24–30), but he learned that the most important thing was the glory of the Lord. When the nation crossed the Jordan, it was God who received the glory. "By this you shall know that the living God is among you!" he told the people (Josh. 3:10 nkjv). When that miracle march was over, Joshua put up a monument so that Israel and "all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty" (4:24 nkjv). A lesser man would have put up a monument glorifying himself.
He enlisted others and commanded their respect. Except for Achan, the traitor at Jericho, and Caleb, the man of faith, we don't know the names of any of the soldiers who served with Joshua, but he couldn't have done the job without them. The conquest of Canaan wasn't the work of one man; it was the work of
As you read the book that Joshua wrote, you see that he repeatedly gave God the glory for all that happened (6:16; 8:1; 10:14; 11:6–8; 13:6; 18:3;
Joshua
3:11). While He has a special relationship to Israel, He established that relationship in order to bring His blessing to all the nations (Gen. 12:1–3). The pagan nations in Canaan heard about what God had done for Israel, and they were frightened (Josh. 2:10–11), for none of their gods had ever done such mighty deeds.
21:43–45). It was the Lord who conquered the enemy and gave the land to the people. It was the name of the Lord that was to be magnified in all the earth. It has been said that a leader is somebody who takes twice as much blame and half as much credit, and Joshua would qualify on both counts.
He is the God who keeps His promises. He had promised the fathers of the Jewish nation that He would give them their land, and He kept His promise. He had promised Moses that Israel would drive out the nations in Canaan and defeat them, and He kept that promise too. At the close of his life Joshua was able to say to his people that not one thing had failed of all the good things that the Lord their God spoke concerning them (23:14).
Joshua's message The practical message of the book of Joshua is that God keeps His promises and enables His servants to succeed if they will trust Him and obey His Word. The spiritual message is that God has a rich inheritance for His children now, and they can claim it by faith. This message is amplified in the book of Hebrews, especially chapters 3 and 4.
He is a holy God who will not tolerate sin. When Achan disobeyed the ban that God had put on Jericho, God withdrew His blessing. The army of Israel was defeated at Ai, and they could not expect victory until Joshua dealt with the sin in the camp. But He is also a forgiving God who cleanses us when we confess our sins, and then gives us another opportunity for victory.
We have seen that, when it comes to the things of the Lord, there are several different kinds of people in this world. Most people are still in bondage in Egypt and need to be delivered by faith in Jesus Christ. Others have trusted Christ and been delivered from bondage but are wandering in the wilderness of unbelief because they won't enter into their inheritance by faith. Still others have "sampled" the inheritance but prefer to live on the borders of the blessing. Finally, there are those who follow their Joshua (Jesus = "Jehovah is salvation") and enter the Promised Land and claim their inheritance.
He is a God who requires obedience on the part of His people. Before Israel could enter the land, they had to submit to the requirements that God had laid down; for they were His covenant people. The Lord told Joshua that the secret of his success would be faith and obedience to the Word of God. God had a plan for the conquest of the land; all Joshua had to do was obey that plan.
Remember, crossing the Jordan and entering the land is not a picture of dying and going to heaven. It's a picture of dying to self and the old life and entering our spiritual inheritance here and now, enjoying the fullness of God's blessing as we serve the Lord and glorify Him. It's what Hebrews 4 and 5 call "entering into His rest."
He is the God who never fails! We may fail Him, but He will never fail us. "When God ordains our service," wrote J. Oswald Sanders, "He is morally obligated to see us through" (Robust in Faith, 72).
The greatest need in the church today is for God's people to see how much they are missing by wandering in unbelief, or by living on the borderline of the blessing, and then to claim God's promises and enter into their spiritual inheritance. We're a deprived people because we've failed to claim our spiritual riches, and we're a defeated people because we've failed to trust our Joshua to lead us on to victory. Too many of us are like Achan, stealing from God, when we ought to be like Caleb, claiming the mountains and overcoming the giants.
Although much more could be said, let's close on this note: He is a God who is gracious. In view of the fact that thousands of people were slain during the conquest of Canaan, it may seem strange to think about God's grace, but the grace of God was there just the same. God was gracious to delay His judgment for centuries before bringing Israel into the land (Gen. 15:16). He was gracious to send the reports about Israel into the land so that the people could fear and, like Rahab, turn to the Lord. He was gracious to wipe out the filthy religion of the Canaanites so that the Jewish boys and girls could grow up in a land where Jehovah was honored and worshipped.
Joshua's God The Lord, not Joshua, is the key person in this book. As you read the book of Joshua, you discover many wonderful truths about God.
When I was about to graduate from seminary, our class went on a weekend retreat, and for one of his messages, the speaker used Joshua 3:5 as his text: "Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." I've forgotten the outline, but I remember the message: Our tomorrows can be exciting and wonderful if we are all that God wants us to be.
To begin with, He is the God of His people Israel, the God of the covenant that He made with Israel through Moses. Though Moses was dead, the living God was still at work in and through His chosen people. When Joshua commanded the people, he often called God "the Lord your God." Israel belonged to Him.
He is still the God of wonders, and He is still calling us to be a sanctified people who will trust and obey. The God of Joshua lives—but where are the Joshuas?
But He is also "the Lord of all the earth" (Josh.
J U D G E S
G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h
1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h
E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f
J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h
J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i
S o l o m o n I s a i a h
OUTLINE Key theme: Obedience brings God's blessing; dis-
Judges 1—2 428 It Was the Worst of Times
obedience brings God's discipline Key verse: Judges 21:25 (see also 17:6; 18:1; 19:1)
Judges 3 432 The Weapons of Our Warfare
I. DISOBEDIENCE: ISRAEL TURNS FROM GOD (1—2)
Judges 4—5 436 "Two Are Better than One, and Three Are Better Still"
A. Early victories—1:1–26 B. Repeated defeats—1:27–36 C. National apostasy—2:1–15 D. Divine mercy—2:16–23
Judges 6 440 God's Man in Manasseh
Judges 7 444 Faith Is the Victory
II. DISCIPLINE: THE LORD CHASTENS ISRAEL
(3—16)
Judges 8 447 Win the War, Lose the Victory
A. Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar—3 B. Deborah and Barak—4—5 C. Gideon—6—8 D. Abimelech—9 E. Tola and Jair—10 F. Jephthah—11:1—12:7 G. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon—12:8–15 H. Samson—13—16
Judges 9 450 My Kingdom Come
Judges 10—12 454 Local Reject Makes Good
Judges 13—14 459 The Light That Flickered
III. DISORDER: ISRAEL SINKS INTO ANARCHY
Judges 15—16 462 The Light That Failed
(17—21)
A. Religious confusion—17—18 B. Immorality—19 C. Civil war—20—21
Judges 17—18 467 "The Center Cannot Hold"
Judges 19—21 470 War and Peace
Drawing Some Lessons from
the Book of Judges 474 Looking Back and Looking Around
Judges 1
Deuteronomy 6 outlined the nation's basic responsibilities: love and obey Jehovah as the only true God (vv. 1–5); teach your children God's laws (vv. 6–9); be thankful for God's blessings (vv. 10–15); and separate yourself from the worship of the pagan gods in the land of Canaan (vv. 16–25). Unfortunately, the new generation failed in each of those responsibilities. The people didn't want to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness" (Matt. 6:33); they would rather experiment with the idolatry of the godless nations around them. As a result, Israel plunged into moral, spiritual, and political disaster.
CHAPTER ONE Judges 1—2 It Was the Worst of Times
FAMILY FEUD LEAVES 69
BROTHERS DEAD! POWERFUL GOVERNMENT LEADER
CAUGHT IN "LOVE NEST." GANG RAPE LEADS TO VICTIM'S DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT. GIRLS AT PARTY KIDNAPPED AND
One of two things was true: either the older generation had failed to instruct their children and grandchildren in the ways of the Lord, or, if they had faithfully taught them, then the new generation had refused to submit to God's law and follow God's ways. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Prov. 14:34 nkjv). The book of Judges is the record of that reproach, and the first two chapters describe four stages in Israel's decline and fall.
FORCED TO MARRY STRANGERS.
WOMAN JUDGE SAYS TRAVELERS NO LONGER SAFE
ON HIGHWAYS.
ensational headlines like these are usually found on the front page of supermarket tabloids, but the above headlines actually describe some of the events narrated in the book of Judges.1 What a contrast they are to the closing chapters of the book of Joshua, where you see a nation resting from war and enjoying the riches God had given them in the Promised Land. But the book of Judges pictures Israel suffering from invasion, slavery, poverty, and civil war. What happened?
Fighting the enemy (1:1–21) The book of Judges begins with a series of victories and defeats that took place after the death of Joshua. The boundary lines for the twelve tribes had been determined years before (Josh. 13–22), but the people had not yet fully claimed their inheritance by defeating and dislodging the entrenched inhabitants of the land. When Joshua was an old man, the Lord said to him, "You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed" (Josh. 13:1 nkjv). The people of Israel owned all the land, but they didn't possess all of it, and therefore they couldn't enjoy all of it.
I. Disobedience: Israel turns from God (1—2) A.Early victories—1:1–26
The nation of Israel quickly decayed after a new generation took over, a generation that knew neither Joshua nor Joshua's God. "And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that He did for Israel … and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel" (Judg. 2:7, 10; and see Josh. 24:31). Instead of exhibiting spiritual fervor, Israel sank into apathy; instead of obeying the Lord, the people moved into apostasy; and instead of the nation enjoying law and order, the land was filled with anarchy. Indeed, for Israel it was the worst of times.
The victories of Judah (vv. 1–20). Initially the people of Israel wisely sought God's guidance and asked the Lord which tribe was to engage the enemy first. Perhaps God told Judah to go first because Judah was the kingly tribe (Gen. 49:8–9). Judah believed God's promise, obeyed God's counsel, and even asked the people of the tribe of Simeon to go to battle with them. Since Leah had given birth to Judah and Simeon, these tribes were blood brothers (Gen. 35:23). Incidentally, Simeon actually had its inheritance within the tribe of Judah (Josh. 19:1).
One of the key verses in the book of Judges is 21:25: "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (see 17:6; 18:1; 19:l).2 At Mount Sinai, the Lord had taken Israel to be His "kingdom of priests," declaring that He alone would reign over them (Ex. 19:1–8). Moses reaffirmed the kingship of Jehovah when he explained the covenant to the new generation before they entered Canaan (Deut. 29ff.). After the conquest of Jericho and Ai, Joshua declared to Israel her kingdom responsibilities (Josh. 8:30–35), and he reminded the people of them again before his death (Josh. 24). Even Gideon, perhaps the greatest of the judges, refused to set up a royal dynasty. "I will not rule over you," he said, "neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you" (Judg. 8:23).
When Joshua was Israel's leader, all the tribes worked together in obeying the will of God. In the book of Judges, however, you don't find the nation working together as a unit. When God needed someone to deliver His people, He called that person out of one of the tribes and told him or her what to do. In obedience to the Lord, Moses had appointed Joshua as his successor, but later God didn't command Joshua to name a successor. These circumstances somewhat parallel the situation of the church in the world today. Unfortunately, God's people aren't working together to defeat the enemy, but here and there, God is raising up men and women of faith who are experiencing His blessing and power and are leading His people to victory.
Judges 1
With God's help, the two tribes conquered the Canaanites at Bezek (Judg. 1:4–7), captured, humiliated, and incapacitated one of their kings by cutting off his thumbs and big toes. (See Judg. 16:21; 1 Sam. 11:2; and 2 Kings 25:7 for further instances about being disabled.) With those handicaps, he wouldn't be able to run easily or use a weapon successfully. Thus the "lord of Bezek" was paid back for what he had done to seventy other kings, although he may have been exaggerating a bit when he made this claim.
palms was Jericho, a deserted and condemned city (Josh. 6:26), so the Kenites moved to another part of the land under the protection of the tribe of Judah.
After Judah and Simeon destroyed Hormah (Judg. 1:17), the army of Judah turned its attention to the Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron (vv. 18–19). Because the Philistines had iron chariots, the Jews couldn't easily defeat them on level ground, but they did claim the hill country.
What is important about the military history is that "the Lord was with Judah" (v. 19), and that's what gave them victory. (See Num. 14:42–43; Josh. 1:5 and 6:27; and Judg. 6:16.) "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
Those seventy kings illustrate the sad plight of anybody who has given in to the enemy: they couldn't walk or run correctly; they couldn't use a sword effectively; they were in the place of humiliation instead of on the throne; and they were living on scraps and leftovers instead of feasting at the table. What a difference it makes when you live by faith and reign in life through Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:17).
The victory of Joseph (vv. 22–26). The tribe of Ephraim joined with the western section of the tribe of Manasseh and, with the Lord's help, they took the city of Bethel. This city was important to the Jews because of its connection with the patriarchs (Gen. 12:8; 13:3; 28:10–12; 35:1–7). Apparently it hadn't been taken during the conquest under Joshua, or if it had been, the Jews must have lost control. The saving of the informer's family reminds us of the salvation of Rahab's family when Jericho was destroyed (Josh. 2, 6). How foolish of this rescued people not to stay with the Israelites, where they were safe and could learn about the true and living God.
Jerusalem (v. 8) was Israel's next trophy, but though the Israelites conquered the city, they didn't occupy it (v. 21). That wasn't done until the time of David (2 Sam. 5:7). Judah and Benjamin were neighboring tribes, and since the city was located on their border, both tribes were involved in attacking it (Josh. 15:63). Later, Jerusalem would become "the city of David" and the capital of Israel.
They next attacked the area south and west of Jerusalem, which included Hebron (Judg. 1:9–10, 20) This meant fighting in the hill country, the south (Negev), and the foothills. Joshua had promised Hebron to Caleb because of his faithfulness to the Lord at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 13–14; Josh. 14:6–15; Deut. 1:34–36). Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai were descendants of the giant Anak whose people had frightened ten of the twelve Jewish spies who first explored the land (Num. 13:22, 28). Even though Caleb and Joshua, the other two spies, had the faith needed to overcome the enemy, the people wouldn't listen to them.
B.Repeated defeats—1:27–36
Sparing the enemy (1:21, 27–36) Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan all failed to overcome the enemy and had to allow these godless nations to continue living in their tribal territories. The enemy even chased the tribe of Dan out of the plains into the mountains! The Jebusites remained in Jerusalem (v. 21), and the Canaanites who remained were finally pressed "into forced labor" when the Jews became stronger (v. 28 niv). Eventually Solomon conscripted these Canaanite peoples to build the temple (1 Kings 9:20–22; 2 Chron. 8:7–8), but this was no compensation for the problems the Canaanites caused the Jews. This series of tribal defeats was the first indication that Israel was no longer walking by faith and trusting God to give them victory.
Faith must have run in Caleb's family, because the city of Debir (Judg. 1:11–16)3 was taken by Othniel, Caleb's nephew (3:9, Josh. 15:17). For a reward, he received Caleb's daughter Acsah as his wife. Othniel later was called to serve as Israel's first judge (Judg. 3:7–11). Since water was a precious commodity, and land was almost useless without it, Acsah urged her husband to ask her father to give them the land containing the springs that they needed. Apparently Othniel was better at capturing cities than he was at asking favors from his father-in-law, so Acsah had to do it herself. Her father then gave her the upper and lower springs. Perhaps this extra gift was related in some way to her dowry.
The priests possessed a copy of the book of Deuteronomy and were commanded to read it publicly to the nation every sabbatical year during the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 31:9–13). Had they been faithful to do their job, the spiritual leaders would have read Deuteronomy 7 and warned the Israelites not to spare their pagan neighbors. The priests also would have reminded the people of God's promises that He would help them defeat their enemies (Deut. 31:1–8). It was by receiving and obeying the book of the law that Joshua had grown in faith and courage (Josh. 1:1–9; Rom. 10:17), and that same Word would have enabled the new generation to overcome their enemies and claim their inheritance.
The Kenites (1:16) were an ancient people (Gen. 15:19) who are thought to have been nomadic metal workers. (The Hebrew word qayin means "a metalworker, a smith.") According to Judges 4:11, the Kenites were descended from Moses' brother-in-law Hobab,4 and thus were allies of Israel. The city of
The first step the new generation took toward
Judges 1—2
believe and practice things that I feel God has condemned in His Word. The church today doesn't wield the sword (Rom. 13) and therefore it has no authority to eliminate people who disagree with the Christian faith. But we do have the obligation before God to maintain a separate walk so we won't become defiled by those who disagree with us (2 Cor. 6:14—7:1). We must seek by prayer, witness, and loving persuasion to win those to Christ who as yet haven't trusted Him.
defeat and slavery was neglecting the Word of God, and generations ever since have made that same mistake. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Tim. 4:3–4 nkjv). I fear that too many believers today are trying to live on religious fast-food dispensed for easy consumption (no chewing necessary) by entertaining teachers who give people what they want, not what they need. Is it any wonder many churches aren't experiencing God's power at work in their ministries?
The Jews eventually became so accustomed to the sinful ways of their pagan neighbors that those ways didn't seem sinful any more. The Jews then became interested in how their neighbors worshipped, until finally Israel started to live like their enemies and imitate their ways. For believers today, the first step away from the Lord is "friendship with the world" (James 4:4 nkjv), which then leads to our being "spotted by the world" (1:27). The next step is to "love the world" (1 John 2:15) and gradually become "conformed to this world" (Rom. 12:2). This can lead to being "condemned with the world" (1 Cor. 11:32), the kind of judgment that came to Lot (Gen. 19), Samson (Judg. 16), and Saul (1 Sam. 15, 31). The disobedience (vv. 1–5). In the Old Testament, the "angel of the Lord" is generally interpreted to be the Lord Himself, who occasionally came to earth (a theophany) to deliver an important message. It was probably the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person of the Godhead, in a temporary preincarnation appearance. (See Gen. 16:9; 22:11; 48:16; Ex. 3:2; Judg. 6:11 and 13:3; 2 Kings 19:35.) The fact that God Himself came to give the message shows how serious things had become in Israel.
But wasn't it cruel and unjust for God to command Israel to exterminate the nations in Canaan? Not in the least! To begin with, He had been patient with these nations for centuries and had mercifully withheld His judgment (Gen. 15:16; 2 Peter 3:9). Their society, and especially their religion, was unspeakably wicked (Rom. 1:18ff.) and should have been wiped out years before Israel appeared on the scene.
Something else is true: These nations had been warned by the judgments God had inflicted on others, especially on Egypt and the nations east of the Jordan (Josh. 2:8–13). Rahab and her family had sufficient information to be able to repent and believe, and God saved them (Josh. 2; 6:22–25). Therefore, we have every right to conclude that God would have saved anybody who had turned to Him. These nations were sinning against a flood of light in rejecting God's truth and going their own way.
God didn't want the filth of the Canaanite society and religion to contaminate His people Israel. Israel was God's special people, chosen to fulfill divine purposes in this world. Israel would give the world the knowledge of the true God, the Holy Scriptures, and the Savior. In order to accomplish God's purposes, the nation had to be separated from all other nations, for if Israel was polluted, how could the Holy Son of God come into the world? "God is perpetually at war with sin," wrote G. Campbell Morgan. "That is the whole explanation of the extermination of the Canaanites."5
The tabernacle was originally located at Gilgal (Josh. 4:19–20), and it was there that the men of Israel were circumcised and "rolled away" the reproach of Egypt (Josh. 5:2–9). It was also there that the Lord appeared to Joshua and assured him of victory as he began his campaign to conquer Canaan (Josh. 5:13–15). To Joshua, the angel of the Lord brought a message of encouragement; but to the new generation described in the book of Judges, He brought a message of punishment.
The main deity in Canaan was Baal, god of rainfall6 and fertility, and Ashtoreth was his spouse. If you wanted to have fruitful orchards and vineyards, flourishing crops, and increasing flocks and herds, you worshipped Baal by visiting a temple prostitute. This combination of idolatry, immorality, and agricultural success was difficult for men to resist, which explains why God told Israel to wipe out the Canaanite religion completely (Num. 33:51–56; Deut. 7:1–5).
The Lord had kept His covenant with Israel; not one word of His promises had failed (Josh. 23:5, 10, 15; 1 Kings 8:56). He had asked them to keep their covenant with Him by obeying His law and destroying the Canaanite religious system—their altars, temples, and idols. (In Ex. 23:20–25, note the association between the angel of the Lord and the command to destroy the false religion; and see also Ex. 34:10–17 and Deut. 7:1–11.) But Israel disobeyed the Lord and not only spared the Canaanites and their godless religious system but also began to follow the enemy's lifestyle themselves.
C.National apostasy—2:1–15
Imitating the enemy (2:1–13) The danger. In this day of "pluralism," when society contains people of opposing beliefs and lifestyles, it's easy to get confused and start thinking that tolerance is the same as approval. It isn't. In a democracy, the law gives people the freedom to worship as they please, and I must exercise patience and tolerance with those who
In His covenant, God promised to bless Israel if the people obeyed Him and to discipline them if they disobeyed Him (see Deut. 27–28). God is always faithful to His Word, whether in blessing us or chastening us, for
Judges 2
eventually became their masters! God permitted one nation after another to invade the Promised Land and enslave His people, making life so miserable for them that they cried out for help. Had the Jews obeyed the Lord, their armies would have been victorious, but left to themselves they were defeated and humiliated.
in both, He displays His integrity and His love (Heb. 12:1–11). God would prefer to bestow the positive blessings of life that bring us enjoyment, but He doesn't hesitate to remove those blessings if our suffering will motivate us to return to Him in repentance.
By their disobedience, the nation of Israel made it clear that they wanted the Canaanites to remain in the land. God let them have their way (Ps. 106:15), but He warned them of the tragic consequences. The nations in the land of Canaan would become thorns that would afflict Israel and traps that would ensnare them. Israel would look to the Canaanites for pleasures but would only experience pain; they would rejoice in their freedom only to see that freedom turn into their bondage.7
They failed to learn from what the Lord did (vv. 16–23). Whenever Israel turned away from the Lord to worship idols, He chastened them severely, and when in their misery they turned back to Him, He liberated them. But just as soon as they were free and their situation was comfortable again, Israel went right back into the same old sins. "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord.… Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of …" is the oft-repeated statement that records the sad, cyclical nature of Israel's sins (3:7–8, see also v. 12; 4:1–4; 6:1; 10:6–7; 13:1). The people wasted their suffering. They didn't learn the lessons God wanted them to learn and profit from His chastening.
No wonder the people wept when they heard the message! (The Hebrew word bochim means "weepers.") However, their sorrow was because of the consequences of their sins and not because the wickedness of their sins had convicted them. It was a shallow and temporary sorrow that never led them to true repentance (2 Cor. 7:8–11).
God delivered His people by raising up judges, who defeated the enemy and set Israel free. The Hebrew word translated "judge" means "to save, to rescue." The judges were deliverers who won great military victories with the help of the Lord. But the judges were also leaders who helped the people settle their disputes (4:4–5). The judges came from different tribes and functioned locally rather than nationally, and in some cases, their terms of office overlapped. The word "judge" is applied to only eight of the twelve people we commonly call "judges," but all of them functioned as counselors and deliverers. The eight men are: Othniel (3:9), Tola (10:1–2), Jair (10:3–5), Jephthah (11), Ibzan (12:8–10), Elon (12:11–12), Abdon (12:13–15), and Samson (15:20; 16:31).
D.Divine mercy—2:16–23
Obeying the enemy (2:6–23) The sin in our lives that we fail to conquer will eventually conquer us. The people of Israel found themselves enslaved to one pagan nation after another as the Lord kept His word and chastened His people. Consider the sins of that new generation.
They forgot what the Lord had done (vv. 6–10). At that point in Israel's history, Joshua stood next to Moses as a great hero, and yet the new generation didn't recognize who he was or what he had done. In his popular novel 1984, George Orwell wrote, "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." Once they got in control of the present, both Hitler and Stalin rewrote past history so they could control future events, and for a time it worked. How important it is for each new generation to recognize and appreciate the great men and women who helped to build and protect their nation! It's disturbing when "revisionist" historians debunk the heroes and heroines of the past and almost make them criminals.
The cycle of disobedience, discipline, despair, and deliverance is seen today whenever God's people turn away from His Word and go their own way. If disobedience isn't followed by divine discipline, then the person is not truly a child of God; for God chastens all of His children (Heb. 12:3–13). God has great compassion for His people, but He is angry at their sins.
The book of Judges is the inspired record of Israel's failures and God's faithfulness. But if we study this book only as past history, we'll miss the message completely. This book is about God's people today. When the psalmist reviewed the period of the judges (Ps. 106:40–46), he concluded with a prayer that we need to pray today: "Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise" (Ps. 106:47 niv).
They forsook what the Lord had said (vv. 11–13). Had they remembered Joshua, they would have known his "farewell speeches" given to the leaders and the people of Israel (Josh. 23–24). Had they known those speeches, they would have known the law of Moses, for in his final messages, Joshua emphasized the covenant God had made with Israel and the responsibility Israel had to keep it. When you forget the Word of God, you are in danger of forsaking the God of the Word, which explains why Israel turned to the vile and vicious worship of Baal.
Notes 1 The references are from Judges 9, 16, 19, 21, and 5:6 (in order). 2 Judges is the book of "no king," 1 Samuel is the book of "man's king" (Saul), and 2 Samuel is the book of "God's king" (David). The world today is living in the book of Judges because there is no king in Israel. When presented with their rightful King, the
They forfeited what the Lord had promised (vv. 14–15). When they went out to fight their enemies, Israel was defeated, because the Lord wasn't with His people. This is what Moses had said would happen (Deut. 28:25–26), but that isn't all: Israel's enemies
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strategy, and courage. These three essentials for victory are illustrated in this chapter in the lives of the first three judges.
Jews said, "We have no king but Caesar." Next on the agenda is the appearance of "man's king" (Antichrist) who will usher in world control and chaos. Then "God's King" will appear, defeat His enemies, and establish His righteous kingdom. Note that the book of Ruth takes place during the period of the judges (Ruth 1:1) and that it is a love story and a harvest story. God's people are living in the book of Ruth, sharing in the harvest and waiting for the wedding. 3 The original name was Kiriath-sepher, which means "city of books." Perhaps it had a large library or it was the "county seat," where official records were deposited. 4 In the Hebrew, the words "brother-in-law" and "father-in-law" use the same letters, which helps explain the problem connected with the names Reuel, Jethro, and Hobab (Ex. 2:18; 3:1; Num. 10:29; Judg. 4:11). Some students think that Moses' father-inlaw had two names, Hobab and Jethro, and that Reuel was a distant relative. 5 G. Campbell Morgan, Living Messages of the Books of the Bible, vol. 1 (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1912), 104. 6 This explains why Elijah challenged Baal to send rain (1 Kings 18). 7 God would also use these nations to test Israel (Judg. 2:22) and train the new generation for war (3:1–3). When God isn't allowed to rule, He overrules and accomplishes purposes we never imagined.
Othniel: the power of God (3:1–11) In this chapter, you will find "five lords of the Philistines" (v. 3) and the king of Moab called "lord" (v. 25); but more importantly "the Lord," meaning Jehovah God, is named fifteen times in these thirty verses. That lets us know who is really in charge. The Presbyterian missionary leader A.T. Pierson used to say that "history is His story," and he was right. As He executes His divine decrees, God never violates human responsibility, but He does rule and overrule in the affairs of individuals and nations to accomplish His great purposes on this earth.
The early church prayed, "Lord, You are God!" and they gladly confessed that their enemies could do only "whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done" (Acts 4:24, 28, nikjv). Poet T. S. Eliot said, "Destiny waits in the hand of God, not in the hands of statesmen."
God's mercy toward His people (vv. 1–4). The tribe of Judah was not able to hold on to the key Philistine cities they had taken (1:18; 3:3), and as we saw in chapter 1, the other tribes failed to conquer the Canaanite nations. These surviving nations adopted a "good neighbor" policy toward Israel that eventually defeated Israel from within. Sometimes Satan comes as a lion to devour, but often he comes as a serpent to deceive (1 Peter 5:8; 2 Cor. 11:3).
CHAPTER TWO Judges 3 THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE T
II. Discipline: The Lord chastens Israel (3—16) A.Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar—3
God could have judged Israel for sparing the wicked Canaanite nations, but in His mercy He spared them because He had purposes for them to fulfill. Israel had committed a serious blunder in not trusting God to give them victory, but God sought to use their mistake for their own good. Romans 8:28 worked even in Old Testament days.
he weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.
That statement could have been made by a space alien in a sci-fi novel, but it wasn't. The apostle Paul wrote those words to the believers in Corinth (2 Cor. 10:4 niv), reminding them of a principle every Christian needs to take to heart: When God goes to war, He usually chooses the most unlikely soldiers, hands them the most unusual weapons, and accomplishes through them the most unpredictable results.
He would use the enemy to train Israel, to help the new generation learn the meaning of war (Judg. 3:1–2; see Ex. 13:17). Life had been relatively easy for the Jews in the Promised Land, and they needed the challenge of ever-present danger to keep them alert and disciplined. This is not to say God always approves of war or that participating in conflict always builds character. Combat experience might do just the opposite. The point is that the Jews had to keep some kind of standing army, or their enemies could quickly unite and overpower them, especially when Israel was at such a low ebb spiritually. In the years to come, both Saul and David would need effective armies in order to overcome their many enemies and establish the kingdom.
For example, God gave Shamgar an ox goad, and with it he killed 600 men (3:31). Jael used a hammer and tent peg to kill a captain (4:21), and Gideon routed the whole Midianite army with only pitchers and torches as weapons (7:20). Samson slaughtered 1,000 Philistines using the jawbone of an ass (15:15), and young David killed the giant Goliath with a stone hurled from a shepherd's sling (1 Sam. 17). West Point isn't likely to offer courses on how to use these weapons.
God also used the Canaanite nations to test Israel and reveal whether or not His people would obey the regulations Moses had given them from the Lord (Judg. 3:4). God had made it very clear to the Jews that they were not to study "comparative religion" and get interested in the pagan practices of the Canaanites (Deut. 7:1–11). It was that kind of curiosity that had
Though our world has changed dramatically since the days of the judges, the "world system" is still the same because human nature hasn't changed (1 John 2:15–17). As long as we're in this world, God's people are involved in a spiritual battle against Satan and his armies (Eph. 6:10–19), and God is still looking for men and women who have what it takes to win: power,
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Four times in the book of Judges we're told that God "sold" His people to the enemy (2:14; 3:8; 4:2; 10:7; and see 1 Sam. 12:9; 1 Kings 21:20, 25; Ps. 44:12). The Jews acted like slaves, so God sold them like slaves. Had the Jews been faithful to the Lord, He would have sold their enemies into Israel's hands (Deut. 32:30).
brought divine judgment on Israel in the land of Moab (see Num. 25), because curiosity is often the first step toward conformity.
Of course, Israel should have been a witness to the surviving pagan nations and sought to win them to faith in the true and living God, but they failed in that responsibility as well. What a difference it would have made in subsequent national history if the Jews had won the Canaanites to the Lord instead of the Canaanites winning the Jews to Baal!
The name of the king of Mesopotamia means "doubly wicked Cushan," which may have been a nickname that his enemies gave him. We aren't told where he invaded Israel, although logically the attack would have come from the north; nor are we told how much of the land he subjugated for those eight painful years. Since the deliverer God raised up was from Judah, it's possible that the invading army had penetrated that far south in Israel when the Lord decided to intervene on behalf of His suffering people.
God's anger toward His people (vv. 5–8). God had put a wall between Israel and her neighbors, not because Israel was better than any other nation, but because she was different. Instead of worshipping idols, the Jews worshipped the one true God who made the heavens and the earth. Humans did not devise the laws and covenants of Israel; God did. Israel alone had the true sanctuary where God dwelt in His glory; it was the true priesthood, ordained by God; and it had the true altar and sacrifices that God would respect (Rom 9:4–5). Only through Israel would all the nations of the earth be blessed (Gen. 12:1–3).
Charles Spurgeon said that God never allows His people to sin successfully. Their sin will either destroy them or it will invite the chastening hand of God. If the history of Israel teaches the contemporary church anything it's the obvious lesson that "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Prov. 14:34 niv).
When Israel obeyed the Lord, He blessed them richly, and both their conduct and God's blessing were a testimony for their unbelieving neighbors. (See Gen. 23:6; 26:26–33; 30:27; 39:5.) The pagan people would say, "These Jews are different. The God they worship and serve is a great God!" And the Jewish people would then have had opportunities to tell their neighbors how to trust Jehovah and receive His forgiveness and blessing. (See Deut. 4:1–13.)
God's salvation for His people (vv. 9–11). There's no evidence that the people repented of their sins when they cried out to God for help, but the Lord responded to their plight and gave them a deliverer. It was the exodus experience all over again: "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
Alas, instead of trusting God to change their neighbors, the gods of their neighbors changed the Jews, and everything Moses warned them not to do, they did. The Jews broke down the wall of separation between themselves and their godless neighbors, and the results were tragic. Contrary to God's law, Jewish men married pagan wives, and Jewish women married pagan husbands (Gen. 24:3; 26:34–35; 27:46; Ex. 34:15–16; Deut. 7:3–4; Josh. 23:12). The idolaters gradually stole the hearts of their mates from worshipping Jehovah to worshipping false gods. King Solomon made this same mistake. After all, when you marry outside the will of God, you have to do something to keep peace in the family! (See 1 Kings 11:1–13; 2 Cor. 6:14—7:1.)
And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them" (Ex. 2:24–25). The word "knew" means much more than intellectual understanding, for God knows everything. It means that God identified with their trials and felt a concern for their welfare.
The deliverer He raised up was Othniel, the man who captured Hebron and married Caleb's daughter (1:10–13). Bible scholars don't agree as to the exact blood relationship Othniel had to Caleb. Was Othniel Caleb's nephew—that is, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother—or was he simply Caleb's younger brother? As far as the text is concerned, either interpretation is possible.
Is it any wonder that God became angry?1 Is it any wonder He humiliated Israel by using pagan nations to discipline His own people? Since Israel was acting like the pagans, God had to treat them like pagans! "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd" (Ps. 18:25–26 niv).
If he was Caleb's brother, then why was his father's name Kenaz instead of Jephunneh (1 Chron. 4:13; Josh. 14:6)? Perhaps Jephunneh had died, and Caleb's mother married Kenaz and gave birth to Othniel. Thus, Othniel would have been Caleb's half-brother. First Chronicles 4:13 indicates that Othniel was the son of Kenaz, but the word "son" is used rather broadly in Jewish genealogies and doesn't always mean a direct father/son relationship.
Jehovah is the God of all the nations, "for dominion belongs to the Lord and He rules over the nations" (Ps. 22:27–28 niv). Proud King Nebuchadnezzar had to learn the hard way "that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Dan. 4:25 nkjv).
Fortunately, we don't have to untangle the branches in Othniel's family tree before we can benefit from the example of his life and ministry. By blood and by marriage, he belonged to a family noted for its courageous faith and its willingness to face the enemy and depend
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18:17–19 and Job 1:5) and be good examples for them to follow. During the period of the judges, however, it appears that the older generation neglected the important ministry of instructing the new generation about the fear of the Lord (Ps. 34:11).
on God for the victory. When God called Othniel, he was available for the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and empowered him for battle (Judg. 3:10). "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.' says the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6 nkjv). This was the secret of Othniel's strength, as it was with Gideon (Judg. 6:34), Jephthah (11:29), and Samson (14:6, 19; 15:14); and it must be the source of the believer's power today (Acts 1:8; 2:4; 4:8, 31; Eph. 5:18). One of the former directors of the Evangelical Alliance Mission, T. J. Bach, said, "The Holy Spirit longs to reveal to you the deeper things of God. He longs to love through you. He longs to work through you. Through the blessed Holy Spirit you may have: strength for every duty, wisdom for every problem, comfort in every sorrow, joy in His overflowing service."
Eglon, the oppressor (vv. 12–14). The armies of Mesopotamia came a long distance to invade Israel, but the Moabites, Ammonites, and Amalekites were not only neighbors but also relatives of the Jews. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was the ancestor of Moab and Ammon (Gen. 19:30–38), and Esau, the brother of Jacob, was the ancestor of Amalek (Gen. 36:12, 16; Deut. 25:17, 19).
Eglon, the king of Moab, organized the confederacy and set up his headquarters at Jericho, "the city of palm trees" (Deut. 34:3). Jericho was under a curse (Josh. 6:26), and there's no evidence that the city had been rebuilt, but the location was ideal for directing military operations, and there was an abundance of water there. For eighteen years, Eglon and his allies made life miserable for the Jews. It must have been especially galling to them to be under the heels of blood relatives who were also their longtime adversaries.
Othniel not only rescued his nation from bondage, but also served his people as judge for forty years. This meant that he exercised authority in managing the affairs of the nation, and it was his spiritual and civil leadership that brought rest to the land. Never underestimate the good that one person can do who is filled with the Spirit of God and obedient to the will of God.
Ehud, the deliverer (vv. 15–30). Othniel, the first judge, had come from the tribe of Judah. The second judge, Ehud, a lefthanded man, came from Judah's neighbor, Benjamin—the name "Benjamin" means "son of my right hand." (The Benjamites were known for their ambidexterity. See Judg. 20:16 and 1 Chron. 12:2.) However, the text of Judges 3:15 can be translated "a man handicapped in the right hand," which suggests that he was not ambidextrous at all but able to use only his left hand. If that indeed is the meaning of the text, then Ehud's plan for killing Eglon was a masterpiece of strategy. It's also a great encouragement to people with physical disabilities who may have the erroneous idea that God can't use them in His service.
Ehud: effective strategy (3:12–30) Unlike Moses, who appointed Joshua to lead Israel, the judges didn't have the authority to name a successor. When God called men and women to serve as judges, they obeyed, did His work, and then passed from the scene. One would hope that their godly influence would make a lasting difference in the spiritual life of the nation, but such wasn't the case. No sooner was a judge off the scene than the people were back to worshipping Baal and forsaking the Lord.
You would think that gratitude alone would have motivated the people of Israel to obey the Lord and be faithful to His covenant, especially after enduring eight years of painful servitude. And think of all that God had done for Israel in the past! They would have been a forgotten little nation if God hadn't loved them and chosen them for Himself (Deut. 7:1–11). They would have perished in Egypt or in the wilderness if God hadn't delivered them and cared for them. They would have died on the battlefields of Canaan if the Lord hadn't given them victory over their enemies. They would have been wallowing in moral sewage if the Lord hadn't given them His law and the priests to teach it to them. They had God's presence in the tabernacle and God's promises in the covenant, so what more could they want?
Ehud had several problems to solve, and he solved them successfully. At the top of the list was how to gain access to King Eglon without making anybody suspicious. He accomplished this by making himself the leader of the commission that brought the king his annual tribute. The paying of tribute not only added to the king's wealth, which he would enjoy, but it also acknowledged the king's authority over Israel, and Eglon would enjoy that as well. Of course, Eglon didn't know that Ehud was God's appointed leader to deliver Israel, otherwise, he would have had him killed on sight.
The second problem was securing a private audience with the king without exciting the distrust of his attendants and guards. Ehud did this first by leaving the king's presence together with his men after they had done homage to Eglon, and then Ehud coming back later alone as though he had an urgent message for the king. A solitary man with a lame right hand couldn't be much of a threat to a powerful king, and perhaps this despised Jew really did have a word from his God. Eglon may have felt proud that the God of Israel had a
Somewhere the system broke down, and I think it was with the priests and the parents. The priests and Levites were not only to officiate at the tabernacle, but they also were to teach the law to the people and encourage them to obey it (Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:8–10; 17:8–9; 1 Sam. 2:12–17; Mal. 2:1–9). Jewish parents were expected to teach their children the ways of the Lord (Deut. 6:6–25; 11:18–21; and see Gen.
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of Anath" may mean that he was from the town of Beth Anath in Naphtali (1:33), which was also the tribe Barak came from (4:6; see 5:18). Since Anath was the name of a Canaanite goddess of war, perhaps "son of Anath" was a nickname that meant "son of battle"— that is, a mighty warrior.
message for him, and since he was no doubt afraid not to listen to it, he dismissed his guards and attendants and gave Ehud a personal interview in his private chambers.
Since Ehud had to kill Eglon in a way that was quick and quiet and that would catch the king by surprise,2 he made use of his disability. Ehud made a very sharp dagger and hid it under his clothing on his right side. Even if the guards frisked him, they would most likely examine the left side of his body where most men carried their weapons. Seeing that he was a handicapped man, they probably didn't examine him at all.
What was significant about Shamgar was the weapon that he used. An ox goad was a strong pole about eight feet long. At one end was a sharp metal point for prodding the oxen and at the other end a spade for cleaning the dirt off the plow. It was the closest thing Shamgar could find to a spear because the enemy had confiscated the weapons of the Israelites (5:8; see 1 Sam. 13:19–22).
Even a king must stand to receive a message from God. When Eglon stood, Ehud may have gestured with his right hand to distract him and show him there was nothing in his hand, and then Ehud reached for his dagger and plunged it into the fat king's body. It must have been a powerful thrust because the point of the dagger came out the king's back, and Eglon was dead instantly.3
Here was a man who obeyed God and defeated the enemy even though his resources were limited. Instead of complaining about not possessing a sword or spear, Shamgar gave what he had to the Lord, and the Lord used it. Joseph Parker said, "What is a feeble instrument in the hands of one man is a mighty instrument in the hands of another, simply because the spirit of that other burns with holy determination to accomplish the work that has to be done."4
The next problem was how to escape from the palace without getting caught, and this he accomplished by locking the door of the private chamber and delaying the discovery of the corpse. As Ehud hastened away, the attendants concluded that the interview was over, so they went to see if their king wanted anything. The three "behold" statements in verses 24–25 indicate the three surprises that they experienced: the doors were locked, the king didn't respond to their knocks and calls, and the king was dead. All of this took time and gave Ehud opportunity to escape.
Shamgar may have killed all 600 Philistines at one time in one place (see 2 Sam. 8:8–12), but it's also possible that 600 is a cumulative total. An ox goad would be an unwieldy weapon to use if 600 soldiers had attacked Shamgar at one time. Since we don't know the details, we must not speculate. It's just encouraging to know that God enabled him to overcome the enemy though his resources were limited.
His final problem was to rally the troops and attack the enemy. The trumpet signal called the men out, and he led them to the fords of the Jordan, assuring them that the Lord had given Moab into their hands. The victory would come by trusting the Lord and not by depending on their own strength. By guarding the fords, the Israelites prevented the Moabites from escaping or from bringing in fresh troops. Since Ephraim was one of the most powerful tribes in Israel, Ehud had excellent soldiers to command. Accordingly, they killed 10,000 of the best Moabite soldiers. Not only was Moab defeated, but also the tables were turned and the Moabites became subject to Israel. We assume that Moab's defeat was the signal for their allies, Ammon and Amalek, to leave the field of battle.
The few words that are recorded about Shamgar give me the impression that he was a man of persistent courage, which, of course was born out of his faith in the Lord. To stand his ground against the enemy, having only a farmer's tool instead of a soldier's full military equipment, marks Shamgar out as a brave man with steadfast courage.
Charles Spurgeon once gave a lecture at his Pastor's College entitled "To Workers with Slender Apparatus." Shamgar didn't hear that lecture, but I'm sure he could have given it! And I suspect he would have closed his lecture by saying, "Give whatever tools you have to the Lord, stand your ground courageously, and trust God to use what's in your hand to accomplish great things for His glory."
If the Jews had been asked to vote on a leader, Ehud probably would have lost on the first ballot. But he was God's choice, and God used him to set the nation free. Moses was slow of speech and Paul was not imposing in his appearance, but Moses and Paul, like Ehud, were men of faith who led others to victory. Ehud turned a disability into a possibility because he depended on the Lord.
To paraphrase E. M. Bounds, the world is looking for better methods, but God is looking for better men and women who understand the basics: the power of the Holy Spirit, wise strategy, and steadfast courage.
Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar have shown us the way. Will we follow?
Notes 1 We must never think that the wrath of God is like a child's temper tantrum. A holy God must not only hate sin but also hate what sin does to people. If the police arrest parents for child abuse, what should God have done when His people were sacrificing their children on pagan altars? The English poet
Shamgar: persistent courage (3:31) Only one verse is devoted to Shamgar, and it isn't even stated that he was a judge. Judges 5:6–7 indicates that he was contemporary with Deborah and Barak. "Son
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each of which was ruled by a king (see Josh. 12). "Jabin" was the official title or name of the king of Hazor (Josh. 11:1). He was also called "King of Canaan." This title probably means that he was the head of a confederacy of kings. Joshua had burned Hazor (Josh. 11:13), but the Canaanites had rebuilt it and occupied it. With his large army and his 900 chariots of iron, Jabin was securely in control of the land. As you read the narrative, however, you get the impression that Sisera, captain of Jabin's army, was the real power in the land. Jabin isn't even mentioned in Deborah's song in Judges 5!
Thomas Traherne (c. 1636–74) said, "Love can forbear, and Love can forgive … but Love can never be reconciled to an unlovely object. He can never therefore be reconciled to your sin, because sin itself is incapable of being altered; but He may be reconciled to your person, because that may be restored." This explains how God can both hate sin but love the sinner; and even while He is angry at our sins, He chastens us in love "that we might be partakers of His holiness" (Heb. 12:10). 2 The fact that Ehud assassinated a ruler bothers some people, who (for some reason) aren't disturbed that Ehud and his men later slaughtered 10,000 healthy young Moabites (Judg. 3:29). If wars of liberation are justified, then how many of the enemy die is really immaterial, so long as you achieve your goal of freedom. The death rate, however, is still one apiece. 3 King Eglon's name means "little bull calf." Ehud had killed the "fatted calf." 4 Joseph Parker, The People's Bible, vol. 5 (London: Hazell, Watson, and Viney, Ltd., 1896), 345.
Once again, the people of Israel cried out to God, not to forgive their sins but to relieve their suffering. (See vv. 6–8 for a hint of what life was like in those days.) Had they truly repented, God would have done much more than deliver them from physical slavery. He would have liberated them from their spiritual bondage as well. To ask God for comfort and not cleansing is only to sow seeds of selfishness that will eventually produce another bitter harvest. David's prayer is what Israel needed to pray: "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Ps. 51:10).
B.Deborah and Barak—4—5
CHAPTER THREE Judges 4—5 "TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE, AND THREE ARE BETTER STILL" T
Act two: a divine revelation (4:4–7) God had raised up a courageous woman named Deborah ("bee") to be the judge in the land. This was an act of grace, but it was also an act of humiliation for the Jews, for they lived in a male-dominated society that wanted only mature male leadership. "As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them" (Isa. 3:12). For God to give His people a woman judge was to treat them like little children, which is exactly what they were when it came to spiritual things.2
he cast of characters in this drama is as follows:
Jabin: King of Hazor in Canaan; a tyrant Deborah: a Jewish judge; a woman of faith and courage Barak: a reluctant Jewish general Sisera: captain of Jabin's army Heber: a Kenite neighbor, at peace with Jabin Jael: wife of Heber; handy with a hammer Jehovah God: in charge of wars and weather
Now let the drama unfold.
Deborah was both a judge and a prophetess. Moses' sister Miriam was a prophetess (Ex. 15:20), and later biblical history introduces us to Huldah (2 Kings 22:14), Noadiah (Neh. 6:14), Anna (Luke 2:36), and the four daughters of Philip (Acts 21:9). God called Deborah a prophetess and a judge, but she saw herself as a mother to her people. "I, Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel" (Judg. 5:7). The wayward Jews were her children, and she welcomed them and counseled them.
Act one: a tragic situation (4:1–3) Jabin is the key person in act one, for God raised him up to discipline the people of Israel. For eighty years, the Jews had enjoyed rest because of the leadership of Ehud, the longest period of peace recorded in the book of Judges.1 But no sooner was this godly judge removed than the people lapsed back into idolatry, and God had to punish them (Judg. 2:10–19).
Israel as portrayed in the book of Judges illustrates the difference between "religious reformation" and "spiritual revival." Reformation temporarily changes outward conduct while revival permanently alters inward character. When Ehud removed the idols and commanded the people to worship only Jehovah, they obeyed him, but when that constraint was removed, the people obeyed their own desires. The nation of Israel was like the man in Jesus' parable who got rid of one demon, cleaned house, and then ended up with seven worse demons (Matt. 12:43–45). The empty heart is prey to every form of evil.
God revealed to Deborah that Barak ("lightning") was to assemble and lead the Israelite army and draw Sisera's troops into a trap near Mount Tabor, and there the Lord would defeat them. Mount Tabor lies at the juncture of Zebulun, Naphtali, and Issachar, not far from the Kishon River. If Barak would lead the Israelite army toward Mount Tabor, God would draw Sisera and his troops toward the Kishon River, where God would give Barak the victory.
When God wants to glorify Himself through His people, He always has a perfect plan for us to follow. God chose the leader of His army, the place for the battle, and the plan for His army to follow. God also
Canaan was made up of a number of city-states,
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(1:16), but the men of Judah weren't among the volunteers in Barak's army.
guaranteed the victory. It was like the "good old days" of Joshua again!
It's possible, however, to view Heber from another perspective and see him as a part of God's plan to lure Sisera into the trap. Heber wasn't an ally of Jabin's; he was simply trying to maintain a neutral position in a divided society. But once the Jewish army was in place at Mount Tabor, Heber ran and gave the news to Sisera, and Sisera had no reason to question the report. Sisera began to move his army and fell right into the trap.
Act three: a reluctant participant (4:8–10) We aren't told that Barak was a judge, which explains why he got his orders from Deborah, God's appointed leader in the land. Barak was from Naphtali, one of the tribes that would send volunteers to the battlefield (v. 6). Like Moses before him (Ex. 3—4), and Gideon (Judg. 6) and Jeremiah (Jer. 1) after him, Barak hesitated when told what God wanted him to do.
Sisera is defeated (vv. 13–16). The Canaanites depended on their 900 iron chariots to give them the advantage they needed as they met the Jewish army (1:19; see Josh. 17:18). What they didn't know was that the Lord would send a fierce rainstorm that would make the Kishon River overflow and turn the battlefield into a sea of mud (Judg. 5:20–22). The water and mud would severely impede the mobility of the Canaanite chariots and horses, and this situation would make it easy for the Israelite soldiers to attack and slaughter the enemy. The trap worked, and the enemy army was wiped out.
We know that "God's commandments are God's enablements" and that we should obey His will in spite of circumstances, feelings, or consequences. But we don't always do it! Was Barak's response an evidence of unbelief or a mark of humility? He didn't accuse God of making a mistake; all he did was ask Deborah to go with him to the battle. Was that because she was a prophetess and he might need a word from the Lord? Or was it to help him enlist more volunteers for the army? The fact that Deborah agreed to accompany Barak suggests that his request wasn't out of God's will, although in granting it, God took the honor from the men and gave it to the women.
Along with the storm from the heavens and the flood from the swollen river, God sent confusion in the minds of the enemy troops. The word translated "routed" (4:15 nkjv) means "confused, thrown into panic." This is what God had done to Pharaoh's charioteers in the Red Sea (Ex. 14:24) and would later do to the Philistines in Samuel's day (1 Sam. 7:10).
Barak enlisted 10,000 men from his own tribe of Naphtali and the neighboring tribe of Zebulun (Judg. 4:6, 10; 5:14, 18). Later, volunteers from the tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh west (v. 14), and Issachar (v. 15), joined these men, and the army grew to 40,000 men (v. 8). It's possible that the original 10,000 soldiers initiated the campaign that lured Sisera into the trap, and then the other 30,000 joined them for the actual battle and "mopping up" operation. The tribes that were summoned but refused to come were Reuben, Dan, Asher, and Manasseh east (vv. 15–17).
One thing that helped to confuse and frighten the Canaanites was the sudden appearance of torrential rain during the traditional dry season. Since Sisera wouldn't have taken his chariots to the fields if he had suspected any kind of bad weather, we can safely assume that this battle was fought during the June-toSeptember dry season. When you remember that the Canaanite god Baal was the god of storms, you can see how the sudden change of weather could have affected the superstitious Canaanites. Had their own god Baal turned against them? Was the God of Israel stronger than Baal? If so, then the battle was already lost, and the wisest thing the soldiers could do was flee.
When you consider that weapons were scarce in Israel (5:8;3 1 Sam. 13:19–22) and that there was no effective standing army, what Deborah and Barak did was indeed an act of faith. But God had promised to give them victory, and they were depending on His promise (Rom. 10:17).
Act four: a victorious confrontation (4:11–23) The Lord is the leading actor in this scene. He not only controlled the enemy army and brought it into the trap, but He also controlled the weather and used a storm to defeat Sisera's troops.