October Writing: The Book Of Judges
Good afternoon, though I am a day or two off course, I am using God’s guidance and wisdom to jump into some studying and sharing in The Book of Judges this month. As always, I am using the King James Version of The Holy Bible. Any errors, omissions, or mistakes in my interpretation of these words and scriptures are wholly my own and not in the perfect writing of the word of God!
This title refers to the leaders Israel had from the time of the elders who outlived Joshua until the time of the monarchy, which is also chronicled in scripture. Their principal purpose is best expressed in the following scripture:
“Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.”
- Judges 2:16 (KJV)
Since it was God who permitted the oppressions and raised up deliverers, he himself was Israel's ultimate Judge and Deliverer as we also see in further readings in The Book of Judges:
“Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.”
-Judges 11:27 (KJV)
“And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.”
- Judges 8:23 (KJV)
Gideon, a judge, insists that the Lord is Israel's true ruler.
Christian brother and sister, keep in mind who your ultimate judge and jury are!
The Book of Judges, Chapter 1 Victory And Defeat In The Promised Land
“Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.”
- Judges 1:1-2 (KJV)
In this period Israel lost a critical link in its godly leadership. Moses had been the great leader used by God to bring them out of Egypt; Joshua had been Moses' assistant, and the great leader used by God to bring them into the land of promise. But Joshua had no assistant that he could appoint to lead the whole nation. They were in a critical place where they had to trust God more intimately than they ever had before. God gives wonderful human leaders to His work on this earth, and it is always difficult for God's people when those human leaders pass from the scene. In such a situation, we may live in the past, wishing that leader were still with us.
During this period of the judges, which lasted some 340 years, there was no standing "office" of national leadership. Israel had no king, no president, no prime minister on earth, only God in heaven. And at the necessary and appropriate time, God would bring forth a leader for nation who would pretty much rise up, do his, or her, job, and then move on back to their obscurity. This required that Israel have a real, abiding trust in God.
Christian brothers and sisters, it is important to remember, these national deliverers were not elected, and they didn't come to leadership through succession. They were specially gifted by God for leadership in their times, and the people of God recognized and respected that gifting.
They had formidable obstacles, they were surrounded by people who lived in the most terrible immorality and idolatry; there were constant dangers to their walking with God. The lives of the Canaanites who lived around Israel were focused mainly on three things: money, sex, and having a relationship with God on my terms instead of God's terms.
The book of Judges shows us a time that is sometimes confusing, difficult, and dark. For this reason, many have neglected the book of Judges, and regarded this period of time as a "dark ages" of Israel's history. But if we neglect this book, we neglect a wonderful account of the love and graciousness of God, and how He lovingly corrects His people.
What we find out about man in Judges is depressing; but what we find out about God in Judges is spectacular.
“The children of Israel asked the LORD:” Here, they do the right thing - the thing Joshua would have wanted them to do. With Joshua gone, they are not left without a leader; they are simply called to a new trust in God.
“And the LORD said:” When Israel sought the LORD, He guided them. If you recall, Jesus said much the same in The Book of Luke:
“And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”
- Luke 11:9 (KJV)
Christian brothers and sisters, often when we think the LORD isn't answering us, it is really more of a matter of Him speaking in a way we wouldn't expect Him to.
“Judah shall go up:” God directs that the tribe of Judah, the tribe the Messiah would come from, would lead the way.
Under Joshua, Israel had broken the back of the Canaanites military strength; yet it remained for each individual tribe to actually go in and possess what God had given them.
Christian brothers and sisters, what has God promised you? He has promised every Christian eternal salvation thru The Lord Jesus Christ!
God bless!
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