A Little Bit Louder... Judges 10:1-16

There is a children’s song that talks about a little red waggon. I don’t know if you’ve heard it.

“You can’t ride my little red wagon

The seat is broke and the axle’s draggin”

These lyrics are usually followed by some chanting of some kind, and then this line:

“Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a little bit worse”

And then the songs repeats ad infinitum.

Growing up I did not know this song, but I was familiar with one line that was slightly modified. It went “same song second verse, a little bit louder and a little bit worse…same song third verse a little bit louder and a little bit worse”

Much like the song that never ends, this song was a favorite of children especially at summer camps. But the line “a little bit louder and a little bit worse” seems to really step up the awful factor. It’s one thing when an annoying song is played on repeat forever, but when that song is also progressively and intentionally growing is its decibel level and obnoxiousness....things can get ugly in a hurry.

In many ways, it seems as though Israel was metaphorically singing a similar song by their actions. As the cycles of the judges wax on, its not just on repeat but its on a downward spiral. Every time the cycle comes around again, things are the same as they were before, but they get a little bit louder and a little bit worse.

Things seem to come to a bit of a climax in our text today. We’ve seen the cycles go around, and the people seems to do better at some times than others, there are some decent judges and some poor ones. As we come to this stage in the book, there are very few redeeming qualities in the characters that remain.

In many ways, the accounts that follow are depressing. IT would be easy for us to get weighed and dragged down with despair over the situation. To be fully honest with you, I began feeling that several weeks ago with the decline of Gideon, and especially last week with Abimelech. When we reject the King of king, it leads only to destruction.

So this is a good time to remind ourselves what the author of the book of judges is doing. What is his goal?

The author wants us to stare in the face of our own depravity. He wants us to reckon with the blackness of our own hearts. He wants Israel to look into the mirror and see ugliness of her own sin. He wants us to see that SO THAT we will come to recognize what happens when we forsake the King of kings. I’ve named this series “In Need of a King” The author wants to know what happens when we are not in submission to the King of kings! This is the result.

It was the result in Israel. It was the result in Greece. In Rome. Its the result in Russia. England. Its the result in Mexico. It’s the result in the united states. Its the result in your heart and mine.

And its a sad thing. It can be a depressing thing.

Often times when we talk about Gospel presentations, we make note that it’s important to share the bad news before we share the good news. You are a sinner, justly deserving of the wrath of God. We can use the Law of God to expose sin and reveal the condition of hearts. Just by using the 10 commandments we can see our condition before a thrice holy God!

And we talk about how its important to start with the bad news so that we can understand the good news! The good news only makes sense in the context of bad news. When the doctor walks in from the room after a routine checkup and says “good news, we have a cure for your condition” you will be flabbergasted! What do you mean? What condition? I feel fine!

But if he walks in and says, I’m afraid you have a very serious condition. Such and such is occuring in your body and if you let it go it will eventually kill you. But there is good news. There is a treatment that is effective and can save your life.

There will be joy and relief and gratitude at the good news! But only if there is the context of the bad.

That’s how we approach Gospel conversations!

Well, the book of judges is essentially the bad news. But bad news left alone doesn’t do us any good! We will only drown in self pity and sorrow! We must show how the god news addresses what ails Israel and what ails us in our sinful condition, and that is an acknowledgement of the King! We must turn to Jesus Christ in faith!

Now, all of that is introduction, not only this week, but for the material that we will be covering in the weeks ahead. We must reckon with the reality of sin. The reality of our own hearts. but not wallow in that. We must see that and use it to drive us straight tot he cross of Christ! He is the only solution, he is the only balm for our aching hearts, he is the only one who can make this dead man live!

With that, let’s turn to Judges chapter ten.

The Insufficiency of Raw Influence.

Judges 10:1–5 ESV

1 After Abimelech there arose to save Israel Tola the son of Puah, son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, and he lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. 2 And he judged Israel twenty-three years. Then he died and was buried at Shamir. 3 After him arose Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 And he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys, and they had thirty cities, called Havvoth-jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Kamon.

Tola and Jair: Judges that set the stage.

We know very little about these men. It seems that their role in the book of judges is bridge us over from Abimelech to Jepthah and set the stage. There are details here that should make us perk up a little.

Tola is the only Judge for whom we know his lineage beyond his father. We know his grandfather, Dodo. This detail gives us a clue that Tola is from an influential family, and was likely influential himself.

He dies and is succeeded by Jair.

Jair is a Gileadite. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys.

In order to have this progeny, he would have had to have been a very wealthy man with several wives. The Hebrew text emphasizes the detail about them having thirty cities. These were wealthy and influential individuals. Not only did Jair have wealth, but his sons benefited and seemed to have great wealth and influence as well.

Notice there is nothing here about the land having rest. There is no statement about God establishing these leaders. From the narrators point of view, they seem to have arisen through mere human means. The lived. They arose. They judged. They died.

For all their influence. For all their wealth. They were unable to keep Israel from chasing after false idols. They were insufficient for what was needed.

I titled the heading of this section the insufficiency of raw influence. Influence is not a negative thing. We all have influence and we are all influenced by others. Raw influence, influence that is not governed or directed by the LORD, however, that influence can be dangerous and is insufficient. To the degree that God grants us influence in another person’s life, we ought to seek to use that influence for God’s glory by directing others to the LORD and His Word.

There is not indication that these judges did that. They had great wealth and influence. But it was insufficient for the need of the people.

And so we find Israel once again mired in rampant sin and idolatry.

Judges 10:6 ESV

6 The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him.

This is the most devastating statement of the problems of Israel in the entire book. Most other places the people went after the Baals and Ashtaroths. But here the point is pressed home like never before. They went after the gods of Sidon. Of Moab. Of Ammon. Of the Philistines. They forsook the Lord and did not serve Him.

This is as complete as it gets. A total and utter rejection of the their King, and a total embracing of every god but the one true God.

As a result, the Lord sent judgment upon them just as he had before.

Judges 10:7–9 ESV

7 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, 8 and they crushed and oppressed the people of Israel that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the people of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. 9 And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.

There are many striking words here. The total and utter apostacy of the people leads to a level of judgement that goes beyond what previous judgments brought.

The philistines and the Ammonites crushed and oppressed the people. The word for crushed could also be translated as shattered, and the only other time it is used to speaks of God shattering Egypt as Israel was led out in the Exodus. The translated as oppressed could also be translated as crushed, and the only other time it is used in the book of Judges is when the millstone was dropped on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.

This is what Israel endured. Verse eight says “for Eighteen years” they oppressed the people. The phrase “for eighteen years” is emphasized in the Hebrew. They endured this for a long time under a very oppressive regime.

As they grow tired under the judgment of God, notice how they come to God and God’s response. We saw that raw influence was insufficient for the people. Now we see the insufficiency of insincere religion.

The Insufficiency of Insincere Religion

Judges 10:10–14 ESV

10 And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals.” 11 And the Lord said to the people of Israel, “Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12 The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13 Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14 Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”

The people seem to come before God in repentance, but the response of God reveals that he knew what was in their hearts. Their plea was apparently an insincere one.

God’s response is scathing and devastating. I have saved you time and time again. Yet each time you go running after those other gods. You’ve made you bed. Go sleep in it. Go cry out to those gods. They will save you.

Devastating words. These are the words we all deserve to hear. We love the words of Romans 8 “If God is for you who can be against you”. But if God is against you. How will you stand?

The people seem devestated over these words so they double down:

Judges 10:15–16 ESV

15 And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day.” 16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.

They put away foreign the foreign gods! Alright! finally, some positive results! Or are they?

These verse are two very challenging verses. Scholars debate about what is being communicated here.

On one hand, some think Israel has finally repented here and God is responding to their repentance.

On the other hand, some believe that this is also an insincere act on Israel’s part as they seek to manipulate the Lord into saving them.

I am of the persuasion that the later is correct. There are several reasons why this is the case.

it fits the context better. Israel has been living in the worst idolatry ever, and they are enduring the worse judgment to date. God himself has pointed to the reality that every time he saves them, they only go back into idolatry again, and it is on that basis that he say, No. I’m done. I will not rescue you. God knows that this people will only go back into idolatry again.

God’s acts of mercy and grace are because of His goodness, not because of our actions. Many times in this book God has acted to save his people. But it wasn’t because of their piety. IT was also because of his mercy. He is not obligated to show mercy. He chooses to do so because he is a merciful God.

There is a strong case to be made that verse 16b, which says “God became impatient over the misery of Israel” could be translated as “God became impatient over the labor of Israel.” The concept of impatience is a good translation. He grew tired of what he saw is the idea. It would seem strange that God would become impatient with the very judgment that he brought. The word that is translated as “misery” in the ESV, and most other English translations is most often used to refer to labor or toil. This may refer to their hardship under an oppressive regime. Or it might refer to their work to try to get God to act. In context, I think that latter position is correct. These people are trying to manipulate God into helping them out and he grows tired of their actions.

What immediately follows seems to indicate that they were not choosing to reply upon the Lord. The Ammonites are called to arms and they went out to war against them, and rather than again appealing to the Lord, they announce that whoever will step up and lead the charge will then be king. There is no submission to God here.

This is not a hill I’m going to die one, but it seems right to me in context. These people are playing religion in an effort to seek to manipulate God. But it insincere religion.

The people needed more than simply putting away the foreign gods. They needed to embrace the one true God.

So often we place our faith an trust in human leaders and their influence. This is insufficient. We place our faith and trust in playing the religious games. This is also insufficient.

We are all guilty of this, aren’t we?

“Yes, I’ve sinned here, but rescue me just this one time. Whatever happens after that, I will accept, but this one time save me!”

I’ll go to church! I’ll give money to the church. I’ll be baptised. Just help me out!

The arrogance to think that God could be bought with a flase religious bribe.

It’s this kind of attitude that causes God to say through Isaiah the prophet hundreds of years later:

Isaiah 1:10–15 ESV

10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. 12 “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? 13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Insincere religion is an affront to almighty God.

I’ve wondered if God would say something similar to the church today.

I hate your singing. I hate your VBSs and your Sunday Schools. I hate your tithes and offerings

It’s not that those things are wrong. But it’s what in our hearts that matter. IF we think we are earning something or manipulating God into doing what we want, we have another thing coming!

Insincere religion is insufficient!

These things are insufficient. What is sufficient?

Jesus. Jesus Christ.

In this text we see another manifestation of the depravity of the human heart in seeking to manipulate God.

Jesus Christ paid the price for that sin on the cross. We don’t need to work to try to earn favor with God! The work has been done! It is finished! All my righteousness is as filthy rags, but I don’t have to stand in my own righteousness! He gives me the righteousness of Christ!

But it requires us to submit to him in faith. The call of the Gospel is a call of submission. We must humbly admit that we are sinners who cannot save ourselves. No amount of religious manipulation will do. We must humbly ask him to save us and make us His own.

Even as we live out our walk with Christ, this requires us to submit in faith. That his ways are higher than out ways. That his design is for our good and his glory. That we don’t earn anything by attending church, partaking of the Lord’s table, but that these things call us upward unto faith in the King of kings, Jesus Christ.

Playing religious games is insufficient. But Christ’s sufficiency pays for that sin as well. Judges shows us the bad news of our depravity. The Gospel is the good news that gives life and shapes us into the image of Christ. Praise Him! Thank Him!

Rejoice in the God of your salvation today.

Let’s pray.