Our Common Problem
The cycle of Judges: A judge dies and the people rebel against God and worship other gods because they are without Spiritual leadership. God brings retribution in the form of captivity and slavery by a neighbouring enemy. The people repent and cry out to God for relief. God restores his people by bringing up a Judge who conquers and leads the people back to worship Him. Then the judge dies...
When our kids were little we were constantly yelling “don’t jump on the beds!” Kids do what you tell them not to do. And then we would follow up with “If you keep jumping on the bed, you’ll get spanked.” They jump anyway, when you ask them why, they always say “I don’t know.”
Why do we rebel even as babies. I don’t know. Why did the people in Israel continue to sin even in the face of God’s miracles. I don’t know.
In Judges 6:8-9 God told the people “I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. 9 I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land.”
1. People rebel
When I’m asked, “Why does bad stuff happen to people?” This is the reason that God shares with us. Because we are rebellious. Everyone rebels against God and His Word.
Judges 10:6
Again the Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. They served the images of Baal and Ashtoreth, and the gods of Aram, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, and Philistia. They abandoned the LORD and no longer served him at all.
Isaiah 30:9-11
these people are stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the LORD’s instructions. They tell the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your ‘Holy One of Israel.’”
John 1:10-11
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.
John 3:19
And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.
Hebrews 3:12-15
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. 14 For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. 15 Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”
2. There is retribution for rebellion
Retribution means, “just desserts” it’s what we have coming to us for our rebellion OR it’s the reward we receive for being obedient
In Leviticus 26 the law outlines the retribution both for obedience and disobedience:
here are some of the retributions of God for obedience:
Rain, plenty to eat, live in peace, protection from wild animals, defeat enemies, the nation will grow strong
For disobedience:
Incurable disease, run over by enemies, no rain, war, people will be taken captive
Judges 10:7-8
7 So the LORD burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to the Philistines and the Ammonites, 8 who began to oppress them that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites east of the Jordan River in the land of the Amorites.
Romans 2:6-10
He will judge everyone according to what they have done. 7 He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. 8 But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. 9 There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.
Galatians 6:7-8
Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
3. When we are punished for our rebellion we become broken and repent
Judges 10:9
The Israelites were in great distress. 10 Finally, they cried out to the LORD for help, saying, “We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”
Matthew 3:8
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God
2 Corinthians 7:10
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
Hebrews 12:6
For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
4. Then God restores the relationship
Judges 10:11-16; 11:32
The LORD replied, “Did I not rescue you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, 12 the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites? When they oppressed you, you cried out to me for help, and I rescued you. 13 Yet you have abandoned me and served other gods. So I will not rescue you anymore. 14 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!”
15 But the Israelites pleaded with the LORD and said, “We have sinned. Punish us as you see fit, only rescue us today from our enemies.” 16 Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the LORD. And he was grieved by their misery. So Jephthah led his army against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave him victory. 33 He crushed them.
Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus[a] be with you.
Romans 8:37
overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die,[j] this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.[k] O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?[l]”For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.
1 John 4:4
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
You rebel. God punishes. You become broken and repent. God restores the relationship.
It's life. But it's temporary. Run the race with endurance and discover the reward that God has prepared for you. Don't be afraid of His discipline.
