We will be looking into the book of JUDGES and learn from the mistakes of the past.
• The book of Judges starts with “After the death of Joshua…”
• It spans about 400 years, from the time of Joshua’s death to the rise of monarchy (when the people demanded for a king to lead them).
The first generation has passed on. They were the ones who came out of Egypt, experienced God’s deliverance but perished in the desert because of unbelief.
• They saw many miraculous signs but could not put their faith in the promise of God.
The second generation grew up in the wilderness. They saw God’s amazing provisions.
• They heard the Word of God through Moses. They kept their faith and entered the Promised Land.
• They saw how God fought for them and experienced the victories against their enemies.
Israel now is without Joshua. They are to conquer the remaining lands by tribes, according to the allocations Joshua made with them.
• They asked the Lord in 1:1 “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us again the Canaanites?” The Lord said, “Judah is to go…”
• So the respective tribes began their campaigns against the remaining Canaanites in the land.
• Seven tribes were mentioned in Judges 1 – Judah and Simeon (1:2-20), Benjamin (1:21), Joseph (Manasseh and Ephraim) (1:22-29), Zebulun (1:30), Asher (1:31-32), Naphtali (1:33), and Dan (1:34-36).
[ Read Judges 1:19-36 ]
We can tell from the reading that the author wanted to highlight something.
• Who is the author? He was not mentioned in the book, but from the content of the book and traditions, it is likely the prophet Samuel.
• Samuel wanted the readers to know that the tribes made a grave mistake when they allowed the enemies to stay on.
• God’s clear command was a NO, NO. They are to drive them out of the land completely. But Israel had chosen to co-exist with them.
1:19 says the men of Judah were unable to drive the people out because they had iron chariots.
• 1:21 says the tribe of Benjamin failed to dislodge the Jebusites.
• And then the list goes on. 1:27 says Manasseh failed too because the Canaanites were determined to live in that land.
• The enemies were more determined to fight and stay, than the Israelites were in getting rid of them.
• We see this theme “they did not drive them out” repeated throughout the text.
Instead, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labour (1:28).
• This line was repeated a few times because many of the tribes adopted this alternative. Rather than driving them out, they made them slaves.
They compromised. This wasn’t God’s will.
• The general impression we get is that the situation was tough. It was not easy to eradicate all the enemies.
• The Canaanites were determined to stay. They might have fought hard, and they had iron chariots (1:19).
The easier way out would be to make them slaves, under our control.
• It makes sense. Compromise makes sense, only TO US. It doesn’t make sense to God because He knows the future and the consequences.
• Compromise always appears to be rational and even justified, but it is not.
You want to know God’s view on this? Judges 2:1-3 God spoke, through an angel.
• 2:1 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, `I will never break my covenant with you, 2and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.' Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? 3Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you."
This was not a good move. Anything that transgress God’s clear Word is a wrong move, no matter how rational and justified it seems to us.
• God says He did not break His covenant. He did not abandon them. He fought for them in the past, and He will fight for them now.
• In fact, victories for them is assured, it’s a promise, but they did not take it up.
• “Why have you done this?” the Lord asked. You should know better by now.
The issue is not that the Canaanites were strong or that they had iron chariots or that they were more determined to fight.
• The issue was Israel’s disobedience. God: “I have been faithful but you have not.”
• They can win, but they have chosen to lose it, by their disobedience. They have chosen defeat.
Compromise is not situational. It is a decision we make.
• Actually, God has prepared them mentally, earlier on, before these conquests.
• Deut 20:1 “When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you.”
Ultimately, disobedience is a choice. Compromise is a choice.
• We can blame it on the circumstances or the situation, the wrong timing or whatever. At the end of the day, it is a choice we make.
• Do you know that Satan CANNOT make us sin; he can only tempt us? Ask Eve, she will tell you. Or Adam, and he will say the same.
The tribes crafted their own plans. They allowed the enemies to stay.
• I ask myself, why do the people of God compromise? Why do I compromise?
• The answer is, we don’t believe it enough. We don’t believe God’s Word enough. I realise this is expressed in these TWO WAYS:
(1) We believes in the alternatives – there are good alternatives to God’s way.
• If it’s difficult to drive them out, we can make them slaves. It’s a win-win situation. We don’t have to drive them out (difficult), and we get free labour.
(2) We don’t believe in the consequences – the grave consequences to our action.
Why? Because it is not immediately apparent.
• It’s like boiling frog. If you try to put a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. But if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.
• When we compromise, we see only the initial convenience, not the final consequence; the present pleasure, not the future pain.
The Lord foresees the problem. He prophesied that these enemies “will be [thorns] in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.”
• Joshua warned them before his death – Josh 23:13 (farewell speech)
• The tribes could not see it. It’s too far away. It doesn’t look bad right now.
Learn to live with the end in mind. It is not easy but we have to.
• Heed God’s Word. If He commands us, then He must have good reasons doing so. He sees more than we can, trust Him.
• God has our ultimate GOOD in mind. He commands because He cares for you.
I was blessed by a reading this week about the rich young ruler who came to Jesus in Mark 10:17ff.
• What must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus looked at him and loved him.
• Mark 10:21 "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
• Jesus loved him and then gave him such a tough command. This man had great wealth. There’s a lot to give up. His face fell and he went away sad.
Why did Jesus make it so difficult for him?
• If you look closely, Jesus’ words were not a call to sacrifice but a call to greater satisfaction – “you will have treasure in heaven”.
• In one breath, he tells the man to let go of everything he has on earth, and then promises him everlasting treasure in eternity.
• Why cling on to earthly stuff; these are peanuts. Take this, this eternal treasure in heaven. Let go of the PEANUTS and take the TREASURE.
• Which is what he really wanted, right? He asked, how do I get eternal life?
Jesus is not calling this man AWAY FROM treasure; He is calling him TO treasure.
• Why am I saying all this? Jesus’ command is inherently good!
• God’s commands are inherently good. Can you see this? If no, you will walk away, like this young man. If yes, you will do what He says.
Israel failed to see the goodness of God in His commands. They failed to see the blessings His commands will bring to them.
What about you? I failed many times, when I was blinded to God’s love and His goodness in my life.
• And each time when I am awakened, I got to understand His love even more.
• “I will never break my covenant with you,” the Lord says (2:1)
• We compromise because we do not believe God enough. We do not believe that He loves me enough… He cares enough… He is good enough...
Don’t fall for the devil’s lies. Hold fast to what God says.
• God will not command us to do something that is impossible. If He said it, it can be obeyed. We choose right and God will give us the strength to keep it.
• 2 Chron 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” NIV.
“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” ESV
