Lord’s Day, Vol. 12 No. 19
Opening the Book of Judges I
The Book of Joshua to the Book of Judges give a stark contrast in the spiritual state of Israel. A deep plunge from wholesome devotion and piety to the God of Israel to a compromising laxity and departure in faith and piety. The cause of their spiritual deterioration and backsliding was their state of prosperity and seduction to adopt the idolatrous and immoral ways of the Canaanites which they failed to drive out of the land of their inheritance.
Israel failed in transmitting the faith of their fathers in the generation following Joshua to the next generation – Judges 2:10-12 (KJV) And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. 11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: 12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
The Apostle Paul rightly pointed out in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. When Israel took their eyes off their LORD, they were like a ship without a pilot, on a free course, headed for disaster. The last verse in Judges 21:25 well describes their spiritual condition – In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Judges chapter 2 is a summary chapter of the first 16 chapters highlighting 7 cycles of apostasy, oppression and deliverance.
“The children of Israel did evil (again) in the sight of the LORD” is the repeated phrase capturing the cycles of spiritual instability in Israel (Joshua 2:11; 3:7; 3:12; 4:1; 6:1; 13:6; 16:1). Corruption occurred in different regions of the nation culminating in the general corruption of the entire nation in personal (Joshua 17) and tribal idolatry (Joshua 18), personal (Joshua 19) and tribal immorality (Joshua 20) that finally threatened to wipe out the tribe of Benjamin.
The writer first described the corruption of the southern region (Joshua 3:7-31) beginning with this description in Judges 3:7 (KJV) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. This was followed by the corruption of the northern region in Joshua 4:1-5:31 with Judges 4:1 (KJV) And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead. Then the central region in Joshua 6:1-10:5 with Judges 6:1 (KJV) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.
Followed by the eastern region (Judges 10:6-12:15) with Judges 10:6 (KJV) And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. And the western region (Joshua 13:1-16:31) with Judges 13:1 (KJV) And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.
Israel fell into seven cycles of sin, then came seven cycles of servitude when God sent oppression to chastise them, awakening from their backsliding, and began supplicating to the LORD for deliverance, the LORD raised Judges to deliver bringing salvation, followed by a period of peace and silence.
Another writer well described the cycles with the words – rebellion, retribution, repentance, restoration and rest.
The spiritual declension or downward spiral is given by the general description in Judges 2:19 (KJV) And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
In the Southern campaign God raised the Judge Othniel (Judges 3:5-31), Ehud (Judges 3:12-30) and Shamgar (Judges 3:31). In the Northern campaign, God raised Judges Deborah and Barak (Judges 4:1-5:31). In the Central campaign, God raised Judge Gideon (Judges 6:1-8:32), Abimelech (Judges 8:33-9:57), Tola (Judges 10:1-2) and Jair (Judges 10:3-5).
In the Eastern campaign, God raised Judge Jephthah (Judges 10:6-12:7). In the second Northern campaign, God raised Judge Iban (Judges 12:8-10), Elon (Judges 12:11-12), Abdon (12:13-15). And in the Western campaign, God raised Judge Samson (Judges 13:1-16:31).
The judges were military as well as civil leaders during this loose confederacy. After Joshua, there was no leader presiding over all the tribes rather each tribe has their respective tribal leaders. And the tribes fail to drive out the Canaanites in the vicinity of their inheritance – Judah (Judges 1:1-20; Benjamin (Judges 1:21), Joseph (Judges 1:22-29), Zebulun (Judges 1:30), Asher (Judges 1:31-32), Naphtali (Judges 1:33), Dan (Judges 1:34-36).
The warning of Joshua in his closing address to the nation was not heeded therefore the resultant state of instability and enemy oppression – Joshua 23:12-14 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: 13Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. 14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
The warning message was not carried forth to the next generation after Joshua resulting in the spiritual weakness that pervades subsequent generations of Israelites. For the next 350 years during the period of Judges, and subsequently when the priesthood failed, God raised prophets in a time of marked declension and departure of the people to jolt them to come back to Him.
The LORD’S judgment subsequently came upon Israel who wilfully yoked with the people of Canaan – Judges 2:20-23 (KJV) And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died: 22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
The Book of Judges portrays the deterioration of the nation of Israel, showing its causes, the course the nation took and the consequences of it. Israel failed because they forsook the LORD, their hearts did not cleave to the LORD but turned away from Him and soon forsook His covenant. Because Israel the new generation were not well grounded and rooted in their faith, when temptations came, they soon fell away. Therefore, the backsliding became worse and worse. Yet God did not forsake His people, sought their return. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee
