Judges Series #2
Life Cycles
“Cycle Identified and Illustrated
Review
Last week we just got started identifying the life cycle found in the book of Judges. We reinforced the Biblical concept that every person lies somewhere in this circle of life.
All of us run this cycle multiple times throughout our life. The writer of Judges first oriented the reader to the timeframe and then identified the particular cycle that Israel followed repeatedly over a decade of history. He then illustrated the cycle with seven examples from Israel’s history finishing with a story illustrating the depth of depravity whole nation can sink when they eliminate God from life. In chapter one, the tribe of Judah “inquired of the Lord” what they should do and experienced victory over the enemy. In the last chapter, the writer records, “everyone did what was right in their OWN eyes” and they succumbed to idolatry, immorality and anarchy.
Judges illustrates the course and consequences of rebellion against God, compromise and doing one’s own thing so that we might take heed and continually embrace God’s ways. Judges illumines the path to deliverance that we might repent and cry out to God for deliverance. Judges also powerfully illustrates how God uses ordinary, even reluctant and unlikely people to facilitate extraordinary deliverance in response to our cries for help.
Basic Overview in Outline form
I. Life Cycle Identified 1:1--3:6
II. Life Cycle Illustrated (Seven examples) 3:7-16:31
III. Sin Illustrated 17:1-21:25
Historical Background
Judges picks up the historical narrative where Joshua left off but instead of a story of victory under the direction of Yahweh, we read about defeat and depravity because of compromise and incomplete obedience. The time of the Judges follows a new generation of Israelites who were unfamiliar with God or warfare.
I. Life Cycle Identified
A. Incomplete obedience brings divine discipline 1:1-2:5
1. Judah’s Victories 1:1-20
Now it came about after the death of Joshua that the sons of Israel inquired of the LORD, saying, "Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?" The LORD said, "Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand."
They started out great by seeking God’s direction. God promised His presence and victory. “I have given Judah the land.” The key phrase is “the Lord was with them.”
2. The other tribe’s failures 1:21-2:5
Because the various tribes failed to do what God instructed by purging all the enemies from the land, they enemies regrouped and reorganized to recapture their territory.
REBUKE BY JESUS FOR DISOBEDIENCE 2:1-5
The Angel of the LORD promised discipline instead of blessing because they disobeyed. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Joshua to issue the instructions regarding the conquest. Here, the Angel reappears to ask why they failed to carry out His orders.
B. A flashback to Joshua’s death 2:6-10
The writer contrasted Joshua’s generation and the current generation. Joshua’s generation took possession of the promise made to Abraham through obedience. The Judges generation forfeited possession because of disobedience and compromise.
All that generation (the people who entered the land) also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
There arose a new generation without a personal experience with God. They did not even know the stories of deliverance and the power of God demonstrated earlier. This illustrates the importance of a first had knowledge of Jesus for EVERY generation.
C. Life cycle identified 2:11-22
Next, the writer introduced a cycle that repeats seven times throughout the rest of the book.
This is like the overture to a musical where the composer introduces the principle musical themes.
1. SIN 2:11-13
2. SLAVERY 2:14-15
3. SUPPLICATION
4. SALVATION 2:16-17
5. SERVICE 2:18
After the influence of the God-empowered judge disappeared through death, the people fell back into sin and started the cycle all over again. This exposed the shallowness of their relationships with God. What happens when we find ourselves alone? What we do when no one is looking or prodding reveals true character.
CYCLE EXPANDED
SIN (Defection)
Expectations
God perfectly laid out a personal and national standard of behavior and relationship He expected His chosen people to live by.
“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? Deut 10:12-13
The Ten Commandments regulated their relationship to God and each other.
God demanded absolute fidelity and exclusivity and priority.
“The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the LORD drives you. There you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:27-29
THE REALITY
The reality was completely different.
Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.
Baal and Ashtaroth were the male and female counterparts of the Canaanite belief system. Even though the people fashioned images, they were fully aware that those images were only representative of an unseen spiritual force behind them. This was a fertility kind of focus.
They obsessed on success and prosperity in every area of life. They considered the “god” Baal and his wife Ashtaroth as the key to prosperity. The appointed “worship” leaders to the temples dedicated to Baal. These were no more than prostitutes. In order to connect with the gods, they need only “hook up” with one of the prostitutes.
“She was frequently represented as the tree of life, which is often depicted in Canaanite art as flanked by caprids which reach up to its fruit. . . . The tree of life is stylised in Canaanite art, and in the fertility cult was represented either by a natural tree, which was planted in the sanctuary, or by a stylised wooden pole, the ‘aserah (Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible (Jdg 3:7).)
By these practices, they opened themselves up for demonic strongholds.
"He forsook God who made him, and scorned the Rock of his salvation. They made God jealous with strange gods; with abominations they provoked Him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God, to gods whom they have not known, new gods who came lately, whom your fathers did not dread. You neglected the Rock who begot you, and forgot the God who gave you birth. Deuteronomy 32:15-18
The Psalm’s historical commentary on the period
They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them, but they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and their daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; and the land was polluted with the blood. Thus, they became unclean in their practices, and played the harlot in their deeds. Therefore, the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people and He abhorred His inheritance. Then He gave them into the hand of the nations, And those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were subdued under their power. Many times He would deliver them; they, however, were rebellious in their counsel, And so sank down in their iniquity. Nevertheless He looked upon their distress when He heard their cry; and He remembered His covenant for their sake, and relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness. He also made them objects of compassion in the presence of all their captors. Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, to give thanks to Your holy name And glory in Your praise. Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the LORD! Psalm 106:34-48
They broke God’s commandments. They served other gods beside the true God.
They treated God like an add-on to their regular life. It is amazing how easily and quickly the Israelites abandoned exclusive worship. This proved true all through Israel’s history. They so easily picked up the pagan practices of the godless nations they failed to purge. Neither the priest nor the parents passed on true faith to the next generation. All of the cultures of that day were dark and sensual and so were the gods they worshipped. God was not the sole focus of their life. They only related to Him when they encountered difficulty beyond their ability.
Men did what was right in their own eyes rather than God’s explicit commands. The culture fell into idolatry, leading to immorality leading to anarchy. It all began with a dilution, compromise and defection.
How about New Testament times.
Expectations
One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that Jesus had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42
Therefore since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15-17
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Corinthians 7:1
Reality
They were lukewarm, they compromised truth, they treated God like an add-on, they pursued money, they wasted time rather than redeemed it, they did their own thing, they allowed themselves to be led astray from the purity and simplicity of devotion to Christ, they struggled with continual personal conflict, they pursued pleasure, possessions and prominence rather than Christ, they loved the world, they served idols of their own making.
James called them adulterers because they made friends with the devil-directed world system.
God views greed (the desire for things) as idolatry.
The pursuits and practices of the church today differ little to that of the Israelites.
We easily adopt the pursuits and practices of the world as a means to meaning in life. We sanitize the practices and justify them as good even though the pursuit is the same. We seek meaning in life from something other than genuine devotion to God. He who would focus on finding his life, end up losing it. Only the ones willing to give up their life for the sake of Christ will truly realize it. We don’t literally bow down to pieces of art but we certainly give of our time and treasure to many things that have no eternal value. In doing so, we end up in bondage and enslaved by demonic influences.
Isaiah addressed the same problem later in Israel’s history.
Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, According to the faithful mercies shown to David. Isaiah 55:1-3
If we claim that Jesus is our Lord and Master and boss, how is it that we fail to seriously consider what He wants? Is He really the director of our life? If we responded to an earthly boss as poorly as we do our heavenly one, we would not last. We consider Jesus more an add-on for our comfort and peace of mind but for the most part, He does not rule over the whole of our life. An idol is anything we allow to occupy the time and energy that rightfully belongs to God. Jesus singled out the compromised Christian and called them to repent. Jesus singled out the lukewarm Christian and called them to repent. Israel practiced these same things and suffered the consequences.
SLAVERY (DISCIPLINE)
The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He gave them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed.
In order to grab their attention, God allowed an outside influence to rob their freedoms. He allowed them to experience what it felt like to live under Satan’s ruthless rule. Interesting that the very thing they pursued to serve them turned out to enslave them. If you make alliances with the enemy, you will not be able to expel the enemy.
Sin always seeks to control us. God warned Cain (Gen 4:7) that sin was crouching at the door and its desire is to control but you must master it. We have been trying to master sin ever since. Satan roams all over the earth like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) This element of the cycle plays out today as it did then. God allows us to become trapped by the very things we pursue.
He may allow Satan to set up a debilitating fortress in our life.
An elder must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Tim 3:7
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. 2 Timothy 2:25-26
Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:20
We live in a culture of addictions and obsessions because people turn to those things rather than God to feel alive. Such a pursuit will only result in bondage, whether it be food, sex, entertainment, video games, extreme sports, drugs, activities, money, fame, looks, success…
The consequence of a church caught up in such a life is a loss of witness.
SUPPLICATION (DESPAIR)
the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning
God allows such bondage to bring us to our senses that life can only be realized in right relationship with God. God inspired Solomon to write the book of Ecclesiastes to point out the futility of life without a personal relationship with God and a desire to willingly live for His pleasure over ours. God wants us to cry out to Him for deliverance. God wants us to stop looking to everything else and to come to Him. Jesus warned the churches addressed in Revelation to “REPENT”. He stands at the door knocking to come in and restore fellowship and freedom.
SALVATION (DELIVERANCE)
Then the LORD raised up judges who delivered them from the hands of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers.
Paul made it clear that Jesus came that we might be free.
You will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
SERVICE (DEVOTION)
When the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge and delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them.
Only when we are truly free can we effectively serve.
6. RECYCLE 2:19-23
This cycle repeats itself hundreds of time throughout of life just as it has all through history.
We will see it play out seven times in this book alone.
But it came about when the judge died, that they would turn back and act more corruptly than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and bow down to them; they did not abandon their practices or their stubborn ways. So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers and has not listened to My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, in order to test Israel by them, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk in it as their fathers did, or not." So the LORD allowed those nations to remain, not driving them out quickly; and He did not give them into the hand of Joshua.
D. Catalog of enemies left to conquer 3:1-6
Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to test Israel by them (that is, all who had not experienced any of the wars of Canaan; only in order that the generations of the sons of Israel might be taught war, those who had not experienced it formerly). These nations are: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. They were for testing Israel, to find out if they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers through Moses. The sons of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and they took their daughters for themselves as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
God allows trials in our life to test our faith and teach us warfare. The only real test of genuine trust is struggle. The only accurate test of sincere devotion to God is another viable option. That is the reason God placed on forbidden tree in the garden. That is the reason God left pagans in the land was to test the fidelity of the Israelites.
The key is to keep accountable. They fell into trouble when they did what was right in their own eyes. They lapsed into defeat when they failed to consult the Lord about their life. Paul said to encourage one another daily lest we become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin in our life. Everyone lies somewhere in this cycle. If you are in the sin stage take some time to reflect where you defected. Somewhere along the line you put Jesus in the drawer and took over control of you own life. Jesus addressed the seven churches in Revelation. He continually exhorted them to REPENT. Change your thinking. Turn around. Cry out to Him for deliverance and wait for Him. The central turning point in the cycle is crying out to God. Nothing moves beyond that point.
If you are in the SERVICE state, stay there. Do everything you can to keep connected to God.
Jesus stands at the door knocking. His desire is to have intimate fellowship with His church.
Do we long for such fellowship with Him or, as the Israelites, just keep Him handy for help out of the tough spots. Time tracking suggestion. Track you activity for three days. You will soon discover whether your connection to Christianity is a conviction or a convenience.
Preference or principle. Are you bound by the chains of compromise?
