God + Me Lesson 2

The Reason for Judges

Judges 2:16 ESV

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

Judges 2:16–22 ESV

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.”

Judges

Judges were temporary and special deliverers, sent by God to deliver the Israelites from their oppressors.

Their first work was that of deliverers and leaders in war; T

They then administered justice to the people, and their authority supplied the want of a regular government.

Judges 4:1–3 ESV

And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.

Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord

The Lord sold them (He is in total control)

Sold: sell, i.e., give possession of an object, entity, or state to another, usually

sell, i.e., give possession of an object, entity, or state to another, usually

The commander of his army was Sisera

Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (electronic ed.). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Then the people of Isreal cried out to the Lord for help

The were oppressed for twenty years

GOD + ME = People are living an oppressed life because of sin

GOD + ME = People are crying out

Judges 4:9 ESV

And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.

For the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman (It’s all under his control)

Judges 4:11 ESV

Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

Very interesting passage

Heber the Kenite had separated from the kenites

Pitched his tent as far away

GOD + ME = God will cause you to separate from your comfort zone

GOD + ME = God will push far away from your comfort zone

Judges 4:12–15 ESV

When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the Lord has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the Lord go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. And the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.

Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot

Judges 4:16–17 ESV

And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael

Jael was the wife of Heber the kenite

Judges 4:18–20 ESV

And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?’ say, ‘No.’ ”

Judges 4:21–23 ESV

But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.

Judges

Jael was the chosen one to get the job down…

She killed the one that brought oppression

God is going to use you - Though the Gospel

The sets people free from oppression