Judges:Hope For Troubled Times

Chapters 2:6-3:31

“Oppression and Deliverance”

21 Dec 11

Announcements

Judges and Ruth – Winter QuarterWeek Date Topic

1 07 Dec 11 Overview – Judges and Ruth

2 14 Dec 11 Israel’s Success and Failure: Judges 1:1-2:5

3 21 Dec 11 Oppression and Deliverance: Judges 2:6-3:31

4 28 Dec 11 Deborah, Gideon: Judges 4-6

5 04 Jan 12 Gideon’s Success and Failure: Judges 7:1-10:5

6 11 Jan 12 Jephthah the Judge: Judges 10:6-12:15

7 18 Jan 12 Samson and His Exploits: Judges 13-14

8 25 Jan 12 Samson and Delilah: Judges 15-16

9 01 Feb 12 A Levite and His Concubine: Judges 17-19

10 08 Feb 12 The War with Benjamin: Judges 20-21

11 15 Feb 12 Ruth and Naomi Return to Bethlehem: Ruth 1-2

12 22 Feb 12 Ruth and Boaz are Married: Ruth 3-4

13 29 Feb 12 Review – Judges and Ruth

Today’s Objectives• Review last weeks lesson from Judges 1:1-2:5• Provide an historical background and timeline for

this weeks lesson• Review historical maps of Israel and the region• Read Judges 2:6-3:31• Recognize why God raised up “judges” to deliver

the Israelites from their oppressors• Sense the love and compassion of God for His

people when they continually failed to obey Him• Examine our own lives to make sure no “idols” are

vying to be worshiped alongside God

Historical Background• Jewish traditions states Samuel wrote Judges• Written around 1050 B.C. and covered the period

from 1375 B.C. to 1050 B.C.– Death of Joshua to the beginning of the monarchy– Israel’s form of government was a theocracy– God alone was their King– God raises up a series of judges between Joshua’s death and the

coronation of Saul– Major and minor judges; most did not rule over all

• Depressing period in Israel’s history– Cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance– Spiritual compromise was the norm of Israel– God sends powerful oppressors to counter spiritual compromise

Historical Background• Judges 2:6-3:31

– Israel shared the land with Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites

– All descendents of Noah through Ham with the exception of the Perizzites (Gen 10:15)

– Includes the judges Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar– 1370 B.C. to 1330 B.C.

– Phinehas – led civil war against Benjamites (Josh 22)– 18th and 19th Egyptian Dynasties

• Tutankhamen

• Eye

• Horemhab (Last king of the 18th Dynasty)

• Ramses I ( 1st king of 19th Dynasty)

• Seti I and II (Ramses the Great)

Key People in Today’s Lesson• Othniel

– First of the judges– Raised up to lead Israel after the Israelites fell under

the subjection of the king of Mesopotamia for 8 years.

• Ehud– Descendant of Benjamin – Killed Moabite king Eglon with a two-edged dagger– Routed the Moabites at the fords of the Jordan, putting

10,000 of them to death.

• Shamgar– Repelled the Philistine invasion, slaying 600 men with

an "ox goad"

Israel Follows Other Gods (2:6-15)

• Campaign to establish Israel– 2:6-9 similar to Josh 24:29-31– Campaign to establish Israel in the promised land was

complete– Joshua allowed the fighting forces to return and take

possession of the land (vs. 2:6)– Israel remained faithful to God during the lifetime of

Joshua and the elders who followed him – why?– People had witnessed the power of God (vs. 2:7)

• Succeeding generations largely ignores God– Did evil in the eyes of the Lord (vs. 2:11)

• Canaanites and Phoenicians lead Israel astray– Began worshiping Baal and the Ashtoreths (vss. 2:12-13)– The true God worshiped along side the pagan gods

• God does not yield His glory to another (Isa. 48:11)– The same principle holds true today– Jesus will not share His glory with anyone or anything

• Cycle of Sin, Oppression, Repentance, Deliverance– God oppressed Israel through aggressors (2:14)– Israelites unable to defend themselves (2:15)– God’s goal was to urge Israel to change

Israel Follows Other Gods (2:6-15)

• God uses tribal chiefs to rescue the Israelites– Judges or Shaphat were raised (2:17)– Meaning “to judge” or, by extension, “to govern”– Most were virtuous and honest, some were corrupt

• God continues to have compassion for Israel– Judges were raised to rescue (2:18)– Israel’s unfaithfulness was kept in check until the judge

passed– Progressively more sinful with each passing judge– Despite repeated violations of the Mosaic covenant (vs.

20)

The Lord Raises Up Judges (2:16-3:6)

• God no longer defeat and expel nations left in Canaan– God would use them to test the faithfulness of His

people (2:21-22)– God allowed idolatrous groups to remain in the land– Presence would test the seriousness of Israel’s

commitment to God (2:22)– Would also test the Israelites whod did not have battle

experience– Philistines, Cananites, Sidonians, and Hivites were to

test Israel

The Lord Raises Up Judges (2:16-3:6)

Othniel Defeats the Arameans (3:7-11)• Israel continued to serve the Baals and Asherahs

– Cycle of Sin

• Mesopotamian oppression – Cycle of Opression– Cushan-Rishathaim of Aram Naharaim chosen as the

leader of God’s oppression against Israel– Arameans inhabited the land between the Tigris and

Euphrates rivers– Also known as Syrians– Israel had endured eight years of oppression under the

Arameans (3:8)

Othniel Defeats the Arameans (3:7-11)• God raises Othniel

– Israel cries out (repentence)– God provides deliverance for Israel– God enables Othniel to rescue Israel– Son of Kenaz and Caleb’s younger brother– Othniel defeats Aram– Othniel judged Israel for forty years in peace (3:10-11)

Baal Asherah

Ehud Plots Against Eglon (3:12-23)• Israel once again returns to sin

– God calls upon Eglon, the Moabite, to punish Israel (vs. 3:12)

– Joined by the Ammonite and Amalekite people– Three groups attack Israel and capture Jericho.– Israel suffered for 18 years under the Moabite rule

• Israel cries out for God’s help– God raises Ehud to rescue Israel– Ehud visits Eglon to bring a payment of tribute (3:15)– Ehud devises a way to kill Eglon with a hidden sword

(3:16)– Ehud claims to have a secret message (3:17-19)

Ehud Plots Against Eglon (3:12-23)• Ehud kills Eglon (3:20-23)

– Ehud then left the chamber– Decisive– Man of action– Brought relief to God’s people

Ehud Begins the Battle (3:24-31)• Death of the king discovered (3:24-25)

– Ehud escapes to Seirah– Ehud signals to his fellow Israelites to battle in the hill

country of Ephraim (3:27)– Ehud carefully acknowledges that God had enable the

people to defeat the Moabites

• Israelite strike down Moabites fleeing from Jericho– 10,000 Moabites killed – Israel enjoyed 80 years of peace (3:29-30)

Shamgar Delivers God’s People (3:31)• God raises Shamgar

– God uses the Philistines to oppress Israel– Shamgar was likely a farmer– Shamgar leads the Israelites and slaughters 600

Philistines with an ox goad

• Shamgar also mention in Judges 5:6

Review• Reviewed last weeks lesson• Provided an historical background and timeline for this

weeks lesson• Reviewed historical maps of Israel and the region• Read Judges 2:6-3:31• Recognized why God raised up “judges” to deliver the

Israelites from their oppressors• Sensed the love and compassion of God for His people

when they continually failed to obey Him• Examined our own lives to make sure no “idols” are vying

to be worshiped alongside God• Next class on 28 Dec 11, Judges 4-6