Judges:A Halfhearted Disciple is No Disciple At All Judges 1:1-2:5

“Whatever controls us really is our god … The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by the people he or she wants to please. We do not control ourselves. We are controlled by the lord of our life.” (Rebecca Manley Pippert, Out of the Saltshaker, page 48–49)

Rebecca Manley Pippert’s book, “Out of the Salt Shaker,” is a book on evangelism. She contends that evangelism is a lifestyle. It is something that should be comfortable to you because you are speaking from your heart about someone you love. What if, however, your heart is divided with many loves? What if Jesus is having to contend with the idols of wealth, celebrity, pleasure, ideology, and achievement?

We live in a time much like the Canaanites. Their society was spirituality pluralistic, meaning they were infused with religious paganism of all sorts and practices. By this time God’s people were intermingling with other nations. They were having to choose this day, every day, whom they would serve; either the Lord or the spirit of their age. Everything in their society, just like our society, was vying for control of their heart. Living in a pluralistic culture demands that Gods people be diligent to love him with all of their mind heart, soul, and strength, with an undivided heart. For if you don’t, if you allow the idols of the age to have equal footing, equal say, equal rights to your love, you will have halfhearted faith with halfhearted obedience that results in halfhearted discipleship. That is exactly what happens to Israel.

Israel did not do as God commanded them. Their halfhearted obedience allowed idolatry to remain in the land and mingle in their hearts. It became a snare to them. The snare shows up in a seven cycle of sin all throughout the book.

Cycle of Sin

It begins with

1. The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord’s sight (2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1).

2. God handed them over to … the enemies around them” (2:14; 6:1; 13:1).

3. “The Israelites cried out to the Lord” (3:9, 15; 4:3; 6:6; 10:10).

4. “The Lord raised up judges, who saved them” (2:16, 18; 3:9, 15).

5. “So the oppressing nation was subdued before the Israelites” (8:28; cp. 3:30; 4:23).

6. “Then the land was peaceful for so many years” (3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28).

7. “Then the judge died” (2:19; 3:11; 4:1b; 8:32; 12:7).

Throughout the book of Judges you will see as one commentator puts it, “Israel experienced the repeated cycle of apostasy, oppression, repentance, and restoration by divinely appointed judges throughout the long period following Joshua’s death.”

Timothy Keller identifies six themes about God will emerge through the the book that will incline your heart toward the Lord and serve him well.

6 Truths About God

God relentlessly offers his grace to people who do not deserve it, or seek it, or even appreciate it after they have been saved by it.

God redeems broken people and uses them to reconcile to himself and each other, and restores their spiritual and physical life. Its all by His grace. His grace will win the day.

God wants lordship over every area of our lives, not just some.

There is no place for sin or idolatry in your life. Every aspect of your life belongs to God. Anything less than this is halfhearted faith and obedience.

There is a tension between grace and law, between conditionality and unconditionality.

God promise blessing and favor to his people. And yet, God promise to condemn and curse sin. There is a tension here only the Cross of Christ can resolve.

There is a need for continual spiritual renewal in our lives here on earth, and a way to make that a reality.

We cannot live in spiritual perfection in this world. We are prone to fail and spiral downward. If we try to be religious and neglect our souls need for renewal on a daily basis, our lives will look like halfhearted Christianity. The cycle of Judges is not limited to Judges, it is alive an well in us. We need constant renewal, which God graciously provides through repentance, prayer, fellowship, and ministry.

We need a true Savior, to which all human saviors point, through both their flaws and strengths.

The judges come and they go. When they come Israel repents and looks like God’s people. When the judges die, they slip back into their idolatry. We need a true eternal judge, a Savior who can sustain his people now and forever in justice, righteousness, holiness, and peace.

God is in charge, no matter what it looks like.

God never looses control of his creation or his people. He is never absent or unaware, no matter how distant he may seem to be. His purpose will stand. The Messiah will come. As Timothy Keller says,

“The mills of God may grind slow, but they grind exceeding fine.” Timothy Keller

With this in mind, this morning I want you to heed the warning that begins in Judges.

Because half-hearted obedience leads to spiritual decline, you must serve the Lord with all of your heart.

Judah begins well... (Judges 1:1-2)

Judah wisely asks for God's instruction (Judges 1:1-2)

Judges 1:1–2 (ESV)

After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”

The Lord said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”

Judah begins Judges with faith and obedience. There is no legitimate leader to succeed after Joshua’s death, but the people of Israel wisely inquire of the Lord as to who will lead them in continuing the conquest.

The Lord is aware of their need and answer His people. This is consistent with his promise keeping character. God promised to never leave or forsake them.

God delivers the Perizzites into Judah and Simeon’s hand (Judges 1:4). Adoni-Bezek is made an example of by the Israelites. Just as he mutilated the kings he captured, so he was mutilated.

(On a side note, your sin catches up with you, and in the Lord’s wisdom, there are times when God hands you over to your own debauchery (Romans 1:25-27).)

Caleb and Achsah Shine as examples of Wholehearted Obedience

In the middle of their victory, the writer of Judges highlights Caleb and his family (Judges 1:11-16), as the what wholehearted love for God looks like.

Judges 1:12–15 (ESV)

And Caleb said, “He who attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him Achsah my daughter for a wife.”

And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter for a wife.

When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she dismounted from her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?”

She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

Caleb and his family are eager to take the Lord up on his promises. Caleb sees opportunity in the land of Canaan. He believed God was going to hand it over to his people, so he set his heart to capture it.

Caleb also offers his daughter to the kind of man who thinks and serves the Lord like he does. Othniel takes him up on it and he is given Achsah as a wife. Achsah exhibits the same faith as her father when she asks for land with springs.

Caleb’s Family loved God with a united heart

Caleb’s faith and obedience show his desire to live in covenant with Yahweh, to be faithful to his commands, to have courage to live with such radical obedience by trusting God to deliver on his promises. Caleb’s heart was united to fear the name of the Lord. He had one single loyalty to Yahweh, and so did his daughter, Aschah. Both of them become examples of what faithful men and women of Israel should look like. That example is,

A united heart of love in the Lord lives a wholehearted life of discipleship for the Lord.

Unfortunately, this Caleb and his family are the anomaly in Israel by this point. You cannot serve the Lord with a divided heart.

Halfhearted faith leads to disobedience (Judges 1:3)

From here half-hearted devotion to the Lord leads to spiritual decline.

In verse 3, Judah’s first move is not entirely in step with the Lord.

Judges 1:3 (ESV)

And Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.

After being told by the Lord to go up and fight the Canaanites, Judah seeks help from the smaller tribe of Simeon. On the surface it looks innocent. It makes sense for the tribes to help one another in battle. At the very least, more hands make light work.

Spiritually speaking, however, it is a failure to trust the Lord with all of your mind, heart, soul, and strength. God did not tell Judah to solicit help from Simeon, but to go up and fight for God has given the land into Judah’s hand.

William Gurnall wisely reminds us,

“When obedience falters, faith weakens. How can there be great faith, where there is little faithfulness?” William Gurnall

Israel’s falter obedience leads to spiritual decline, that is little faithfulness.

Halfhearted Obedience leads to Spiritual decline (Judges 1:19-30)

Judges 1:19 (ESV)

And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.

Verse 19 describes the beginning of a spiritual spiral downward. The Lord was with Judah. They were able to take possession of the hill country, but they could not drive our the inhabitants of the plain.

The writer Judges seems to say the reason why Judah couldn’t get it done was because the inhabitants had chariots of iron. On the surface, you might be tempted to look at that verse and say the Lord is not mighty to save. His strength is somehow weak. That is utter nonsense. The word of God is clear.

1 Chronicles 29:12 ESV

Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.

God had already demonstrated his strength by delivering the Canaanites into Judah’s hand. Why is this time different? It is not the strength of God that is the concern, but the strength of Judah’s faith in God. Disobedience leads to little faith.

Judah looks at the chariots of Iron and measures that against their bronze swords and wooden spears and fear that the plains people had the technological edge. So, Judah concluded there was no way we can defeat them.

Halfhearted obedience comes from unbelief. I’m curious, why didn’t Pharaoh’s Chariots that chased Israel into the Red Sea and perished come to mind? It is because unbelief blinds the eyes of your heart and deceives you (Hebrews 3:7-15).

It deceives by making your spiritual memory like Swiss Cheese. Consider when Israel grumbled against God because they had nothing but manna to eat, and wailed about how much better off they were in Egypt where they were slaves(Numbers 14). Never mind the fact that God delivered them with ten extraordinary plagues, led them by pillars of cloud and fire, made them cross the red Sea on dry land while crushing the strongest army int he world at the time; and providing bread form heaven.

Judah’s unbelief and halfhearted obedience was contagious. It spread to the rest of the tribes. Benjamin halfheartedly drove out the Jebusites (Judges 1:21) and shared the land with pagans and the snare of their idolatry. The House of Joseph halfheartedly drove out the Canaanites at Bethel. They were tricked by a man and make a foolish arrangement (Judges 1:22-26). This particular story reads a lot like Rehab the prostitute (Joshua 2-3). The difference is the man wanted little to do with Israel and settles with the Hittites in the land who shouldn’t gave been there (Judges 1:22-29). Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali halfheartedly drive out the Canaanites and live with the snare of pagan idolatry (Judges 1:30-33). The scene finally climaxed with the tribe of Dan being oppressed and suppressed by the Amorites (Judges 1:34). The Amorites wanted the land more than Israel.

Spiritual decline is inevitable if you approach your faith having one foot on the dock and one foot on the boat. God commands you to love Him with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. You are to have a united heart that fears his name alone; one faith, one love, one commitment to His kingdom; anything other than this kind of faith is no faith at all.

Halfhearted obedience is obedience at all because it has halfhearted faith!

Jesus described a halfhearted faith in the parable of soils. In Matthew 13:20-22. Jesus speaks to the heart with rocks and thorns. He says that the rocky heart receives the word with joy, just as Israel did at Mount Sinai and Gilgal. Yet, it has no roots and when tribulation and persecution arise, they fall away. To receive the gospel but have no roots is halfhearted faith.

The heart with thorns is no different. it receives the word for a time. When the cares of this world, the wealth, the celebrity, the pleasure, ideology, and achievement grow like weeds and thorns in your heart, they choke away your faith. To receive the gospel but give you heart to multiple loves is halfhearted faith.

Israel’s halfhearted faith led to halfhearted obedience which resulted in halfhearted discipleship. It failed to fulfill God’s mission.

How is your heart this morning? Are you halfhearted obeying Jesus? If that is so, have you let rocks and thorns litter your heart?

Put yourself in Judah’s shoes for a moment. God has give you a conquest. He has commanded that you are to fulfill the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20)

If you are not sharing the gospel, you are not fulfilling the Great Commission. If you are not fulfilling the Great Commission how are you any different that Judah?

God demands that you are to take up your cross, follow Jesus. You are to bear fruit that glorifies Him and proves you belong to Jesus. This means you are to either be discipling someone or being discipled. Discipleship protects you from neglecting the commands of God, like Israel.

If you are not being discipled or are discipling, then how are you any different that Israel?

If as a church we are not committed like Caleb to God’s kingdom, how are we any different that Israel?

II. God’s Promise Keeping Grace(Judges 2:1-5)

Before God confronts Israel’s disobedience, he does remind them of their of the means of their salvation.

Judges 2:1 ESV

Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you,

Gilgal is a town west of the Jordan River not far from Jericho. Gilgal means “to roll.” It was the place where the people made a covenant with God and God forgave their sin. It is the place where he rolled the reproach of Egypt from them and bound himself to them as their God and his people. It is the place where by grace he gave them His steadfast love and kindness. The angel of the Lord comes to remind God’s people that His salvation is always by grace.

God’s Grace of Rebuke (Judges 2:2-3)

In Judges 2:2, God speaks for the first time since Judges 1:2. God told his people that wholehearted love and faith and obedience to him means they should never make a covenant with the Canaanites and should eagerly break down their alters to false gods. But the Lord says,

Judges 2:2 (ESV)

But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?

To love the Lord with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength is to make him Lord over your life. He is your sovereign king who rules every aspect of your life, not just parts of it.

You know the parts he has lordship over because you commit to those parts. The parts he does not have lordship over, you lack obedience. You lack obedience because you say things like, “I can’t do it,” but in reality God says, you mean, “You won’t do it.”

Look back at verse 19. The text read that the Israelites could not defeat the inhabitants of the plains. God says, however, in verse 2:2, it was not a matter of ability, but a matter of motive. It’s not that they could not do it, its that they would not do it. Why do I say that? I say it because God called not driving out the Canaanites disobedience. The chose not to drive them out when they chose not trust the Lord’s strength.

Where are you saying to God “I can’t” when God is saying, “you mean, you won’t?”

I can’t obey the Great Commission, I cannot share the gospel. God says, “You mean you won’t obey my Great Commission to share the gospel?”

Is God not the one who saves? Is God not the one who empowers you?

You say, “I can’t obey your command for discipleship.” God says, “You mean, you won’t obey my command to bear fruit in discipleship?”

Has he not given you his word, his Spirit, and his church to help sanctify you to bear fruit?

You say, “I can’t forgive that person for hurting me” God says, “You mean you won’t forgive that person as I have commanded you to forgive, and have forgiven you.”

Have I not promised you that vengeance is mine and I will uphold perfect justice either on the cross or eternal wrath in hell?

You say, I “can’t stop looking at porn or lying through my teeth, or stealing, or gossiping, or any other temptation that bears down on me. God says, You mean you won’ stop giving in to temptation.”

Have I not told you that I will not allow temptation to overtake you, and that I will always provide a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13)?

Halfhearted faith leads to halfhearted obedience. Both allow sin and idolatry to stick around and have an equal say in the priorities in your life. When sin and idolatry are the loudest voice in your heart, its hard to remember and see that God is the only true God who saves and sustains his people. For Israel, Yahweh was the one true God who delivered them out of Egypt. God was faithful to care them in the wilderness. It was God who was giving them the Promised Land.

Now, the Canaanites were going to be a snare to the people of Israel. They will be a thorn in Israel’s faith all throughout Judges. They will be such a snare that Israel will commit idolatry and find themselves in cycles of sin and disobedience.

Israel put God in a bad spot. There is tension between Judges 2:1,3. On the one hand, God promised that he would never break his covenant with them. On the other hand, he promised that he would not give the land to a disobedient people. How in the world will God reconcile this tension for Israel? And if we are like Israel, how will he reconcile this tension for us?

The Grace of Jesus

In reality, we are no different than Israel! The cycle of sin continues, even in us several thousand years later, and the same tension in Israel is in us as well. How will God reconcile the tension of His promise to not break His covenant to bless his people and yet still uphold his holy justice with a disobedient people like you and I?

The cross and resurrection of Jesus resolves the tension in four ways.

Imputation

On the cross, our sin was imputed on Christ, that is he took it on himself. In return, he imputed his righteousness on us.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Propitiation

On the cross, God poured out his wrath on Jesus satisfying his justice and is now able to forgive us our sin; being the just and justifier of our faith. Romans 3:26

Romans 3:26 ESV

It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Justification

On the cross our guilt was removed, our sins are forgiven, and are made perfectly righteous before God. Through the blood of Jesus, we can stand in God’s presence as forgiven saints. And we can speak with him because he hears the prayers of the righteous.

We can now live freely, joyfully, radically, obedient lives with all of our heart for Jesus. We can have clean hand and pure hearts. We don’t have to lift our souls to another, for we have the cure to our sinful idolatrous halfhearted faith and obedience. We have the crucified and risen Christ, our Savior, our sufficient grace.

Sanctification

We also have the risen Christ who poured out his Spirit on his elect. The Holy Spirit empowers you to live whole hearted obedient lives. As you read through Judges you will see God’s anointed servants get a portion of his Spirit to serve and judge his people.

Judges 3:10 6:34; Acts 1:8

Judges 3:10 ESV

The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.

Judges 6:34 ESV

But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.

We, however, on this side of the cross, get all of the Holy Spirit poured out on us to empower us to joyfully advance the kingdom of God by making much of Jesus. Jesus promised his spirit.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In Acts 2, Jesus gave us his Spirit.

This morning you may have walked in here with a halfhearted faith living a halfhearted obedient life for Jesus. God calls you to lay your idols down and receive his forgiveness. Receive his salvation by his grace. Receive his Spirit to empower you and strengthen to live radically obedient lives like Caleb, who are eager to joyfully advance God’s kingdom by making much of Jesus. Stop saying I won’t to the Lord, and start trusting his strength to deliver you, use you for his harvest, bless you with spiritual fruit that glorifies Him and proves to the world you belong to Jesus.