The Ideal Savior: Judges 3:7-11

Introduction:

Othniel’s conquering and romance (1:11-15).

A fill in the blank of Judges 2:11-23?

Our story puts meet on the theological bones of the pattern described earlier.

FCF: From where does judgment and salvation come?

Big Idea: Yahweh is judge and savior. Let me show you three ways that Yahweh is seen as Judge and Savior

Body

Main Point 1: This is seen when he punishes Sin: 7-8

Israel’s evil and forgetfulness (7)

Yahweh’s anger and instrument of judgment (8)

Application: God has a jealous love for you and when you are in Christ He will not allow you to fall away.

Transition: Yahweh is judge and savior. This is seen when he punishes Sin.

Main Point 2: This is also seen when he provides Salvation: 9-10

The people cry out to God (9a)

Yahweh raises up Othniel their savior (9b)

Yahweh’s Spirit gave him power and victory (10)

Applicaiton: Salvation belongs to God.

Illustration: Donald Trump and Messiah Complex

Application: God is sovereign over history—the election, finances, and illness.

King of two evils

Illustration: Job and Joseph

Transition: Yahweh is judge and savior. This is seen when he punishes Sin and provides Salvation.

Main Point 3: Lastly, this is seen when he gives Rest: 11

God provided rest for the Land (11)

Application:

God uses both severity and goodness to draw us to repentance.

God has provided us in the United states with peace and the free exercise of religion.

We should in turn pray for our leaders thank God for the peace we have exercise our religion to the fullest

God provided rest a for the land for forty years during Othniel’s time, but when He died the rest ended. Jesus, who is God’s superior instrument of salvation lives and the rest he provides for you and I is eternal.

Conclusion:

This narrative is rather bare and the judge discussed in it is bare compared to other major judges we will look at. In many ways we just know that Othniel was God’s instrument, had the power of the Holy Spirit, and got things done. It does seem to be that Othniel’s narrative is a fill in the blank section from chapter 2:11-23. For this reason, I would call him the ideal savior or judge. He is the one from who the other saviors God raises up deviate from. This narrative holds what is essential to the book of Judges and that is Yahweh is judge and savior. This has been seen in his punishing sin, providing salvation, and giving rest. We can see the parallels between Othniel and God’s ultimate savior Christ. They both had the Spirit of God and conquer the enemies of God’s people. Yet one stark difference is seen in that Jesus provides rest for eternity. Jesus has conquered sin and death and will complete the salvation that He began when He returns. We now experience elements and shadows of the great peace that comes, yet when He returns the land and His people will have perfect and eternal peace.