Tuesday
Tuesday
Israelite Backsliding
Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals.
Judges 2:11
After the death of faithful Joshua, Israel lapsed for nearly two hundred years into a distressing cycle of disobedience, oppression, and deliverance. Firstly, they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped the gods of the people around them, provoking Yahweh to anger.
Secondly, Yahweh handed them over to raiders who plundered them, defeated them in battle, and oppressed them.
Thirdly, in answer to his people’s cry, the Lord raised up “judges” who delivered them from their oppressors. But they refused to listen to their deliverers, and so the dismal cycle of backsliding, defeat, and recovery was repeated again and again (vv. 11–17).
The so-called judges combined several functions. First and foremost, they were military leaders, whom Yahweh raised up to rescue Israel from her oppressors. Thus Ehud delivered Israel from the Moabites, Deborah from the Canaanites, Gideon from the Midianites, Jephthah from the Ammonites, and Samson from the Philistines. Next, they were spiritual leaders, persons of faith and of the Spirit, although exhibiting their devotion to Yahweh in different ways and degrees. Thirdly, they were judges, as their name indicates, hearing cases referred to them and administering justice in Israel.
Yet there appears to have been but little law and order in the land during this period. So twice we read the bald statement that “in those days Israel had no king” (18:1; 19:1), while twice the inevitable consequence of anarchy is added, once as a fitting conclusion to the book: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (17:6; 21:25). It is wonderful that, in spite of Israel’s seemingly inveterate backsliding, Yahweh remained faithful to his covenant.
For further reading: Judges 2:10–19