Judges: The Downward Spiral
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Reality Check
Reality Check
How should we view these heroes?
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—
who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Samson; who was a child of promise, and devoted to the Lord; he was famous for his great strength; he had his infirmities, but was, without doubt, a good man: the last act of his life seems to be a great instance of faith; he did it with calling upon the Lord; he was strengthened for it by the Lord; he acted, not as a private person, but as the judge of Israel; nor did he act from private revenge, but from zeal for God, and love to his country; and his intention was not to destroy himself, but his enemies; in which he acted as a type of Christ:
Samson was an impulsive man-child who loved to go against the instruction of God, was given to fits of rage and jealousy, and frequented prostitutes, and who by the sovereign and gracious hand of God was used to deliver God’s people from a powerful and wicked enemy.
says that Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world though Him might be saved; Samson came to kill.
The period of the Judges was a dark time for God’s people societally, religiously, and morally
The book of Judges ought to show us clearly that the men and women were not the heroes of the stories; rather God was using not merely imperfect, but sometimes desperately flawed and otherwise vile people to bring about His eternal purposes in rescuing His people
The Downward Spiral
The Downward Spiral
1:1-4 shows seemingly a good start
v19 - the inhabitants of the plain had iron chariots
v21 - the Jebusites were not driven out
v27 - Manasseh did not frove out the inhabitants of Bethshean, o rTaanach, or the inhabitants of Dor, or the inhabitants of Megiddo “for the Canaanites persisted”
v29 - Ephraim did not drive out the inhabitants of Gezer
v30 - Zebulon did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron
v31 - Asher did not
v33 - Naphtali
The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.
The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.
And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.
judges
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.
The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.
The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.
And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.
And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak.
But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
All their excuses in failure make total sense unless they were the people whose God destroyed the mighty army of Egypt in the same red sea He had parted for them to cross
The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain.
The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor.
And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.
2:1-4 is God’s response; a removal of a measure of His protection
2:16-18 presents the cyclical pattern we should expect
2:19 shows that it was not merely a cycle, but a downward spiral until there was no noticeable difference between the people of God and the pagans among whom they lived
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
This phrase is given 4 times in the book of , , )
Longing for a Savior
Longing for a Savior
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?”
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
If nothing else, the book of Judges SHOUTS the message that we are longing for a savior!
If nothing else, the book of Judges SHOUTS the message that we are longing for a savior!
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.
(CHORUS)
How can I be so prone to wander
So prone to leave You
So prone to die
And how can You be so full of mercy
You race to meet me and bring be back to life
(CHORUS)
How can I be so prone to wander
So prone to leave You
So prone to die
And how can You be so full of mercy
You race to meet me and bring be back to life
Curse-reversing Day of Jesus
When You finally seize my soul
Freedom from myself will be
The sweetest rest I've ever known
When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
There was no king in Israel. There is no monarch or elected official today who is leading the People of God into righteousness, but there is a King who is seated on His eternal throne. His name is Jesus, and He is ready today to lead, to teach, to provide for, and rescue forever all who bow to Him. Thanks be to God.