Judges 3

Judges 2: 11-following give an overview of the accounts we will study in the book of Judges.

Israel does evil…worshiping idols, abandoning the LORD God

The LORD hands them over to foreign oppression

Israel ‘cries’ out to the LORD

The LORD raises up a deliverer/judge who delivers Israel.

After the deliverer/judge dies, Israel does evil…

and the cycle repeats itself.

You might wonder…if the accounts are so similar why is an entire book devoted to such a pattern? Wouldn’t one example be enough?

Rest assured, there is a purpose behind the cycle of deliverer’s and judges and Israel’s failure.

At least part of the purpose is to remind you and I of the dangers of failing to develop and disciple the next generation. As we read these accounts let’s look specifically for how God is at work.

In a world where nothing seems constant, one truth is constant: God’s ways are not like ours. If we are serious about engaging our community with the truth of God, we of all people need to be intimately familiar with God’s ways.

EPISODE ONE: OTHNIEL

Some translations use the word ‘Israelites’ and others use a phrase: ‘the sons/children of Israel.’

The deliverer’s/judges God raises up are for His people - those who are descended from Abraham.

Othniel actually serves as a bridge between the end of the era under Joshua and the first cycle of failure and deliverance.

Joshua 15:16–17 HCSB

and Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Achsah as a wife to the one who strikes down and captures Kiriath-sepher.” So Othniel son of Caleb’s brother, Kenaz, captured it, and Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to him as a wife.

Now, with the death of Joshua and Caleb this ‘new’ generation has chosen to follow the idols and worship these foreign gods.

The LORD gives His people over to a ruler named Cushan-rishathaim. His origins are obscure. Scholars believe he ruled land to the east of the Jordan river - perhaps as far away as the land of the OT land of Babylon.

For eight years this man rules the land where the sons of Israel are to take possession.

The Spirit of the LORD takes possession of Othniel and through him this foreign king is overcome.

Peace reigns as long as Othniel lives.

EPISODE TWO: EHUD

After Othniel’s death, Israel ‘again did what was evil in the LORD’s sight.’

Eglon, a leader of the Moabites - who occupied land southeast of the Dead Sea - will be a perpetual problem for the children of Israel!

Eglon, putting together a coalition of leaders defeat Israel and rules for eighteen years

Judges 3:15 HCSB

Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and He raised up Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed Benjaminite, as a deliverer for them. The Israelites sent him to Eglon king of Moab with tribute money.

As Ehud takes tribute/i.e. taxes to Eglon he murders him.

This attack is graphically described in vs 16-25 which you can read at home!

Judges 3:27 HCSB

After he arrived, he sounded the ram’s horn throughout the hill country of Ephraim. The Israelites came down with him from the hill country, and he became their leader.

In the original language of the OT, the verb translated ‘sounded’ is the same verb that is translated ‘plunged’ or ‘thrust’ in vs 21.

Ehud’s action rallies the sons of Israel and they defeat the Moabites.

For eighty years, the remaining years of Ehud’s life, Israel experienced peace, actually subduing the Moabites.

EPISODE THREE: SHAMGAR

Only one verse in Judges 3 and two verses in Judges 5 refer to Shamgar

Judges 3:31 (HCSB)

After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He delivered Israel by striking down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad.

Judges 5:6–8 (HCSB)

In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the main ways were deserted because travelers kept to the side roads. Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel. Israel chose new gods, then war was in the gates. Not a shield or spear was seen among 40,000 in Israel.

There is no record of what tribe Shamgar comes from.

The Philistines - who occupied the coastal areas north and west of the Jordan River valley were the oppressors.

All we know is Shamgar killed six hundred of them with ‘an oxgoad’ or ‘cattleprod’

Sin: A Recurring Problem

As much as we would like to ignore ‘sin’ we can’t.

From the opening pages of Genesis we are confronted by the ugliness and reality of sin.

Adam and Eve.

Cain, who kills his brother.

Noah, “a righteous man, blameless among his contemporaries…Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and the earth was filled with wickedness (Gen 6:9,11)

Time doesn’t allow for the cycle of sin and evil from the time of Abraham, his descendants, the generation of those who experienced God’s deliverance from Egypt and the failure of the generation born in the wilderness.

Fast forward through the conquests of Joshua, the allotment of the land, and the rise of a generation who

Judges 2:10 (HCSB)

After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel.

God: A Reliable Deliverer

Only once in the entire book of Judges do we read of Israel acknowledging sin-

Judges 10:10 HCSB

so they cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against You. We have abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.”

However, every time Israel cried out, God acted - with or without their repentance.

In one of Moses’ prayers, recorded in Exodus 32 we are reminded that God responds to our cries not because of our nature - but because of His!

Exodus 32:11–14 (HCSB)

But Moses interceded with the Lord his God: “Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from Your great anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for Your people. Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—You swore to them by Your very self and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.’ ” So the Lord relented concerning the disaster He said He would bring on His people.

The author of the NT letter we call ‘Hebrews’ calls his audience to remember Esau - the twin brother of Jacob.

Hebrews 12:15–17 (HCSB)

Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many. And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal. For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears.

God is reliable. He will keep His promise. We can call on Him - but let’s be careful to call on Him with a broken and contrite heart!

God’s Presence: Our Real and Only Hope

None of the exploits of these three men we looked at today are possible apart from the power of God.

Yes, we only read that Othniel was under the power of the Spirit of the LORD. Yet, the actions of the other two are results of the LORD’s presence as well.

RESPOND AND REFLECT:

This is an election year which means many different people will offer all sort of solutions to the challenges we face and the national, state, and local level.

The recurring sin problem is not going to be solved by any government solution.

Nations cannot be saved, communities cannot be ‘Christian.’ Only individuals can come to a saving knowledge of God through Jesus Christ.

No doubt governments can help or hinder efforts at sharing the gospel.

There is rising a new generation who neither knows God nor His works.

There is a solution to this challenge:

a deliberate effort to

pray - by name - for those who do not know Jesus;

share the gospel in word and deed to all those we have an opportunity to share with.

We know how easily sin entraps us, and those around us.

God has the power to deliver.

Are we willing to ask?

God is our only hope

Are we ready to seek Him and His power and allow Him to work as He chooses - through whom He chooses (even if we might disagree!)