Juízes 1

Juízes 1

Pentecost - "the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled." See also notes on the phrase "according to the Scriptures" in 1Co 15:3, 4-notes). In John 3 as Jesus explained the new birth to Nicodemus, He used a reference to the Old Testament to make His point to the spiritually blind "teacher of Israel" (Jn 3:10)… "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (type), even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (antitype); that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life." (Jn 3:14,15 compare with Nu 21:7, 8, 9) In John 6 Jesus' followers after having been served bread by the Lord, asked Him… "What then (Jesus had just declared "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He has sent.") do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.'" Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven (type), but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven (antitype). For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world… I am the living bread (antitype) that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh." Jn 6:30, 31, 32, 33, 51 compare the "type" in Ex 16:4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, cp. Neh 9:15, Ps 78:24,25) (3) The OT history is pedagogical (relating to, or befitting a teacher or education). This means the the OT Scriptures were divinely planned and intended to teach us certain truths today. For whatever was written in earlier times (refers to OT) was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (absolute assurance that God will do God to us and for us in the future). (See note Romans 15:4) And so we see that Paul clearly taught that the OT was divinely planned not only to instruct the OT saints but NT saints as well. (cf 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). (4) The OT history is partial and incomplete. Peter alluded to this in his first letter recording that… As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful search and inquiry, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ (cf prediction = "the type"; fulfillment = "the "antitype") and the glories to follow. (1Pe 1:10, 11-note) The OT prophets sought to know the times and circumstances by which their prophecies would come to pass but their knowledge was partial and incomplete. Peter then explains that "these things… now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you (believers in the NT era) by the Holy Spirit" (1Pe 1:12-note). In other words, these truths which were partial and incomplete in the OT had now been revealed to saints in the NT. The OT clearly had a meaning in its historical context but also had a "fore" meaning in light of NT revelation. It needs to be underscored that typology is not an invitation to fanciful interpretations of the truths in the OT. On the other hand, some teach that we should never attempt to see things in the OT which are not there in a historical-grammatical sense. There is clearly some truth in this caution for we are not to attempt to see typology that has no support (no historicity, correspondence or predictiveness). To do so would lead to fanciful, potentially erroneous and harmful interpretation. On the other hand, there is no validity to the idea that we are not to interpret the OT in light of the NT. The NT in fact was written in light of the foundational teaching in the OT. For example, it would be very difficult to understand the Messianic promise in Genesis 3:15 if we did not understand the rest of the Bible. But from the perspective of NT revelation, when we look at the OT, we are able to see things that we could not have seen without the light of revelation of the NT. The truth of the OT is unchanged, but our ability to see the different facets of that truth is changed. In the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, William G. Moorehead has a balanced, well reasoned discussion on typology noting that… The Bible furnishes abundant evidence of the presence of types and of typical instruction in the Sacred Word. The New Testament attests this fact. It takes up a large number of persons and things and events of former dispensations, and it treats them as adumbrations (Ed note: vague foreshadowing) and prophecies of the future. A generation ago a widespread interest in the study of typology prevailed; latterly the interest has largely subsided, chiefly because of the vagaries and extravagances which attended its treatment on the part of not a few writers. Pressing the typical teaching of Scripture so far as to imperil the historical validity of God's word is both dangerous and certain to be followed by reaction and neglect of the subject. 1. Definition of Type: The word type is derived from a Greek term tupos, which occurs 16 times in the New Testament. It is variously translated in the King James Version, e.g. twice "print" (Jn 20:25); twice "figure" (Acts 7:43; Romans 5:14 [note]); twice "pattern" (Titus 2:7 [note]; He 8:5 [note]); once "fashion" (Acts 7:44); once "manner" (Acts 23:25); once "form" (Ro 6:17 [note]); and 7 times as example" (1Cor 10:6,11; Php 3:17 [note]; 1Th 1:7 [note]; 2 Thess 3:9; 1Ti 4:12; 1Pe 5:3 [note]). It is clear from these texts that the New Testament writers use the word type with some degree of latitude; yet one general idea is common to all, namely, likeness. A person, event or thing is so fashioned or appointed as to resemble another; the one is made to answer to the other in some essential feature; in some particulars the one matches the other. The two are called type and antitype; and the link which binds them together is the correspondence, the similarity, of the one with the other… Types are pictures, object-lessons, by which God taught His people concerning His grace and saving power. The Mosaic system was a sort of kindergarten in which God's people were trained in divine things, by which also they were led to look for better things to come. An old writer thus expresses it: "God in the types of the last dispensation was teaching His children their letters. In this dispensation He is teaching them to put the letters together, and they find that the letters, arrange them as they will, spell Christ, and nothing but Christ." In creation the Lord uses one thing for many purposes. One simple instrument meets many ends. For how many ends does water serve! And the atmosphere: it supplies the lungs, conveys sound, diffuses odors, drives ships, supports fire, gives rain, fulfills besides one knows not how many other purposes. And God's Word is like His work, is His work, and, like creation, is inexhaustible. Whatever God touches, be it a mighty sun or an insect's wing, a vast prophecy or a little type, He perfects for the place and the purpose He has in mind. 2. Distinctive Features: What are the distinctive features of a type? A type, to be such in reality, must possess three well-defined qualities. (1) It must be a true picture of the person or the thing it represents or prefigures. A type is a draft or sketch of some well-defined feature of redemption, and therefore it must in some distinct way resemble its antitype, e.g. Aaron as high priest is a rough figure of Christ the Great High Priest, and the Day of Atonement in Israel (Leviticus 16:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7f) must be a true picture of the atoning work of Christ. (2) The type must be of divine appointment. In its institution it is designed to bear a likeness to the antitype. Both type and antitype are preordained as constituent parts of the scheme of redemption. As centuries sometimes lie between the type and its accomplishment in the antitype, of course infinite wisdom alone can ordain the one to be the picture of the other. Only God can make types. (3) A type always prefigures something future. A Scriptural type and predictive prophecy are in substance the same, differing only in form. This fact distinguishes between a symbol and a type. A symbol may represent a thing of the present or of the past as well as of the future, e.g. the symbols in the Lord's Supper. A type always looks to the future; an element of prediction must necessarily be in it. 3. Classification of Types: Another thing in the study of types should be borne in mind, namely, that a thing in itself evil cannot be the type of what is good and pure. It is somewhat difficult to give a satisfactory classification of Biblical types, but broadly they may be distributed under three heads: (1) Personal types, by which are meant those personages of Scripture whose lives and experiences illustrate some principle or truth of redemption. Such are Adam, who is expressly described as the "figure of him that was to come" (see note Romans 5:14), Melchizedek, Abraham, Aaron, Joseph, Jonah, etc. (2) Historical types, in which are included the great historical events that under Providence became striking foreshadowings of good things to come, e.g. the Deliverance from the Bondage of Egypt; the Wilderness Journey; the Conquest of Canaan; the Call of Abraham; Deliverances by the Judges, etc. (3) Ritual types, such as the Altar, the Offerings, the Priesthood, the Tabernacle and its furniture. There are typical persons, places, times, things, actions, in the Old Testament, and a reverent study of them leads into a thorough acquaintance with the fullness and the blessedness of the Word of God (Ed note: Amen!) 4. How Much of the Old Testament Is Typical?: How much of the Old Testament is to be regarded as typical is a question not easily answered. Two extremes, however, should be avoided. First, The extravagance of some of the early Fathers, as Origen, Ambrose, Jerome (revived in our time by Andrew Jukes and his imitators). They sought for types, and of course found them, in every incident and event, however trivial, recorded in Scripture. Even the most simple and commonplace circumstance was thought to conceal within itself the most recondite truth. Mystery and mysticism were seen everywhere, in the cords and pins of the tabernacle, in the yield of herds, in the death of one, in the marriage of another, even in the number of fish caught by the disciples on the night the risen Saviour appeared to them--how much some have tried to make of that number, 153! The very serious objection to this method is, that it wrests Scripture out of the sphere of the natural and the historical and locates it in that of the arbitrary and the fanciful; it tends to destroy the validity and trustworthiness of the record. (Ed note: And this latter is the gravest potential danger, for if the Scriptures lose their trustworthiness, our faith is affected. We don't lose our salvation but we can become spiritually "weak" for "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." see note Ro 10:17) Second, the undue contraction of the typical element. "Professor Moses Stuart expresses this view as follows: "Just so much of the Old Testament is to be accounted typical as the New Testament affirms to be so, and no more." This opinion assumes that the New Testament writers have exhausted the types of the Old Testament, while the fact is that those found in the later Scripture are but samples taken from the storehouse where many more are found. If they are not, then nothing is more arbitrary than the New Testament use of types, for there is nothing to distinguish them from a multitude of others of the same class. Further, the view assumes that divine authority alone can determine the reality and import of types--a view that applies with equal force against prophecy. This rule may be safely followed: wherever the three characteristics of types are found which have been already mentioned, there is the type. Weighty are the words of one equally eminent for his piety as for his learning: "That the Old Testament is rich in types, or rather forms in its totality one type, of the New Testament, follows necessarily from the entirely unique position which belongs to Christ as the center of the history of the world and of revelation. As we constantly see the principle embodied in the vegetable and animal kingdoms, that the higher species are already typified in a lower stage of development, so do we find, in the domain of saving revelation, the highest not only prepared for, but also shadowed forth, by that which precedes in the lower spheres" (Van Oosterzee). (Ed note: Gundry in his article amplifies Moorehead's comments writing that… Though the man whose name designates this group was not the originator of this view, a group known as the school of Bishop Marsh propagated the rule of thumb that a type is a type only when the New Testament specifically designates it to he such. Since this is a clear and precise formula, it has exercised a great influence on conservative Protestant interpretation since the time of Marsh. However, a more moderate school of thought pointed out that the New Testament practically invites the interpreter to find additional types in Scripture. Thus, this mediating school tried to resist the wild extravagances of the Cocceian school (The Cocceian school of the mid-seventeenth century fell into the irregularities of the ancient allegorists), but it still insisted that the possibilities of a typological interpretative method were certainly greater than Bishop Marsh bad suggested. Hence, the mediating school suggested that there were two varieties of types: 1) innate types, or those specifically declared to be types in the New Testament; and 2) inferred types, or those not specifically designated in the New Testament but justified for their existence by the nature of the New Testament materials on typology. The most able systematizer and defender of this approach has been Patrick Fairbairn, and he is supported by Terry in his Biblical Hermeneutics. In present-day conservative Protestantism (fundamentalism, evangelicalism, orthodoxy or whatever other term may be regarded as descriptive) the above three approaches to typology continue to co-exist. There are those who play the typological theme to the point that it practically amounts to allegorical interpretation. In reaction to these excesses, Bishop Marsh has many modern followers; but probably the majority of modern conservative Protestants seek to maintain a mediating position similar to that of Fairbairn and Terry. (Gundry, S T, Typology as a Means of Interpretation: Past and Present. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society Volume 12:237, Fall, 1969) LITERATURE - P. Fairbairn, Typology of Scripture, 2 volumes (Free online); Angus, The Bible Handbook; Andrew Jukes, Law of Offerings in Leviticus; Mather, Gospel of Old Testament, Explanation of Types; McEwen, Grace and Truth: Types and Figures of the Old Testament; Soltau, Tabernacle, Priesthood and Offerings. (Orr, J., M.A., D.D. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: 1915 edition) STUDY GUIDE - JUDGES LESSON 1 Goals - · Cover the overview of book of Judges placing primary emphasis on the purpose for the writing of the book of Judges · Understand the setting of the book of Judges (Jdg 1) > shows the incomplete obedience of the children of Israel due to their not driving out the enemies completely. · Review the cycle (Jdg 2) which was a consequence of failure to completely drive out their enemies · Cycle: forsook God, followed other gods, oppressed by enemies, cried out to God, God raised up judges to deliver. etc. · This cycle of events affected their general lifestyle. (Jdg 17-21) · Lifestyle result of fact that bc there was no king in Israel, everyone did what was right in his own eyes Application Is your obedience to the Lord complete or is your obedience only partial? Partial obedience is complete disobedience! Are you becoming comfortable with the mores and morals of the "Canaanites?" (What do you watch on Netflix?) Are you being seduced by the false gods of this godless world system? In what ways are you compromising with the world, the flesh and/or the devil? Are you willing to obey Paul's charge in Romans 13:14+ to " put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Or are you already making provision for the lusts of your flesh today, even as you read this application point? Is your allegiance to the Living God alone, or have you become your own god and are doing what is right in your own eyes? What "Canaanites" are you refusing to drive out of your life? Are you beginning to become comfortable with the "Canaanites," even being willing to live in their midst? What are the "iron chariots" in your life? How are you handling them? Are you fearful (fear full) or faithful (faith full)? Have you cried out to your Heavenly Father to come to your aid (cf Heb 2:18+) in the face of these fearful "iron chariots?" Do you fully understand the important spiritual dynamic of God's Sovereignty and Your (my) Responsibility? What type of literature is Judges? History (and even though there was no king it is still "His-Story")l When in history of Israel did book of Judges take place? Links the entrance of CoI under Joshua > promised land with inception of a series of kings over united Israel (Saul, David, Solomon). When? after the death of Joshua (Jdg 1:1) Because Judges historical literature, the easiest things to see will be the events. Easiest way to understand book is to look at the people, places, and things mentioned in the various events. Start by looking at events in Judges 1. Your goal is to watch the key repeated phrases and subjects in the chapters that help recognize purpose of book of Judges. You want to understand the reason for the Judges account in the Bible. Gives far more than just a historical account of the reign of the various Judges in the history of the Children of Israel. Vital message for our lives. Emphasis is to handle the book by segments. But to do so must begin with Judges 1. What was the main theme of ch1 ? · Repeated Key Phrase > theme · "Enemies not completely driven out"(Not used after Jdg 1) "drive out" 6x "lived among" 3x "forced labor" 4x · Pattern emerges early - Israel did not drive out the enemies. Ask - which tribes mentioned in this list that did not drive out the enemies? (1) Judah took possession of the hill country but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley. (Jdg 1:19) "bc had iron chariots" (2) Benjamin did not drive out (Jdg 1:21) [Jebusites] (3) Manasseh did not take possession of the country (Jdg 1:27) [Canaanites] (4) Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites completely.(Jdg 1:29) [Canaanites] (5) Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants(Jdg 1:30) [Canaanites] (6) Asher did not drive out the inhabitants(Jdg 1:31,32) [Canaanites] (7) Naphthali did not drive out the inhabitants(Jdg 1:33) [Canaanites] (8) Dan not allowed into valley (Jdg 1:34) [by Amorites] As pattern seen, ASK - what is the theme of Jdg 1? · They did not drive out the enemies completely. · Record as title for first Jdg 1. Want to understand the book from seg divisions which will show purpose for the writing of the book. Ask - What did you see the relationship to be between Jdg 1 and the rest of the judges? Or to ask another way... What does Ch1 show that would set it off as a segment division? · The setting of the times · Record as seg division. · All rest of book understood in this setting · Setting = did not drive out the enemies completely What does the segment show regarding the problem that the Children of Israel are experiencing? Problem = disobedience. Did not drive out the enemies completely. Incomplete obedience. Setting = enemies not driven out. Problem = disobedience = Incomplete obedience SUMMARIZE: Webster's "setting" = place, time & circumstances in which something occurs or develops Place = Canaan (Promised Land) Time = "after Joshua died" Circumstances = did not drive out their enemies bc partial obedience (~disobedience) What about Ch2? What is the theme of Ch2? Look for key repeated phrases or events. What happens over and over in Ch2? · Result of disobedience of Children of Israel => did not tear down idolatrous altars · Cycle that repeats itself over and over What requirements had been placed on Israel and what had Israel failed to do that shows the results of the incomplete obedience to drive out the enemies? · God reminds them in Jdg 2 that he'd told them not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land but to tear down their altars. [Jdg 2:2] · Says - you have not obeyed me. · Result = cycle began in hx of Children of Israel. Spelled out in Jdg 2 What is cycle as summarized in Jdg 2:11? · Did evil in the sight of the Lord and they served the Baals (Jdg 2:11). They served the gods of the people · In serving the Baals, the cycle is that · Forsook the Lord, Jdg 2:12 · Followed other gods from among the people & bowed Jdg 2:12 · Provoked the Lord to anger, Jdg 2:12 · Lord gave them > hands of plunderers Sold then > enemies or their oppressors, Jdg 2:14 · Cried out (groaning) to the Lord Jdg 2:18 · Lord raised up judges who delivered them Jdg 2:16 · Israel did not listen to their judges Jdg 2:17 · But followed the gods of the people again and started through the cycle again · Result was that God declared that he would no longer drive the nations out from among them. Jdg 2:3, 21 Capsule the message in Jdg 2. How title Jdg 2? · Identify the cycle Did evil > Were oppressed > Cried out > God delivered What is the relationship of Ch2 to the rest of the book? Trying to understand the purpose of the book by looking at the various segment division, by being able to identify the structure of the book. In Jdg 2 = overview (general survey) of the times. Jdg 2 gives capsule of events recorded in chap3-16 Record on VA. Help to show segments The cycle repeated over and over in Ch2 that serves as an overview =>> Ch3-16 give the very specific historical accounts of the experiences of the Children of Israel that are described in the overview in Jdg 2. REVIEW: Ch1 - The Setting. Children of Israel were not obedient to the Lord. Incomplete obedience = disobedience. They did not drive out the enemies completely. Ch2 - The Overview for book of Judges & shows results or consequences of incomplete obedience. forsook the Lord. did evil. God gave over to oppressors. Cried out. God raised up a judge. God delivered them. The judge would die and then the cycle would begin again. ===================================================== VA. Opposite Chs 3-16 block off segment = history of times Ask - can they identify that segment? What do chs3-16 relate? Specific history of the times. The different times that the Children of Israel did evil, forsook God, cried out, and God raised up a judge, and God delivered them. ASK -- What about chs17-21? Hint: Ask - what phrase repeated several times in Chs17-21? no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. If everyone is doing what is right in his own eyes, what would these chapters be showing? Lifestyles of the Times. Record as segment. Now go through structure of the book as labeled in Segments. If the book is going to be properly understood and handled in the weeks to come, it needs to be understood within its context. Not just the specific historical events, but want to understand these events in light of the purpose that God is trying to accomplish through giving us this account. Setting - incomplete obedience. Did not drive out their enemies. Jdg 1 Overview - result of not driving out enemies. Cycle. Jdg 2 History - cycle spelled out ch by ch with various events. Jdg 3-16 Lifestyle - in 17-21 see lifestyle is not in chronological order but was representative of the life during this entire period of judges. Historical account of the judges 3-16 somewhat chrono order. Events of 17 -21, simply picture of the way people lived during the time of the judges. ASK - what would you say the book of judges is showing? What would the purpose for writing the book be? As the segments are evaluated - one of the purposes of this book would be to show the results of incomplete obedience. All of the tragic historical events & the lifestyle flow form the Setting which ~ incomplete obedience. What was result? When took first step and decide not to fully obey God, the second step was that they forsook God. & this Incomplete obedience led to idolatry which ultimately led to immorality. Record opposite segments. Once God was forsaken, they became their own gods in that THEY DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES! See that the book has been given to us to SHOW US THE RESULT OF INCOMPLETE OBEDIENCE. ASK - what about you? · Does your life exemplify total, absolute obedience to the Lord? · Is there incomplete obedience in your life? · Is there any area in your life that you know God has told you to walk a certain way, that He has told you to drive out the enemies, yet you have chosen incomplete obedience. (1Co10:6,11,12, Ro15:3, Pr30:5, Ps12:6, 2Ti3:16,17) These things are written as warnings to instruct us See that incomplete obedience leads to idolatry Ultimately to immorality Bottom line to incomplete obedience = you do what is right in your own eyes. THINK FOR A MOMENT: Do you know someone involved in immorality? what is their root problem? who is the god in their life? what does God call being your own god? (idolatry). What is idolatry associated with? (immorality) Before begin to title the chapters, ASK - based on what seen, how identify the theme of the book of Judges? Two ways to look at theme: · See the theme from the author's obvious reason for writing - the results of incomplete obedience. · Look at book from historical perspective - theme is to give the history of the judges. Ultimately, history of judges shows purpose and results of incomplete obedience. LOOK AT HISTORY OF THE JUDGES. Theme of each historical chapter and then lifestyle chapters. Relate historical facts back to purpose of book - show results of incomplete obedience. ================================================= ASK - what theme of Ch3? Set stage: Context: Why did God left the nations to test Israel -two reasons? · Be taught war Jdg 3:2 · Test Israel to see if Israel would obey Jdg 3:4 What historical accounts given in Ch3 that show this cycle? Cycle summarized in Jdg 3:7 (cp 2:11) · Children of Israel sold into hands of king of Mesopotamia Jdg 3:8 · Children of Israel cry out to God. Jdg 3:9 · He raises up a judge - Othniel Jdg 3:9 · Delivered them from hands of Mesopotamia Jdg 3:9 Rest for 40yr Jdg 3:11 Cycle begins again - Why? What is the timing? · Did evil Jdg 3:12 · Moab takes over the Children of Israel and oppressed them · Ehud raised up to deliver them · Shamgar struck down 600 Philistines and saved Israel Record. Othniel/Ehud/Shamgar ============================================= Chap 4. Cycle repeats. · Children of Israel did evil Jdg 4:1 · Taken over by Canaanites · God raised up Deborah who was given a word from God for Barak, who agreed to fight if she fight with him so the honor of killing General Sisera went to Jael What took place historically in Jdg 4? · Deborah and Barak and Jael's victory over the Canaanites. Record. Deborah/Barak/Jael REMEMBER: Chs 3 - 16, history of cycle, result of incomplete obedience. Remind - the setting is incomplete obedience, but cycle [because it repeats itself over and over] shows insincere repentance. Jdg 5. Theme? Has to do with Song of Deborah. Record. Song of Deborah. Ask - what does Jdg 5 accomplish? · More specific details concerning the defeat of the enemy by Deborah and Barak and Jael. Be sure understand that the various accounts of deliverance by the judges shows God's deliverance. God raised up judge. God, through the judge, accomplished the deliverance. Jdg 4,5 = segment in that both chs have to do with Deborah, Barak & Jael deliverance of the Children of Israel. NEXT SEGMENT CONCERNING THE Hx OF THE TIMES? Segment on Gideon. CHs6-8 give account of Gideon's deliverance of Israel. What is the repeated phrase? What is the timing? Jdg 6:1 after God's deliverance of the Children of Israel from the Canaanites through Deborah, the Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and the Midianites then oppressed Israel. God raises up Gideon. What takes place in Ch6? How title? · Gideon's call. · Shows God's dealing with Gideon as He calls Gideon out as the deliverer of Israel. What about Ch7? How title? What took place historically? · Gideon and 300 defeating Midian. · Record as title. ASK - why did God have Gideon reduce his army to 300 in order to defeat the Midianites? · See that God is ultimate deliverer. · Reduced army to 22,000 => 300 so could be clearly seen that the defeat of Midian was a result of the hand of God and not their own efforts or their own armies. What about Ch8? What takes place historically? · Gideon defeats Midian. (135,000) Jdg 8:10 · Gideon refuses being crowned king but makes an ephod. [Will deal with tragic account of building the ephod and leading Children of Israel to play harlot against God.] Chs6, 7, 8 show life and deliverance of Gideon from Midian CH9? What event takes place? Who is the deliverer? · Gideon's son Abimelech · He proclaims himself the leader after assassinating Gideon's heirs · Abimelech slays the enemy Gaal · Abimelech slain fulfilling the curse of Jotham (one survivor) Record. Abimelech Slays and Is Slain The specific details of these historical events will be studied in great depth in weeks to come. Today, as deal with accounts, want to see cycle of events that took place bc originally the Children of Israel did not drive out the enemies. The incomplete obedience resulted in idolatry. Idolatry resulted in being given over to the enemy. Each time, once oppressed and cried out, God delivers them and raised up a judge and cycle begins again. Result of incomplete obedience, in every case, did what was right in their own eyes. What about Ch10? · Accounts of Tolar and Jair. · They judged Israel for a period of time. Significant statement concerning God's attitude toward Israel's disobedience. Ch10:6,13 ASK - what was the statement? · God reminded Children of Israel that when they cried out before, He had delivered them and they had still forsaken Him. · Therefore, He said that He would deliver them no more. · But the mercy of God is seen clearly, bc when the Children of Israel cried out to the Lord, He says that He can bear their misery no longer. · See God's deliverance of the Children of Israel once again. What about Ch11,12? · Have account of Jephthah · Jephthah's victory and vow in Ch11. Record for Jdg title. · Jdg 12 - conclusion of Jephthah's deliverance and mention of: · Ibzan · Elon · Abdon Each account shows cycle of events in lives of Children of Israel. Remind that these very specific historical accounts of the judges show us lessons that we can learn. Clearly seen as the book is understood in light of the various segments which clearly show the purpose of the writing of the book. Who was the last deliverer mentioned in the book of Judges? · Samson · Jdg 13-16 give account of Samson's deliverance Who was the enemy? · Nation of the Philistines What about Ch13? How title? What subject? · Concerned Samson's birth & Setting Apart from Womb. Record. What about Ch14? How title? · Samson's Philistine wife What about Ch15? · Samson kills 1000 Philistines What about Ch16? · Samson, Delilah & Death What remember about Samson's ultimate deliverance? · In his death, when he pushed down the pillars of the Temple, he killed more than he did in his life. · See Samson as the deliverer. Chs17-21 show lifestyle of the Children of Israel. What is subject in Ch17? · Account of Micah hiring a Levite priest. Record. Chp Jdg 18? · Events surrounding the Danites taking the priest, land, and image. Record. These two chps show lifestyle of Children of Israel. · Show that Children of Israel were doing what was right in their own eyes. · They were determining their own standard for how they were to worship. · See in study in weeks to come that they were going against God's ordained ways for worship What about Ch19? · Account of the Levite and the concubine. · Record. · Lifestyle one of immorality. What about Judges 20? · Children of Israel warring against the sons of Benjamin. · Record. What about Judges 21? · Account of Israel's search for wives for the sons of Benjamin. · As result of war between Israel and Benjamin, had to find wives for sons of Benjamin bc had almost destroyed one whole tribe. Remind - Judges 17-21 record events indicative of lifestyle of entire period. As conclude - remind that · purpose of the book is to show that incomplete obedience led to idolatry and idolatry led to immorality · Disobedience to God resulted in forsaking God and resulted in their becoming their own gods. · These are the results/consequences of disobedience. · The book of Judges clearly shows God's wrath. · But it also shows God's mercy and deliverance. ASK - what about you? Are you living in incomplete obedience? 1. Is your obedience to the Lord total and complete or is your obedience only partial? 2. Are you walking in incomplete obedience to the Lord as the Children of Israel were in the book of Judges? 3. Are you following after other gods? 4. Is your allegiance to God and God alone, or have you become god and are doing what is right in your own eyes?