In the Fullness of Time

Introduction

If you would, open your Bibles to Judges chapter 2, Judges Chapter 2 and we will be looking at verses 1-5.

There is a statement that appears in the book of Judges several times and it is the context for understanding the book.

The statement goes like this, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Jdg 21:25 ESV)

From this we gather that the book of Judges is to show us the consequences when God’s people abandon God’s law and make their own Law.

We have to remember who is the enforcer of God’s Law. It is easy to think of Jesus as the redeemer, but we are told that there is a day coming, where men will say to the mountains fall on us to hide us from the wrath of the Lamb.

When we talk about The Golden Thread that points to Christ, understand we are talking about Christ, he is justifier and judge, redeemer and condemner, he came in humility and he reigns and King, he is hated by the world and loved by the saints.

This passage of scripture we will see both God’s mercy and his judgement on sin. We will see both God’s staying of his hand from judgement, passing over as Paul said it in Act 17, and God’s righteous rejection of those that violated his covenant.

Let’s ready Judges 2:1-5

Judges 2:1–5 ESV

1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? 3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” 4 As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim. And they sacrificed there to the Lord.

May the Lord bless the reading of his Holy and Infallible Word

Let’s Pray

Transition

The scene laid out for us here is that of a lord inspecting how his people have behaved in the execution of their duties to him. Take a look at verses 1 and 2.

Body

Inspected! (1)

Text

Judges 2:1–2 ESV

1 Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, 2 and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?

Exposition

“the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim”

Exposition

Gilgal is south of Jericho and we don’t know where Bochim.

It is probably either Bethel or Shiloh

Two theories about what this means

The tabernacle moved to Bochim and the Lord appeared in the new place.

Or there was an angel or a pre-incarnate Christ that actually appeared and walked from Gilgal to Bochim.

Odd phrase, “went up from”

Exposition

Most references to the angel of the lord are meaning the LORD himself came.

Gideon “angel of the LORD came and sat under” (Jdg 6:11, ESV)

Samson’s parents “the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her” (Jdg 13:3, ESV)

The picture is that of an inspection.

Example, the military barracks.

I like this example, because its works well with the LORD and law keeping.

“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. (Jas 2:10–11, ESV)

Transitions

After the inspections he gives his verdict.

“I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you”

I have kept my part of the covenant.

“and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?’”

Exposition

They have not keeps the covenant.

The Long suffering of the LORD is on display here.

Rather than bringing down the curses from Deuteronomy right then and there, God would over and over again sustain his people. Over and over and even when the destruction and the exile comes in 700 BC he still saves a remnant.

Application

God’s graciousness rests on his plan to glorify himself in the redemption of his people through Christ.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Eph 1:7–10, ESV)

Moreover, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Ac 17:30–31, ESV)

Illustration

The picture is that of a Judge, the judge slams the gavel, guilty, but the sentence that should have been destruction is mercy.

Transition

By the mercy of God the people are not totally destroyed right then and there, the remnant will exist for God to be glorified. But Sin has consequences. See verse 3.

The Cost of Sin (2)

Text

Judges 2:3 ESV

3 So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”

Exposition

“So now I say, I will not drive them out before you”

Exposition

The LORD has overseen the land and the work of his Fiefs and he is not satisfied.

There are consequences for their failure to heed his commandments.

Transition

There are two primary consequences the king lists here. Because the King will no long use his power to help them win total victory over their enemies, first.

"but they shall become thorns in your sides”

Think of God’s justice here.

God sent Israel to punish and remove the wickedness of the Canaanites.

Instead of having God’s zeal for justice, we learn that Israel is practicing the very wickedness God sent them to destroy.

God’s punishment is literally to let them have what they wanted.

Transition

God does this often when punishing. He will often just lift his hands and let the people destroy themselves with Sin. Notice second part of the consciousness.

and their gods shall be a snare to you.

Exposition

See there it is, God says, you want to act wickedly, I am going to just let them happen and guess what, it will destroy you.

The direness of sin is that not only does it not bring the pleasure it promises, it also is a trap that will consume.

Application

When thinking of God’s judgment on a nation don’t look at hurricanes, volcano, floods, or fires. Yes, God does use those things, but they are not a sure sign of judgement.

To see a sure sign of God’s judgement, look for sin that once was hated to become something celebrated.

Then you will see all the destruction that follows.

People will forget that God created marriage to be between and man and a woman.

People will forget how to tell a boy from a girl

People will forget that children are the future

People will revel in the darkest of prevention and it will be normal.

The perversion you can find on the screens of any “normal” movie right here in this country is a good example of this.

The poor will become the cattle of the rich and tyranny will abound.

In the end the society will come crashing down.

Transition

Thus is the dire state when God says, you can have your sin. The people of Israel knew what the decree meant and they rightfully wept.

The Direness of the Decree of Sin (3)

Text

Judges 2:4–5 ESV

4 As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. 5 And they called the name of that place Bochim. And they sacrificed there to the Lord.

Exposition

“the people lifted up their voices and wept”

Exposition

The people clearly see the direness of the LORD’s statements.

“they called the name of that place Bochim”

Bochim means place of weeping.

“And they sacrificed there to the Lord”

This statement is interesting, and lends to the idea that the tabernacle was moved. We know that the Tabernacle was in Gilgal in Joshua 22, but it moved to Shiloh by Judges 18. This could be a reference to that moving.

Application

How do we apply this to us these evening?

We are the temple of the living God, where we are we must call for God’s worship to be kept pure, (Catechism) at all time. When the nation round us delves into deeper and deeper perverseness we must remind the world that Christ is the judge. With Paul we say,

In “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed.”

The warning goes out to America, God will allow this death spiral to continue unless you repent.

To ourselves we must “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,” (Php 2:12–13, ESV)

If God takes his hand off of our lives, if he decrees to allow the sin to remain, we are as doomed as the nation of Israel.

Transition

However, take heart saint, God will not leave you in your sin.

Conclusion

God’s covenant with you is in Christ and it cannot be revoked. For you, he will discipline you, he will drive out the sin, for us Jesus is justifier of those being sanctified. Only do as we are told, “lay aside every weight and sin and run the race.” (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV)

We conclude with words from the Author of Hebrews

Hebrews 12:3–6 ESV

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Christ is both judge and redeemer. We are to be properly in awe of his justice and properly bold in his mercy.

Benediction

Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.