Judges 1-5 is an absolutely fascinating historical account of what happened to the next generations after Moses and Joshua.
They certainly can’t say they weren’t prepared. Nor can we.
Judges 1
They did not pay attention and were not thorough in their obedience. Are we?
The whole chapter one is ‘they did not utterly drive them out’ and considering Gods promise to them was giving them
The whole land, no compromise, this was catastrophic.
We think we can make deals with the world, that all we need is love – umm, no. The consequences for these people, the next generations, are horrible – as if they haven’t gone through enough already.
How quickly people turn to other gods!!!
Judges 2
‘They forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtaroth’ Judges 2:13
Recently I saw a giant statue of Moloch in the USA, pride of place. Do we think the West does not engage with these things? What do we dabble with that has its roots in them?
Israel has forgotten it was a war, this generation didn’t want to fight. Sounds like most Christians I meet, they do not comprehend the reality of spiritual landscape and what it takes to inhabit gospel life!
Look at the pattern –
- taken captive and oppressed by the King of Mesopotamia, 8 years
- God puts his spirit on the first Judge, Othniel, Caleb’s younger brother, he delivers them.
- they have rest for 40 years
- they do evil again
- taken captive by Eglon the King of Moab, 18 years
- the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera – left handed man (details details!!!! ), the story here how he killed the fat ruler – gotta love the Bible story here.
- they rested for 80 years
- they do evil again.
Judges 4
Israel are taken captive by Jabin, King of Canaan with his 900 chariots of iron (imagine 900 tanks!), 20 years he oppressed them – the captain of his army was Sisera.
Deborah the prophetess judged Israel at that time, Barak son of Abinoam had been told already what to do and she is pointing the finger! Because he wouldn’t go alone to the fight, the glory of the fight was going to a woman – Jael.
What can we learn?
What must we pay heed to?
Women love to study Deborah – it’s a real woman power moment. And she is great, but not because of her gender – but because she was a spiritual person who listened to God, just like Joshua.
Judges 5
Chapter 4 and 5 are worth really taking time in.
Judges 5 is tied to Ephesians 6. Do we get it? This is something I have studied before and extensively. This spiritual life we are now in, where the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds, against principalities and powers….that is what is going on here in Judges 5. We see where Paul is drawing his contextual teaching from.
The spiritual battle going on here, ‘they fought from heaven, the stars in their courses fought against Sisera’ (5:20)
It has always been a spiritual journey, with faith, obedience and action wholeheartedly with God.
These lives are an example to us.
We should learn the lessons of history.
