Broken Saviors

I’ve never dealt with a really bad toothache or had a dislocated foot, but I can only imagine that pain that must result, especially when pressure is applied to either scenario.

We would not want to hike the Appalachian trail or run a 5k with a dislocated or broken foot.

As painful and ridiculous as that sounds, it’s an even greater tragedy when people trust in “BROKEN SAVIORS” to deliver them from their brokenness.

One “Broken Savior” some people trusted in was the LAW. The OT Law could never save and was never intended to save. Notice what Paul says in Romans 8:1-8

Romans 8:1–8 NKJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Notice specifically Romans 8:3

Romans 8:3 ESV

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

Over and over again in the book of Judges, we find “BROKEN SAVIORS” whom are used by God to deliver the Children of Israel from the Canaanites, or the Philistenes, or some other enemy. But these men and women were never given by God to them as the ultimate Savior. They were delivering Israel from physical bondage, but they needed a Savior who would deliver them from SPIRITUAL BONDAGE. They had judges who delivered them from the EXTERNAL enemies of the sinful nations all around them, but they needed a Savior who would deliver them from THEMSELVES: the world, their flesh, and the devil.

As someone said:

This theme of broken saviors points to the ultimate Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to deliver us from sin and lead us back to God. He is the fulfillment of all the imperfect judges in the Old Testament

Christians can find comfort in knowing that God meets us in our brokenness and provides healing for our sins. It encourages believers to turn to Christ, the ultimate Savior, for complete restoration and deliverance from the cycles of sin in their lives.

Let’s take a look at some of these “Broken Saviors.” By the way, even though Gideon, and Samson, and Deborah are not alive today, people all around us are still turning to BROKEN SAVIORS today! Maybe even someone in this room...

The first “broken” savior is what I call...

External Solutions (10:1-5)

The Judges that we’ve talked about so far, and that we will talk about today and in the future provided EXTERNAL SOLUTIONS to the captivity and difficulties the Children of Israel found themselves in.

However, the problems they faced were not ultimately EXTERNAL problems. The EXTERNAL problems were just the VISIBLE, PHYSICAL consequences of a FAR DEEPER issue.

Notice with me Judges 10:1-5

Judges 10:1–5 NKJV

After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in the mountains of Ephraim. He judged Israel twenty-three years; and he died and was buried in Shamir. After him arose Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. Now he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, which are called “Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. And Jair died and was buried in Camon.

God used Tola and Jair to judge Israel and bring peace to the land. But Tola and Jair could not bring peace to their hearts.

God used Tola and Jair to judge Israel and bring peace temporarily, but after 23 years Tola died, and after a time Tair died. They needed a Savior that could bring PERMANENT peace.

God used Tola and Jair to deliver Israel physically, but they needed a Savior who could deliver them SPIRITUALLY!

God used Tola and Jair to deliver Israel from enemies, they needed a Savior who could deliver them from THEMSELVES.

Don’t we do the same thing? Often we look for an EXTERNAL solution to an INTERNAL problem. Here are some examples:

Substance Abuse to numb emotional pain or try to escape reality temporarily.

Materialism, thinking that more possessions or financial success will fill a void or give them a sense of worth.

Relationships that they believe will fill an emotional need, or make them feel validated.

Screen Addiction excessively consume social media, movies, video games that serve as a welcome distraction

Work-a-holic to avoid dealing with personal issues, or to gain a sense of personal achievement

Emotional Eating, thinking that comfort food to help them deal with stress, lonliness, or sadness.

Physical Appearance, thinking that by being smaller, or more shapely will make the feel better and gain the acceptance they are longing for.

Gambling, to get a thrill and escape reality, or temporarily distract them from emotional or financial problems.

Busyness with activities to avoid being still and dealing with deep rooted issues.

I’ve got wonderful news for you today! You do not have to SETTLE for Tola or Jair…GOD HAS SENT THE PERFECT, ONE AND ONLY SAVIOR OF THIS WORLD TO WITH OUR INTERNAL PROBLEM OF SIN, AND SIN’S CONSEQUENCES.

HE IS PROPHET, PRIEST, AND KING AND HIS NAME IS JESUS!

Do not misunderstand what I’m saying. Tola and Jair probably did they best they could. They were raised up by God for a particular job and a particular purpose, BUT THEY WEREN’T THE MESSIAH!

The next broken saviors the people ran to were the “gods” of the land…This is also known as...

Polytheism (10:6-9)

Notice Judges 10:6-9

Judges 10:6–9 NKJV

Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the people of Ammon. From that year they harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for eighteen years—all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, in Gilead. Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

Turning to external solutions was a natural segue into polytheism. They turned, once again, to the Canaanite “gods” around them along with the gods of Syria, Sidonians, Moabites, Ammonites, and the Philistines.

Rather that SERVE the King of kings and Lord of lords, they FORSOOK Him, and as a result God’s anger was once again kindled against them.

David Jackman notes:

It is as though Israel’s obsessive greed for idolatry could only be satisfied by idols flooding into the land from every point of the compass. This also demonstrates that the spiritual poison was beginning to penetrate and infect the bloodstream of the whole nation, and not just a few tribes on the borders.

Why are they incurably religious? Why are people today incurably religious? Always looking for something to fill that God sized hole in their lives? It’s because we are created in GOD’S IMAGE. Jackman goes on to say:

There will always be an appetite for the divine, which can ultimately only be satisfied in the deep personal relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the essence of Christianity.

The Children of Israel continued to look for broken, irrational, unsatisfying, ENSLAVING substitutes, just as people do today. Jackman notes:

The root of all sin is to want to be my own god. It is clear that idolatry will always be attractive to the sinful human heart. It removes the uncomfortable aspects of the living God, with His perfect knowledge, total power, and moral demands...and replaces the god-need with an idol which I can create and control

This was an ongoing struggle for the Children of Israel as seen here, and in...

Jeremiah 2:11–13 ESV

Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

The problem is the concept of idolatry is still alive and well today. It may look different that the Canaanites and the Philistines, but our flesh cries out for a “god” we can control and unfortunately...

As one author said so aptly:

If you demand to worship false gods, God will eventually let you be ruled by your preferences.

As we close this morning I want you to notice one more mistake I believe the Children of Israel made. It’s what I believe was...

Worldly Sorrow (10:10ff & 13:1)

Notice Judges 10:10

Judges 10:10 NKJV

And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!”

As they have before they “say” the right things. They confess their sin of idolatry. They confess their sin of forsaking the Lord. However, God sees through their empty words.

Notice Judges 10:13-14

Judges 10:13–14 NKJV

Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”

God tells them to look to the “gods” that they been worshiping for deliverance. He is not interested in SHALLOW REPENTANCE that is “sorry they got caught” type of sorrow, rather than SORROW OVER THEIR SIN BEING AN AFFRONT TO GOD and HIS HOLINESS.

He is not interested in BEING USED BY THEM again like one uses a spare tire.

Scripture makes it clear there is a “godly sorrow” that produces true repentance, whereas “wordly sorrow” only produces death.

It seems that their sorrow wasn’t lasting and genuine because you find them doing the same think in Judges 13:1

Judges 13:1 ESV

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

You see there are a lot of people who want just enough of “god” to keep them out of hell, they want just enough of “god” to stay healthy, they want just enough of “god” to keep their family and marriage together, they want just enough of “god” to help them pay the bills, they want just enough of “god” to deliver them from their problems...

Is that you? How would you feel if the roles were reversed.

How would you feel if you knew your CHILDREN were just “using” you to get what they want and to get you to do what they want? Would you feel loved by them at all? Absolutely not.

Imagine how the PERFECT FATHER feels when He knows His creation, whom He sacrificed His only Son for, is just using Him?

BUT THEY REALLY DON’T WANT GOD TO REIGN OVER THEIR LIVES AND USE THEIR LIVES TO GLORIFY AND MAGNIFY HIM.

GOD IS NOT INTERESTED IN BEING MY SPARE TIRE NOR YOURS. GOD IS GOD AND HE IS TO BE LORD OF MY LIFE AND YOURS!

Stop looking for EXTERNAL SOLUTIONS to an INTERNAL PROBLEM. The only solution for our INTERNAL need is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

Stop looking to the temporary god’s of this world to quench an eternal thirst

Picture of Golden Calf

Your career

Your family

The culture

Your possessions

Your money

Your fame

The approval of others

Pleasure, fame, entertainment

Fame, success, or comfort

God has placed ETERNITY in your heart and NONE of these things will quench the eternal thirst you have.

God’s looking for TRUE REPENTANCE that is broken over your sin, not an “I’m sorry” that has no intention of surrendering to Him and His will for your life.