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WHY JUDGES?
These verses certainly don’t make very interesting reading, at least at first glance.
This passage seems to be a long list of obscure names that catalog ancient battles in distant places, matters that can have no possible relevance to our lives thirty centuries later.
A closer look suggests, however, a pattern that is all too familiar, and one against which we must carefully guard ourselves.
In fact, Judges 1 probes us in places we might prefer the Holy Spirit leave alone.
WHY JUDGES?
Flannery O'Connor, one of the greatest American short-story writers, was sometimes criticized for her outlandish characters.
She explained that they were intentionally grotesque, because “for the hard of hearing you shout, and for the blind you draw large and startling figures.”
She could have been describing the characters we'll encounter in our study of the books of Judges.
God has included these stories from the history of Israel in His Word in order to shout some truths to us about His own character.
A HOLY GOD DEMANDS WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION.
A HOLY GOD
THIS MEANS HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT SIN.
HE IS NOT CAPRICIOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
HE IS NOT CAPRICIOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
The prophecies of Genesis 15 deal with these basic events: Abram would have many descendants.
Those descendants would one day be taken captive and treated harshly.
After four hundred years, Abram’s descendants would return to Canaan.
Their return would coincide with God’s judgment on the Amorites in Canaan.
HE IS NOT CAPRICIOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
These prophecies were fulfilled when, after Joseph’s death, Pharaoh enslaved the Israelites (who were living in Egypt at the time), and then, four hundred years after Joseph, Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt to the borders of Canaan; Joshua then led the people into Canaan and conquered the land.
Joshua’s conquest took place only after the sin of the Canaanites had “reached its full measure”.
HE IS NOT CAPRICIOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
One thing Genesis 15:16 shows is the certainty of God’s judgment on the wicked.
The Amorites and other Canaanites were exceedingly wicked (for a list of some of their sins, see Leviticus 18).
During the time of Moses, God gave the reason for the Canaanites’ downfall:
HE IS NOT CAPRICIOUS IN HIS JUDGMENTS.
God had predicted this all the way back in Abraham’s time.
The Amorites were wicked, and Judgment Day was coming.
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
At the same time, Genesis 15:16 demonstrates God’s love, mercy, and above all His longsuffering and patience with sinful man.
Rather than immediately wipe out the Amorites, God chose to wait for over four hundred years to bring judgment upon them.
The enemies of God would be displaced as God settled His chosen people in the land He had promised them.
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
Yet God’s enemies did not need to remain enemies.
They were given ample time to turn from their wickedness, turn to God, and be forgiven.
The Amorites had a chance to repent and be saved, just as the Assyrians in Nineveh did during in the time of Jonah.
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
The Amorites’ sin had not escaped God’s notice.
He was keeping track of the measure of their sins, and, during Abraham’s time, it was not yet “full.”
So the Amorites were warned that judgment was coming.
It is sad that they did not take advantage of their time of grace.
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
They wasted their four hundred years and continued to fill up the measure of their sin.
Like most other pagan nations that Israel later encountered, the Amorites stubbornly continued in their sin until judgment finally befell them in God’s own time.
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
Because the Amorites finally filled up the measure of their sin, God brought Joshua and the children of Israel against them.
God’s command was for the Israelites to
HE IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARDS SINNERS.
A similar fate as befell the unrepentant Amorites awaits those who rebel against God today and reject His Son, Jesus Christ.
All of us are sinners (Romans 3:23), and we have been warned that judgment is coming.
Judgment Day is promised, but until that time we have the chance to repent and be saved.
God in His love, mercy, and patience waits, withholding judgment to give us all a chance to believe and be reconciled to Him.
HIS JUDGMENTS ARE JUST.
HIS JUDGMENTS ARE JUST.
Lord Bezek said God was just in His punishment.
Abraham asked the question in
DEMANDS WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION
THIS MEANS HE IS SERIOUS ABOUT SALVATION.
HE PROVIDES HIS PRESENCES.
HE PROVIDES A PLAN.
The motivation for driving out Canaanites was not pragmatic but spiritual.
Yahweh had warned through Moses:
HE PROVIDES A PLAN.
Remaining Canaanites would not be so much a military threat as a spiritual cancer.
That’s why Israel was to eliminate the Canaanites and other ‘-ites.’
That’s why Israel was to wreck and demolish all their worship centers.
HE PROVIDES THE POWER.
HE PROVIDES THE POWER.
Note that God did not say "I have given you all the land except for the section fortified by iron chariots" (Jdg 1:19).
God said "the land" without qualification.
Judah failed to believe God's promise.
And promises must be laid hold of by faith (and faith is an "action" verb which translates into obedience).
HE PROVIDES THE POWER.
Note that the text says "they could not drive out"… it does not say "God could not drive out" (or "would not")!
There is a big difference!
They looked at the small chariots, not at their big God.
In the famous painting of Daniel in the Lion's Den, it is notable that Daniel's eyes were not on the lions, but upward on the Lord!
A good pattern to emulate!
Obstacles are opportunities for God to show Himself mighty!
Diminished power is always the result of diminished faith.
Their problem was not a lack of power but a lack of obedience.
In a few short verses we have moved from conquest to compromise coexistence to capitulation.
WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION REQUIRES DESTRUCTION OF EVERYTHING THAT IS UNHOLY.
WE CANNOT CONTROL SIN WE MUST CRUSH IT.
SIN IS NEVER CONTENT TO BE PASSIVE.
IT IS ALWAYS IMPERIALISTIC.
TOLERANCE LED TO TOTAL INTEGRATION.
LIVING WITH THE CANAANITES LED TO WORSHIPING THE CANAANITE GOD’S.
TOLERATION OF SIN IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE CELEBRATION OF SIN.
THEY ENSLAVED THE CANAANITES INSTEAD OF EXTERMINATING THEM WHICH WOULD ALLOW THEM TO BECOME A THORN AND SNARE TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD.
TODAY’S TEXT AND ALL OF SCRIPTURE CALLS US AWAY FROM COMPROMISE AND COMMANDS OUR COMPLETE OBEDIENCE.
DON’T BE A PERSON OF COMPROMISE BE A CALEB
FOLLOW CALEB’S EXAMPLE BECAUSE HE WAS WHOLEHEARTEDLY DEVOTED.
Caleb didn’t want his portion to be any of the lands conquered thus far.
He specifically requests an inheritance in the land that is protected by fortified cities.
He wasn't content just to have faith in God, he wanted to put his faith in action.
CALEB UNDERSTOOD THAT A HOLY GOD DEMANDS WHOLEHEARTED DEVOTION WHICH IS REQUIRED FOR FREEDOM.
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