Day #89

Sermon - Audio
Judges 1-2 - Audio
Judges 1-2 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

The name of the book of Judges comes from the title given to the 12 leaders ("judges," whose temporary leadership was both civil and military) of Israel during the period between Joshua and Samuel. The book is anonymous; nowhere in Scripture is any author indicated. The book consists of various blocks of material about different judges, which conceivably could have been written by multiple authors over a period of time. Late Jewish tradition ascribes authorship to Samuel, which is certainly possible. However, in the end, the book's author is not known. RSV Study Bible

Purpose: The book of Judges was written to show the consequences of religious apostasy and to point the way to a king who, if righteous, would lead the people to God. In contrast to the serene way in which the book of Joshua ends-with all Israel obeying God's commands, for the most part-the book of Judges shows that, in fact, Israel began to disobey God even during the time of Joshua. This disobedience continued and grew more serious-and more debased-throughout the period of the judges. Time and again Israel turned its back on God and embraced the gods and the ways of the Canaanites, as the introductory summary in 2:16-23 indicates. Israel's history unfolded in this period in a cyclical or repetitive way: each cycle took Israel further downward in its debasement and apostasy. By the end of the book, Israel had violated its covenant with God in almost every way imaginable. RSV Study Bible

Chapter 1

Soon after Joshua died, Israel began to lose its firm grip on the land. Although Joshua was a great military leader, Israel missed his spiritual leadership even more. Joshua was able to keep the people focused on the Lord. Joshua was the obvious successor to Moses, but there was no obvious successor to Joshua. Under Joshua, Israel and all of the tribes started very strong, but soon got side tracked by fear, lack of faith, and other gods.

One of the biggest failures on Israel's part was to not drive out all of the peoples from the land. This seems cruel and inhumane to our modern ears. (Although, in many places of the world this 'conquest' would not seem all that surprising.) The Israelites were under God's order to execute judgment on the wickedness of Canaan. The other nations were to be judged for their sin as God had judged Israel by forcing them to wander 40 years before they were allowed to enter the promised land. It is also note-worthy that God did not give Israel a pass, because eventually they too would be severely punished for becoming as evil as the people that they were ordered to drive out.

Chapter 2

2.1-5 The angel of the Lord could have been a manifestation of the Lord, or an angel that was speaking for God. He announces that Israel has failed to drive out the Canaanites and the difficult days are coming. The angel appears in other places in this book. The ESV Study Bible suggests that this angel was sent because people were not allowed to see God and live. For examples of what happens when humans see God check out Isaiah 6.1-6; Revelation 1.12-17.

2.6-10 Joshua's death is recorded here along with the death of his entire generation. We see a devastating critique of parents failing to live up to their covenant promises in vs. 10 (And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel). Not many Christians in North American worship idols like the gods of Canaan. But we have sacrificed our children on the altar of 'self.' God's rule in our lives has been replaced by telling our children that they are the "Center of the Universe." The message has been, "Your story is more important than God's story." This kind of idol worship plays itself out in a number of ways in Western Michigan. We see staggering biblical illiteracy among the church's young , but more time for sports, school, band, or whatever activity is making them feel affirmed and 'special.' Often when young people do serve we want to classify them as 'super-apostles,' instead of humble servants. We are only 1 generation from having no church.

The remaining parts of chapter 2 introduce cycles of idol worship, rebellion, and grace.


December 31 is a great time for us to examine these cycles in our own lives and begin to make changes that honor God. "One Day at a Time"


Step 4 - Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

Step 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Step 7 - Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

The following comes from the "Daily Reflections" book from AA

......we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. AA Big Book, p 86

When said sincerely, this prayer teaches me to be truly unselfish and humble, for even in doing good deeds I often used to seek approval and glory for myself. By examining my motives in all that I do, I can be of service to God and others, helping them do what they want to do. When I put God in charge of my thinking, much needless worry is eliminated and I believe He guides me throughout the day. When I eliminate thoughts of self-pity, dishonesty and self-centeredness as soon as they enter my mind, I find peace with God, my neighbor and myself. Reflections, p 119