A. INTRODUCTION
1. Failure is a fact of life. All of us have been failers at one time or another. No one succeeds in every endeavor undertaken. Most often our failures are small in nature, since most of our life's endeavors are modest. But some failures are significant; some can be life-changing; some might bring harm to others; some could prove fatal.
2. Whenever I fail, I can usually pin-point the cause of my lack of success. "My timing was off," I might tell myself, or, "I just didn't 'have it' on that particular day." Sometimes, when I fail, I blame others and, sometimes, it might be true. I have also been known to blame the weather, "bad luck," or other "circumstances beyond my control" for failures on my part. On occasion -- just like everybody else -- I have had to admit to myself that it was I and I alone who failed. When it came down to it, I just didn't get the job done. Perhaps the task was bigger than I had anticipated, requiring more time and energy than I had available to bring to it. Maybe I didn't have the right skills, or the right tools, to get that job done. Perhaps I wasn't really ready, totally unprepared for what was expected of me. Maybe I ignored the directions: left out a step or two, or tried a "short cut" through a difficult procedure. Or maybe, even after starting well, I got "sloppy" at the end of the project, no longer being careful, rushing to the finish without properly taking care of business. In such cases I have failed because I have compromised my original goal, the authentic intent of the project.
3. One of the great themes of the book of Judges is "F __ __ __ __ __ __ through
C __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __."
a. Israel's failure in the Promised Land began with their decision to d __ __ __ __ __ __ God's direct command to annihilate or otherwise completely drive out all of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. God knew that the wicked yet attractive religions of the region would lead His people astray. He knew that they would not be able to resist the seductive allure of the various Baal gods or the Ashtoreths. So He commanded His people -- first through M __ __ __ __ and then through J __ __ __ __ __ -- that they were to completely rid the entire region of even the slightest trace of that culture, which had been declared by Him to be herem -- consecrated for divine judgment and destruction. To do less, God knew, would lead His people into spiritual r __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, spiritual compromise, and, finally, to apostasy.
(1) Baal is one of the names given to the Canaanite "storm God" also called "Hadod." In the mythology of the region, he was the son of "Dagon," god of rain and agriculture. Often in the Old Testament we read the name Baal in a plural form. This is because certain manifestations of Baal were assigned in the religion to particular places.
(2) Ashtoreth ( also sometimes rendered in a plural form) was the "goddess of the evening star," renowned and worshiped for her beauty. She served as the goddess of fertility and love, and was often linked in the Canaanite pantheon with Baal.
(3) The religion of the Canaanites was noisy, showy, and accessible. At its most desperate, it sanctioned the sacrifice of children in order to appease the gods. But it also allowed for abundant hedonism, and featured, as did so many of the religions of the region, temple prostitution as a means of worshiping the goddess of fertility.
b. "The Book of Judges is a commentary on the nature and characteristics of spiritual apostasy. The writer not only presents the theological trends involved in apostasy, but vividly describes the practical consequences of apostasy in everyday life. The covenant failure of Israel are contrasted with the covenant faithfulness of Jehovah." - John J. Davis: Conquest and Crisis
c. That the Canaanites have disappeared from the face of the earth is an archaeological fact. They were not destroyed by the armies of Israel; they were assimilated into their larger and more virulent culture by means of the vehicle of marriage. The resulting clash of cultures in individual households produced compromise necessary for peace in the home, and the faith of God's chosen people was weakened at the essential individual level. No national decision was made to disobey God's commands, but the nation moved away from the God of their fathers as individuals disobeyed the covenant by compromising their faith.
4. In reading Judges 2:6 - 3:6 we learn several key factors in the predicament faced by the young nation at the time of our text passage.
a. A great time divide exists between the death of Joshua and the period of the judges. It was not until all the "elders" who had served with Joshua had passed from the scene that the real trouble began, for the next generation "did not k __ __ __ the Lord or the w __ __ __ which He had done for Israel." ( 2:10 )
(1) "Israel's lack of 'knowledge of God' is spelled out with much repetition in several standard formulae, in verses 11-19. Religious nature, like any other nature, abhors a vacuum. Those who did not actively 'know the Lord' must quite as actively serve and worship someone else." - A. Graeme Auld: Joshua, Judges and Ruth
(2) "The nation forsook the Lord, a crime which involved disloyalty to their forefathers and a willful overlooking of the mighty works of the Lord on their behalf, especially the deliverance from Egypt. All the evidence of their traditions ought to have ensured their faithfulness, but instead they turned to the gods of the people into whose midst they had come, whose religion seemed more directly concerned with their own prosperity." - Arthur E. Cundall and Leon Morris: Judges and Ruth
b. A time limit seems to have been imposed by Jehovah on His providing divine assistance for their military efforts to drive out or destroy the Canaanites. After this new generation f __ __ __ __ __ __ Him and began to serve the gods of the region, God's a __ __ __ __ was "kindled" against His people and He no longer guided them into military victory. In fact, "Whenever they marched out, the hand of the Lord was a __ __ __ __ __ __ them for evil, as the Lord had w __ __ __ __ __..." ( 2:15 )
c. Yet God never abandons His people. Even after working against them in battle, God saw to it that they were delivered from the hands of the military oppressors by means of specially-gifted " __ __ __ __ __." ( 2:16 )
d. Yet Israel, once saved out of the power of her enemies, always defiantly turned back to the worship of the false gods of the Canaanites. Again, we read of the anger of God kindled against them. This time He decided to "allow" His people to live with their terrible choices and to reap the harvest of trouble that would result from them. ( 2:17 - 3:6 )
(1) The list of the nations with whom Israel would co-exist is provided in two over-lapping verses in chapter 3. The P __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ are mentioned first, perhaps because they among all of Israel's neighbors were the most persistent "s __ __ __ __" and "t __ __ __ __ in their side." ( See also 2:1-5. )
(2) 3:1-6 also provides us with an encouraging development. Having, as it were, given Israel over to her choice to co-exist with the Canaanites, God did not break His covenant with His rebellious nation. He would make good use of their compromise, using their choice to "t __ __ __ __ warfare" ( 3:2 ) to this inexperienced generation and to "t __ __ __" them to see if they would ultimately obey His commands ( 3:4 ). The fruits of God's endeavors here will be manifested during the glory days of the nation under David and Solomon.
B. TEXT: Judges 3:7-31
1. In this section we are introduced to the first three of those whom God would raise us to deliver His people:
a. O __ __ __ __ __ __, the "younger brother" {nephew?} ( as well as the son-in-law!) of C __ __ __ __, that champion of faith from the books of Numbers and Joshua;
b. E __ __ __, the Bible's foremost "commando," and
c. S __ __ __ __ __ __, "son of Anath."
2. v.7-11 also describe the "s __ __ c __ __ __ __ __" which characterizes the national life of Israel during this period and often marks the life of individual Christians in this day and age:
a. d __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
b. d __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
c. d __ __ __ __ __ __
d. d __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
3. Note in these verses that God's deliverance comes when His people "cry out" to Him. In Judges 2:18 those cries are described as "g __ __ __ __ __ __ _," a verb translated from a Hebrew word which appears elsewhere in Scripture only in Exodus 6:5, in describing the despair of God's people who are enslaved in Egypt. As scholar A. Graeme Auld writes:
"The situation the Lord faces now is as serious as the one He faced in Egypt: the impetus for its solution comes from Him alone, as it had then." (Op. cit.)
4. Our text begins with the phrase, "The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord," which appears also in v.12. During the period of the Judges the nation of Israel, once delivered by God, were quick to return to their sinful disobedience, and the sin cycle began again.
5. The phrase in v.10, "The s __ __ __ __ __ of the Lord came upon him," is assigned also to three other judges in our study:
(1) G __ __ __ __ __,
(2) J __ __ __ __ __ __ __, and
(3) S __ __ __ __ __.
"It expresses a temporary and spontaneous increase of physical, spiritual, or mental strength. This was an extraordinary and supernatural occurrence to prepare a person for a special task. The Holy Spirit is available to all believers today, but He will come upon believers in an extraordinary way for special tasks. We should ask the Holy Spirit's help as we face our daily problems as well as life's major challenges." - Study notes for Judges 3:10, The Life Application Bible
6. Our text passage depicts two of the six major epochs of history during the period of the Judges. This first one, led by Othniel, lasted _____ years ( v.11).
7. The hair-raising story of Ehud's "commando" raid against Eglon, king of M __ __ __, is told in hair-raising detail in v.12-30, and dominates the text passage.
a. He was l __ __ __ - handed, a fact which helps explain his successful armed entry into the presence of Eglon and which serves as one of God's little jokes, since the name of Ehud's tribe, B __ __ __ __ __ __ __, literally means "people of the r __ __ __ __."
b. The description of the actual assassination of Eglon is told in rich, disgusting detail:
(1) how the f __ __ of the obese king's belly enclosed around the handle of Ehud's sword (really a specially-made 18" dagger) as it ran him through;
(2) how the point of Ehud's blade protruded through the fat king's back;
(3) how, apparently, the blade opened Eglon's intestines, so that the "d __ __ __" came gushing out (!).
c. God's sense of humour is glimpsed again in v.24-25, when Eglon's attendants, finding his chambers locked, decided that the king must be "relieving himself," when, in fact, his bowels had already been emptied! The delay, of course, gave Ehud time to escape.
d. V.27-30 record the great battle which took place after Eglon's assassination, when Ehud led the armies of Israel against the Moabites.
(1) Note the familiar ring of Ehud's call to arms in v.28:
"Follow me," he ordered, "for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands."
(2) ___________ Moabites were slaughtered in the great battle. The survivors were made subject to Israel.
(3) The second epoch ends with _____ years of peace, apparently under Ehud's judgeship.
8. The name of Shamgar appears in Scripture only twice: here in v.31 and in Judges 5:6, when his exploit against the Philistines is acknowledged in the "Song of Deborah." He, too, should be listed among the judges of Israel, but one whose impact was, perhaps, regional, and whose life may have overlapped with the time of Ehud, who is more prominently connected with the events recorded in the fourth chapter of Judges, which we hope to consider next week.
C. APPLICATION
1. In our study last week we included God's list of responsibilities to His chosen people, as recorded in Deuteronomy 6:1-25:
(1) L __ __ __ and o __ __ __ Jehovah as the only true God (v.1-5);
(2) T __ __ __ __ your children God's laws (v.6-9);
(3) Be continually t __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for God's blessings (v.10-15);
(4) S __ __ __ __ __ __ __ yourself from the evil influence of the world around you (v.16-25).
2. The book of Judges is the record of Israel's failure to keep their c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with God. But it is also part of the continuing record of the God's eternal and unswerving covenant
f __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to His people.
a. To Jacob God said: "Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back into this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." ( Genesis 28:15 )
b. Through Moses, to the children of Israel, God said: "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." ( Deuteronomy 31:6 )
c. Jesus Christ, God the Son, says to His disciples: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ( Matthew 28:19-20 )
It is the promise to always be with us which He attached to His Great Commission that makes us willing and able to pursue it. God is faithful to keep all of His promises, and His will will be done. The choice is left to us whether or not to believe Him. If we fail, He will be faithful to deliver us. If we obey, He will be faithful to bless us with years of peace and plenty. This is as true for the local church as it is for individual Christians.
(1) It has been said that the world is always looking for "a new and better way." God, on the other hand, is looking for "better" men and women: those who understand the basics of our "warfare" in the present age:
- the p __ __ __ __ of the Holy Spirit;
- the w __ __ __ __ __ of God; and
- the c __ __ __ __ __ __ of faithfulness.
(2) "The cycle of disobedience, discipline, despair and deliverance is seen today whenever God's people turn away from His Word and go their own way. If disobedience isn't followed by divine discipline, then the person is not truly a child of God; for God chastens all of His children (Hebrews 12:3-13 ). God has great compassion for His people, but He is angry at their sins.
The Book of Judges is the inspired record of Israel's failures and God's faithfulness. But if we study this book only as past history, we'll miss the message completely. This book is about God's people today. When the psalmist reviewed the period of the Judges ( Psalm 106:40-46), he concluded with a prayer that we need to pray today:
Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise. ( Psalm 106:47, NIV )
D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E____
1. First things first: Read Judges 3:31.
a. What is an "ox goad?"
b. This brief mention of Shamgar bears a striking similarity to another story in Judges. Can you remember which one?
2. Read Judges 3:5-6.
a. How did inter-marriage with the Canaaites lead Israel into idolatry?
b. Christians, too, live under a covenant with God: the New Covenant. Marriage also involves a covenant, does it not? Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. Explain how you might use this passage to give advice to your son or daughter regarding marriage.
c. Many have used these two passages to regard interracial marriage as wrong. What do you think?
d. Read Ephesians 5:21-33. According to this passage (and any other "marriage-related" verses which come to mind, what is God's primary purpose in marriage?
3. Read Judges 3:11 and 3:31. What is the secret for enjoying "rest" with God? Use Scripture to support your answer.
4. Some would apply the promises God made to the nation of Israel in Judges and other Old Testament verses to the United States today. What is your position on this?
5. Re-read Judges 3:12-29. Does this passage suggest that there may be times for "justifiable" murder or assassination, or times when God might "sanction" extravagent bloodshed on the battlefield?
_________ Why, or why not?
