Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. - Luke 12:32

Gideon was an unlikely hero. He was easily frightened and always nervous. In part 1 of our message last week, we discovered that Gideon repeatedly asked God for signs of His presence and approval. Though he needed constant reassurance, to his credit Gideon was obedient to the LORD’s calling. He faithfully amassed a large army of men to fight against the Midianite alliance that had been persecuting Israel for the past 7 years.

This morning we will conclude our study of Gideon, the 5th judge of Israel. We will learn how God used Gideon to deliver His people. Today’s sermon is called “Gideon, Part 2”.

I. GIDEON’S ARMY (Judges 7:1-8)

Gideon and his army camped near the spring of Harod in the southern Jezreel Valley. To their north (approximately 4 or 5 miles), the Midianites were positioned at the hill of Moreh on the opposite side of the valley. Then the LORD spoke to Gideon, telling him that his Israelite army was too large. With such a sizable force, God warned that Israel would - after their upcoming victory - boast that they’d delivered themselves. So God instructed Gideon to reduce the size of the army. Gideon made an announcement allowing anyone who was afraid to be dismissed immediately (I’m surprised that he didn’t go). Some 22,000 people departed, leaving an army of only 10,000 soldiers.

However, God told Gideon that this was still too many. He instructed Gideon to take his remaining troops down to the spring and to drink of its waters. He was to separate those who lapped the water like a dog from their cupped hands from those knelt down to drink. After they had drunk, God ordered Gideon to release everyone who had knelt and to keep only those who had lapped the water. Gideon obeyed the LORD and his army was reduced to only 300 men. He gave each of them provisions and a trumpet in anticipation of the coming battle.

II. MIDIAN’S CONFUSION (Judges 7:9-23)

The LORD commanded Gideon to attack Midian, but offered to show him a final sign if he was still anxious. Needing a bit more assurance, Gideon and his servant Purah snuck down to the outpost of the Midianite camp during the night. Apparently the Midianites were approaching and were now located in the central Jezreel Valley. They were a vast army, as numerous as locusts, with many camels. Gideon overheard one of the Midianite soldiers relaying a dream he’d had to his friend. He’d dreamt of a barley bread loaf rolling down into the Midianite camp and knocking over a tent. His friend feared that this loaf represented the sword of Gideon and the dream indicated that God had given Midian over to Israel.

Upon overhearing this conversation, Gideon was once again reassured of the coming victory. He worshiped the LORD and hurriedly returned to his small army of 300 men. He confidently proclaimed that God had given them the victory. He divided his forces into 3 companies of 100 troops and gave each of them a trumpet and an earthen pitcher with a torch inside. He spread the 3 companies out around the Midianite camp on all sides and ordered them to follow his lead. When everyone was in position, during the middle of the night, Gideon loudly blew his trumpet and smashed his pot, revealing the light of the blazing torch concealed inside. All 300 of his men did likewise and cried out simultaneously, “A sword for the LORD and a sword for Gideon!”

The Midianites thought that they were surrounded by thousands of Israelite soldiers. The LORD sent confusion among their camp and they were overcome with terror, so much so that they began striking each other down in the darkness. In complete disarray, the army of Midian hastily retreated eastward. Gideon quickly summoned volunteers from the tribes of Manasseh, Naphtali, Asher, and Ephriam to chase them down.

III. ISRAEL’S PURSUIT (Judges 7:24-8:21)

The men of Ephraim captured 2 of the Midianite commanders as they fled through their territory - Oreb and Zeeb. The Ephraimites killed them both, cut off their heads, and brought them to Gideon. They contended with Gideon for not inviting them earlier to join his army. But rather than arguing with them. Gideon lauded the greatness of Ephraim and praised them for catching Oreb and Zeeb. By stroking their egos, Gideon appeased their anger and the men of Ephraim were satisfied.

Gideon and his army crossed the Jordan River and continued pursuing the surviving Midianites. Along the way, he stopped at both Succoth and Penuel seeking provisions from the people to refresh his hungry and exhausted men. Neither the citizens of Succoth of Penuel were willing to help Gideon, so he vowed to return to both cities and discipline them severely once his pursuit of Midian was complete.

Gideon eventually caught up with the remaining 15,000 Midianites at Karkor. He attacked them unexpectedly, routed them, and captured their 2 kings Zeba and Zalmunna. On his return home, Gibeon stopped in Succoth and punished their 77 elders with briers and thorns for their earlier behavior. He also tore down the tower of Penuel and killed their leaders. Finally, Gideon charged Zeba and Zalmunna for killing his brothers at Tabor and asked his oldest son, Jether, to execute them. However, Jether was afraid because he was just a youth, so Gideon killed the 2 kings himself and took the ornaments from their camels.  

IV. THE LAND’S PEACE (Judges 8:22-35)

After the Midianites had been soundly defeated, the men of Israel asked Gideon and his son to become rulers over them. Gideon refused, stating that only the LORD should rule over them. However, Gideon did request that each of them give him an earring from the spoil they had taken. When all of the earrings were collected, their combined weight was 1,700 shekels of gold (worth approximately $1,000,000 today). In addition to these, numerous other crescent ornaments, pendants, and other valuables were taken from the Midianites. Gideon used a portion of these to make a priestly ephod so that offerings could be made from the altar he’d built in his hometown of Ophrah in the land of Manassah. Unfortunately, Israel would soon use this altar to commit idolatry.

Following the demise of the Midianites, Israel enjoyed prosperity and peace for 40 years. During this time, Gideon married many wives and had 70 sons who were his direct descendents. He also had a son from his concubine in Shechem named Abimelech. Gideon died at an old age and was buried in a family tomb in Ophrah. After his death, the Israelites began worshiping Baal once again and quickly forgot how the LORD had used Gideon to deliver them from the hand of Midian.

CONCLUSION

I want to make 2 points as we close today. First, I find it truly amazing that God used Gideon’s “weakness” as a means to secure the victory. Let me explain… Remember last week when we read that Gideon destroyed his father's altar to Baal at night because he was afraid of being seen? Gideon was good at hiding. So God allowed Gideon and his army to use stealth and deception, under the dark of night, as their battle plan. He didn’t ask Gideon to courageously charge into battle in broad daylight, but rather considered Gideon’s limitations and used them to Israel's advantage.

Second, as the pastor of a small church (2 of them actually), I absolutely love this passage. It proves that God doesn’t need large congregations to accomplish great things. He used 300 men to defeat thousands of Midianites. He used a few fish and bread loaves to feed 5,000 men and their families. He used 12 apostles to establish the Church and carry the gospel to the nations. We may be small, but our God isn’t. Imagine the remarkable things that He can do through us!

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, - 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Let’s begin this morning with a quick review. We are going to play, “Name That Judge”. Ready? Which judge single handedly killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad? Which left-handed judge rescued Israel by assassinating an overweight Moabite king? Which female judge inspired the men of Israel to rise up and defeat the Canaanites? Who was the first of the judges, who delivered Israel from the king of Mesopotamia? The answers are: Shamgar, Ehud, Deborah, and Othniel. How did you do?

This morning and next Sunday we will learn about the 5th judge of Israel. He is one of the most well known of the judges. His name is Gideon. There are 3 chapters devoted to him in the book of Judges - chapters 6 through 8. In today’s message we will concentrate on chapter 6 and save the other 2 chapters for next week. Here we go!  

I. OPPRESSED BY MIDIAN (Judges 6:1-10)

Once again the sons of Israel turned from God and did evil in His sight. Thus, the LORD turned them over to Midian. For 7 years the Midianites prevailed over Israel. Things were so bad that the Israelites made dens for themselves in mountain caves to escape the oppression. The men of Midian, along with the Amalekites and other sons of the east, would come up each season and destroy the agricultural produce and crops of Israel leaving them without any sustenance. Furthermore, the Midianites would bring their own animals and livestock to graze what little was left, leaving the land utterly devastated.

The people of Israel were suffering greatly and they cried out to the LORD. So God sent a prophet to speak to them. The prophet reminded the Israelites that the LORD had delivered their forefathers from Egyptian slavery and had given them the Promised Land. He further stated that God had commanded Israel not to fear the gods of the Amorites, though they obviously didn’t listen.

Those who don’t learn from their past are destined to repeat it. Every time God rescued His people, they would inevitably drift back into their sin. God sent messengers to confront them about their waywardness and disbelief, but the people never seemed to learn their lesson. Sound familiar?

II. GIDEON’S CALLING (Judges 6:11-24)

The angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, the son of Joash, in Ophrah, while he was beating out wheat in a wine press to keep from being seen by the Midianites. Ironically, the angel called Gideon a "valiant warrior" and told him that the LORD was with Israel. Gideon questioned how the LORD could be with his people in light of the persecution that they were enduring. Then the angel, who was actually the LORD Himself in the form of an angel (I believe Him to be another preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ), called Gideon to deliver Israel from the heavy hand of Midian.

Upon hearing the LORD’s call, Gideon openly doubted that someone of his lowly standing (he was the youngest member of an obscure family from Manasseh) could rescue Israel from anyone. But God promised to be with Gideon and assured him that he would defeat Midian. Still skeptical, Gideon asked the LORD to wait there under the oak tree until he returned to offer a sacrifice. The LORD agreed and Gideon hurried away to prepare a young goat and some unleavened bread. When he returned, Gideon presented his offering in accordance with the angel’s instructions, it was supernaturally consumed by fire, and the angel vanished. Gideon was convinced that he’d seen the LORD and God told him not to fear. To commemorate what had happened, Gideon built an altar there in Ophrah and named it “The LORD is Peace”.

III. THE ALTAR OF BAAL (Judges 6:25-35)

That same night, God commanded Gideon to pull down his father’s altar to Baal and topple the Asherah tree beside it. In its place, Gideon was to build an altar to the LORD and offer a bull as a burnt offering on it using the very wood from the Asherah tree he’d cut down. Gideon was afraid to do this during the daylight for fear of what his father’s household and the men of the city might do. He obeyed God’s command, but he did it secretly during the dark of night.

The next morning, it was discovered that the altar of Baal and the Asherah had been destroyed. The men of the city were furious and came out to seize Gideon and execute him. Somewhat surprisingly, Gideon’s idol-worshiping father Joash came to his son’s defense. Joash reasoned that if Baal was truly god he could contend for himself and that their contention on his behalf was uncalled for. The men of the city dispersed. Joash gave Gideon a new name - Jerubbaal, meaning “Baal will contend”.  

Meanwhile, the Midianites, Amalekites, and other sons of the east assembled their forces, crossed over into Israel, and camped in the valley of Jezreel. The Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, he blew a trumpet, and gathered the fighting men of his clan - the Abiezrites - together. He also sent messengers to the rest of Manasseh, as well as the tribes of Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. They came up to join him and the army of the LORD.

IV. THE SIGN OF THE FLEECE (Judges 6:36-40)

Even with his large army, Gideon remained uncertain that God would deliver Israel through him. He asked the LORD to show him a sign. Gideon laid a fleece out on the threshing floor and asked God to put dew on it only, but none on the ground around it, to indicate that Israel would be victorious. The next morning, the fleece was soaking wet with dew and the ground was dry. But Gideon was still not convinced, so he asked the LORD for another sign. This time he asked that the fleece remain dry and the ground become wet with dew. The next morning, it was so.

CONCLUSION

When God approached Gideon, he was literally hiding from the Midianites in a wine press. When the LORD called him to deliver Israel, Gideon wondered how God could use someone as insignificant and inept as he was. Gideon even asked for the angel to stick around while he presented an offering to prove that He was actually the LORD. Gideon feared his own father and the men of the city so much that he decided to tear down the altar of Baal at night. On top of this, he used a fleece to seek God’s reassurance again - nor once, but twice!

Let’s face it... Gideon was a nervous wreck. He was timid, cowardly, and very unsure of himself. He would seem like the last person you’d choose to lead the men of Israel in battle against Midian. Yet God referred to him as a valiant warrior. Amazing! God saw Gideon for what he could be - what he’d become - rather than for what he was. The LORD uses those which the world overlooks to accomplish great things.

Do you feel unworthy? Afraid? Unsure of yourself? Are you unqualified? Uneducated? Unimportant? A nobody? Weak? Broken? Beaten down? Scared? Trying just not to be noticed? If so, you are just the type of person God is looking for. Perhaps you think of yourself as a chump, but God sees you as a champion. Would you trust Him today?

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. - Proverbs 31:30

In today’s message we will meet Deborah, the 4th judge of Israel. She is regarded as one of the greatest female heroes in the Bible. As we will discover, God used Deborah in a mighty way to deliver His people from the cruel hand of the Canaanites. In addition to Deborah, we will also read about another brave and courageous woman named Jael. This morning’s sermon highlights the important role that women play in God’s kingdom.  

I. KING JABIN RULES OVER ISRAEL (Judges 4:1-10)

After Ehud died, the children of Israel began practicing idolatry and acts of iniquity once again. Therefore God sold them over to Jabin, the king of Canaan. He reigned from Hazor, an Israelite city north of the Sea of Chinnereth, in the territory of Naphtali. His military commander, Sisera, and formidable army were stationed to the south at Harosheth-hagoyim. These locations suggest that Jabin had subdued and was ruling over several of the northern tribes, including Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali, and perhaps Asher. The Canaanites had 900 iron chariots and oppressed Israel for 20 agonizing years.

In those days, Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging in Israel. She was a prophetess who ministered in the hill country of Ephriam, between Ramah and Bethel, where she sat under a palm tree and rendered judgments to those who came for her counsel. The LORD spoke to Deborah concerning His plan to rescue the northern tribes, so she summoned Barak, the son of Abinoam. When he arrived, Deborah told Barak to muster up an army of 10,000 troops from the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali to wage war with Sisera’s Canaanite forces. Barak was unsure about Deborah’s suggestion and asked her to go with him, so the 2 of them returned together to Kadesh and assembled an army.  

II. BATTLE AT THE KISHON RIVER (Judges 4:12-16)

When Sisera received a report that the Israelites had come down to Mount Tabor, he led his soldiers and their 900 iron chariots out to meet them at the Kishon River. Deborah assured Barak that the LORD would deliver the Canaanites into Israel’s hand. Feeling confident, Barak and the men of Israel hurried from Mount Tabor to the flowing Kishon and attacked Sisera’s troops. God sent torrential rainfall which caused the waters of the river to suddenly flood, thereby crippling the Canaanite chariots (Judges 5:4,20-21). Canaan was soundly defeated and tried to retreat, but the Israelites pursued them as far as Harosheth-hagoyim and killed them all. Somehow Sisera managed to escape on foot.

III. JAEL KILLS SISERA (Judges 4:11,17-22)

Sisera fled from the battle to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. The Kenites were descendants of Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, who had migrated to the Promised Land years earlier with the Hebrews during the exodus. The house of Heber was at peace with King Jabin and the Canaanites, so the tent of Jael would seem to be a safe place for Sisera to rest and hide. However, unbeknownst to the fleeing commander, Jael was apparently sympathetic toward Israel.

Jael met Sisera outside, kindly invited him in, hid him under a cover, gave him some milk to drink, and even stood watch in the doorway of the tent. However, when the exhausted Sisera fell asleep, Jael quietly took a hammer and drove a tent peg through his temple and into the ground. Thus, Sisera died at the hands of a woman just as Deborah had prophesied (Judges 4:9). Sometime later, when Barak arrived in pursuit, Jael brought him into her tent and showed him what she’d done.          

IV. DEBORAH’S SONG OF VICTORY (Judges 4:23-24;5:1-31)

After securing the victory, Deborah and Barak sang a song of celebration and praise. It was a song of thanksgiving to God and to the men of Israel who had volunteered to fight against the Canaanites. Its lyrics described the condition of Israel prior to the battle, detailed how Deborah and Barak assembled an army of Israelites from among the tribes, and even depicted God’s supernatural intervention during the battle itself. The song cheered Jael for her bravery and described the mother of Sisera’s deep sorrow. In the end, Deborah’s song called for God’s enemies to perish and for His children to rise up mightily.

After his military was decimated, King Jabin could no longer keep a firm grip on the northern tribes of Israel. They were soon able to free themselves from his dominance. The land enjoyed peace for 40 years.

CONCLUSION

Deborah’s faith and courage inspired Barak and the men of Israel to rebel against King Jabin, Sisera, and the 900 chariots of Canaan. At first, Barak was doubtful and afraid. He was uncertain that he and the Israelites could defeat their enemy. He asked Deborah to walk alongside him and serve with him in the revolt. Over time, her unwavering strength and trust in the LORD rubbed off on him.  Barak bravely led Israel into battle and God gave them the victory. But none of this would have happened apart from Deborah’s leadership. Her godly example made it possible.

Some progressive Christians have tried to use the story of Deborah to argue that women should be allowed to serve as pastors. Southern Baptists have historically opposed this view. Let’s be clear… This story doesn’t have anything to do with pastors. In fact, the New Testament church did not yet exist nor would it for over 1,000 years and neither did the office of pastor. Deborah was a judge in ancient Israel - not the pastor of a post-Pentecost, Christian church. The 2 positions are not the same and have no direct relevance to each other. 

Consider this… I am certain that there were men outside of the tribe of Levi who could have ministered in the temple just as well as the Levites. I am confident that there were godly men not of the line of Aaron that could have been dynamic high priests. But they were excluded from these positions - not because of their ability or lack thereof - but because it was contrary to God’s design. The LORD ordained that particular responsibilities and roles be filled by particular people. That said, in accordance with God’s creative design, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture (1 Timothy 2:11-12;3:1-7).

Beloved, there is no doubt that women can serve as leaders in the kingdom of God just as effectively as men - in some cases, more effectively. And I am extremely thankful for the godly women in my life who have helped me grow in Christ. To both of my grandmothers, my mother, and my wife especially I say thank you. I am grateful for the many righteous women in churches where I have attended and/or pastored over the years who have made a positive impact on my life, including many of you. Like Deborah, you have been a source of strength and inspiration for me and, I trust, many, many others. May God richly bless you.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalm 18:2

For the past 3 weeks we have been reading and discussing a pair of stories found in the appendix at the end of the book of Judges (chapters 17-21). The first told about Micah, the tribe of Dan, and an opportunistic Levite. The second described a heartless Levite, his runaway concubine, and a brief civil war between the 12 tribes. Chronologically speaking, both of these narratives took place in the early judges period. Together they provide supplementary evidence that supports the general description of Israel given in chapter 2. The children of God had become idolatrous, immoral, and immersed in sin.

As I stated a few weeks ago, there is a familiar pattern in the book of Judges. Israel would behave wickedly and invoke God’s judgment. This in turn would lead to suffering and a cry of repentance. Then the LORD would hear His people’s plea for mercy and would raise up a deliverer to rescue them. Once they had been liberated, they would gradually return to their sinful ways and the cycle would start over again. These deliverers were known as judges, and over the next several weeks we are going to learn a lot about them.

In this morning’s message we are going to read about the first 3 judges of Israel. They were Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar. Their stories are found in chapter 3. Let’s take a look…

I. OTHNIEL (Judges 3:7-11)

The sons of Israel sinned against the LORD by serving the false gods of the Canaanites - the Baals and the Asheroth. God’s anger burned hot against them and He turned them over to Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia. Israel served under him for 8 long years.

Finally, when their persecution became severe, the Israelites cried out for help. God raised up Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, to deliver them. This was the same Othniel who had earlier driven the Canaanites and the mighty sons of Anak out of the city of Debir (Joshua 15:16-17; Judges 1:12-13). The Spirit of God came upon Othniel, and he waged war against and prevailed over the king of Mesopotamia. As a result of his victory, the land was freed from oppression and enjoyed peace for 40 years until Othniel died.

Othniel was the first judge. He was a member of the tribe of Judah and lived in Judah. It is probable that the Mesopotamian dominance spoken of here only affected the tribe of Judah, and perhaps to a degree Simeon, as they were the southernmost tribes. Remember, these judges were regional and tribal leaders - Israel had not yet become a united nation with a single king.

II. EHUD (Judges 3:12-30)

Over time Israel reverted back to her old, sinful ways. Therefore God allowed Eglon, the king of neighboring Moab, to grow strong. Eglon allied himself with the Ammonites and the Amalekites. Together they defeated Israel and took possession of Jericho, aka “the city of palm trees”. It is believed that King Eglon resided there during certain seasons of the year. The Israelites served Eglon and paid tribute to him for 18 years.

After years of affliction, the sons of Israel cried out for deliverance and God raised up Ehud, the son of Gera. He was a Benjaminite who was left-handed. In the story we read about Israel’s civil war, the Bible stated that Benjamin’s army included 700 expert marksmen who could use a sling left-handed (Judges 20:16). Maybe Ehud was one of them and had survived the war… It's something to think about.

Ehud made a 2-edged sword, about 18 inches long, and concealed it under his cloak by tying it to his right thigh. Then he and several others carried Israel’s recurring tribute payment to King Eglon and presented it. Afterward, Ehud sent his assistants away. They returned home by way of Gilgal, where apparently several idols had been set up. Meanwhile, Ehud stayed behind and told King Eglon that he had a secret message for him. The 2 men went upstairs to the cool, roof chamber where they could speak privately. When they were alone, Ehud quietly loosed his sword, leaned in to share his “secret”, and then thrust it into the king’s belly. Eglon was such an obese man that the entire blade and its handle were covered by his fat. Ehud left the sword inside the king’s body, shut and locked the doors, and quickly fled the scene.

Some time later the king’s servants went up to check on him. When they found the chamber’s doors were locked, they assumed that Eglon was cooling himself on the roof and didn’t want to be disturbed. However, after a while they became worried and knocked on the door. When he didn’t answer they unlocked the door, rushed in, and found King Eglon dead on the floor.    

By this time Ehud had escaped to Seirah, bypassing the idols at Gilgal. When he arrived, Ehud blew a trumpet to summon the men of Ephraim. They came out from the hill country and gathered before him. He gave a stirring rally cry and led them into battle against the Moabites. Israel seized the fords of the Jordan River so that the fleeing enemy could not cross over it. With God’s backing the sons of Israel struck down around 10,000 Moabites and none of them escaped. Thus, Moab’s oppression over Israel ended and the land was at peace for 80 years.

Ehud was the second judge of Israel. His story pertains primarily to the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin. He was a brave and crafty man, who used deception and intrigue to assassinate the Moabite king and rescue his beleaguered people.

III. SHAMGAR (Judges 3:31)

After Ehud came Shamgar, the son of Anath. He was the third judge of Israel. He is the least well-known of the judges, as there is only 1 sentence dedicated to him in this chapter. He is also briefly mentioned in the song of Deborah (Judges 5:6), who we will study about next week. Apparently, during Shamgar’s lifetime the sons of Israel were terrorized by the Philistines - so much so that they didn’t travel openly on the highways, but rather stuck to the winding backgrounds for fear of them. Shamgar rose up and single-handedly killed 600 Philistines with an oxgoad, a pointed stick used for prodding oxen, thereby ending their threat to his people. Though not stated specifically, it would seem geographically that Shamgar was likely a judge over the tribes of Dan or Judah, seeing that the Philistines were the oppressors.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, the first 3 judges of Israel were Othniel, Ehud, and Shangar. God used each of these men to deliver their respective tribes from the cruel hands of the enemy. They were strong and courageous men, just as the ancestors had been.

In a broad sense, the judges collectively point to Jesus Christ. Jesus came to deliver sinners from the grip of Satan and the chains of death. He is our ultimate Savior and Deliverer! So also, Jesus will someday be our judge. Every person will stand before His throne. Those who have received His forgiveness and been covered by His righteous will be pardoned, but those who haven’t trusted in Him will be judged based on their works and be condemned by them.

There is only One who can deliver a person from the eternal consequences of sin. His name is Jesus. Have you accepted Him as the Lord and Savior of your life?

The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? - Jeremiah 17:9

A Levite from the hill country of Ephraim went to Bethlehem in Judah to find and retrieve his runaway concubine. On their way home, they stopped in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin to spend the night. Some vile men surrounded the house where they were staying and demanded to have sexual relations with the Levite, but instead he handed his concubine over to them. These worthless men violently raped her all night long, so that she died. The next morning the Levite carried her body to his home, cut it into pieces, and sent her parts to the scattered tribes with a call to action. The tribes gathered together intent on punishing the men of Gibeah, but the other Benjaminites came to Gibeah’s defense. Both sides mustered up an army and prepared for civil war. It would be the tribe of Benjamin (approximately 27,000 soldiers) versus all of the other 11 tribes, referred to as the sons of Israel (approximately 400,000 soldiers)…

Before we delve into the text this morning, I want to make an observation. Not to minimize the sinful and criminal behavior of the men of Gibeah who definitely deserved to be punished, nor to overlook the concubine’s death which was brutal, shameful, and tragic, but did this atrocity justify civil war? As we will read this morning, literally thousands of people are going to die! By dividing and sending pieces of the concubine’s body to the tribes in such a macabre and sensational manner, the Levite actually incited and stirred up conflict. His actions were the primary catalyst for the combat that occurred. We as God’s children are called to live at peace with one another, not to agitate and/or provoke (Romans 12:18).

Turn with me in your Bibles to Judges chapter 20 and we will continue our discussion of the story we began last week with a message titled “Israel's Civil War (Part 2)”. 

I. WAR BETWEEN THE TRIBES (Judges 20:18-48)

The sons of Israel had already determined to go up against Gibeah by lot, so they inquired of God at Bethel and the tribe of Judah was selected to go first. They arose in the morning and camped against Gibeah. On the first day of battle, the outnumbered Benjaminites successfully defended Gibeah and killed 22,000 men of Israel. The Israelites wept over their losses, but God told them to try again. On the second day, the tribe of Benjamin drove Israel back again and killed another 18,000 of their men. The sons of Israel retreated to Bethel, where Phinehas the high priest ministered before the Ark of the Covenant, to ask God if they should continue fighting. The LORD told them to go up a third time.

Prior to advancing upon Gibeah the third day, the sons of Israel set up an ambush around the city. When a portion of Israel's army approached in the conventional manner, the men of Benjamin came out to fight as they had before. Feigning retreat, the Israelites drew the Benjaminites away from the city which allowed those lying in wait to ambush Gibeah while it was defenseless. When the men of Benjamin realized what was going on, they turned back but were surrounded by Israelites on all sides. Ultimately, the sons of Israel soundly defeated the tribe of Benjamin killing over 25,000 men. They first destroyed the city of Gibeah, and then went about burning all of the other cities in Benjamin and killing their inhabitants too (men, women, and children). In the end, only 600 men of Benjamin remained - soldiers who had escaped and fled to the rock of Rimmon in the wilderness. They were the only surviving Benjaminites. 

II. MOURNING THE LOST TRIBE (Judges 21:1-7)

After the war was over, the sons of Israel returned to Bethel. They had allowed their anger to get the best of them and had egregiously overreacted. As a result, the tribe of Benjamin had been virtually annihilated. The Israelites mourned deeply over what they had done. In sorrow, they built an altar and offered sacrifices to the LORD. Whatsmore, they had sworn an oath not to give their daughters over to the Benjaminites in marriage. Thus, the 600 surviving men of Benjamin had no women to be their wives, and therefore no way to sustain their tribe from total extinction.

This is a great example of what happens when we act out hastily based on how we feel. Quite often we regret what we’ve done afterwards. Decisions and actions driven primarily by emotion can cause great damage and have lasting consequences. The Bible warns us against the dangers of emotional decision-making, and teaches us to act rationally and wisely in obedience to the LORD’s commands.   

III. WIVES FOR THE BENJAMINITES (Judges 21:8-25)

The Israelites devised a plan to provide wives for the remaining Benjaminites. They realized that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to assist Israel in the civil war. Thus, Jabesh-gilead had not taken the vow to withhold their daughters from Benjamin. So the men of Israel sent an army of 12,000 men to Jabesh-gilead. They attacked it and killed all of its inhabitants except for 400 young virgins who had never been with a man. The sons of Israel made peace with the surviving soldiers of Benjamin, allowed them to return safely to their homes, and then gave these virgins to them. Unfortunately, there were not enough women for them all.

So the elders of Israel came up with another disturbing plan to address the shortage. Each year there was a feast held just east of Shiloh, where the tabernacle had been set up. Young virgins, among others, would come from Shiloh to take part in the dances that were being held there. The Israelites told the Benjaminites to lie in wait in the vineyards alongside the road and to abduct a sufficient number of the daughters of Shiloh to become wives for their remaining men. The sons of Israel promised not to exact any retribution against Benjamin for kidnapping these young women and taking them as wives. So this is what the Benjaminites did, and all of Israel departed and returned to their tribal territories.

Think about it for a minute… in order to prevent the tribe of Benjamin from disappearing (an issue which they themselves had created), the men of Israel needlessly annihilated an entire city and forcibly took their young women. When that was not enough, they sanctioned the abduction of even more young women, reasoning that if the Benjamintes “stole” these virgins then technically they had not violated their vow not to give their daughters away. What a disturbing and disgraceful way of acquiring wives! They purposefully created and exploited a “loophole” that allowed them to keep their vows and maintain an appearance of righteousness. But would you honestly describe their behavior as pleasing to God? Both the Israelites and the Benjaminites who went along with them were morally corrupt and far from the LORD.  

CONCLUSION

The final verse of Judges states, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” This same sentence is found in the story of Micah and the Danites which we studied a few weeks ago (Judges 17:6). Its wording suggests that these chapters were written by someone who lived during the era of the kings. Scholars believe that much of the book of Judges was written during the reign of King David to provide a historic record of events that took place during the time of the judges. 

The writer was clearly suggesting that the people who lived during the early judges period used their freedom to make ill-advised and immoral choices. It is the natural tendency of fallen, corrupt men to think and act sinfully. There is no question that, following the conquest and the death of Joshua, the tribes of Israel became idolatrous, rebellious, and spiritually depraved. This is why it was necessary for God to raise up judges to deliver His people.

That said, this verse is sometimes mischaracterized and stretched to imply that a monarchy or strong centralized government is preferable and even necessary to make people act morally. Israel’s own history clearly demonstrates that this isn’t the case. Apart from King David and a few select others, most of Israel’s kings were “bad” and led the nation and its subsequent kingdoms astray. In fact, kings like Ahab in the north and Mannasseh in the south caused Israel and Judah to commit great evils against God to the extent that both were eventually conquered. From a spiritual standpoint, it is unfair to disparage the era of the judges and refer to it as “the dark ages of Israel” when the years of the monarchy were substantially the same. In fact, I would argue that the independence Israel’s tribes enjoyed under the judges was more desirable than that the united nation of Israel experienced under most of her kings. 

Here is my point. Freedom is a good thing and the ability to make one’s own choices without domineering interference from higher authorities is a blessing. We should remember that God prescribed the less restrictive regional leadership of the judges, while the more powerful kings were man’s idea - an approach that God strongly sought to discourage (1 Samuel 8). The problem during the era of the judges wasn’t that men had the right to make their own choices, but rather that they didn’t make the right choices. The one didn’t cause the other.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; - 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Hello. Last week we read the first of 2 stories recorded in an appendix attached to the end of the book of Judges. Both describe how immoral and spiritually depraved the people had become following Joshua’s death. We learned about a corrupt Levite who chose financial gain and notoriety rather than humble obedience and service to the LORD. He endorsed and promoted idolatry while serving as MIcah’s household priest and later while serving as Dan’s tribal priest.

In this morning's message, we will read about another despicable Levite. His actions will drive a wedge between the 12 tribes of Israel and pave the way for civil war. Today’s sermon will be the first of a 2-part message covering chapters 19-21. Before we begin, let me point out that both of these “supplementary” stories intentionally feature a Levite. God had chosen the Levites to serve as the priests and ministers of Israel. They had been called to exemplify godliness and righteousness before and among the remaining tribes, but they had become corrupt and sinful. Is it any wonder that the nation had fallen into spiritual decline?  

I. THE LEVITE’S CONCUBINE (Judges 19:1-15)

There was a Levite who lived in a remote area in the hill country of Ephriam. He had a concubine who found him to be repugnant, so she fled to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah. After waiting 4 months, the Levite traveled to Bethlehem to retrieve his runaway concubine. His father-in-law was delighted to see him and the Levite stayed in his house for 3 days. On the fourth day, as the Levite was preparing to return home with his concubine, his father-in-law urged him to stay another night - so he did. On the fifth day the father-in-law again urged the Levite to stay, but this time he refused. However, his departure was delayed.

By the time he, his servant, and his concubine left, it was already late in the day. When they came to the nearby city of Jebus (aka, Jerusalem) his servant suggested that they stop for the night. But the Levite did not want to stay in a “city of foreigners” - the Jebusites were still living there (Judges 1:21) - and insisted they press on to Gibeah or Ramah. The sun had already set when they arrived at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. They entered the city and prepared to spend the night outside in the public square.

Apparently, this Levite was such a vile person that his concubine ran away. Unfortunately, her father wasn’t much better. She fled to her father’s house seeking refuge, but when the Levite showed up looking for her he welcomed him in. The Levite’s father-in-law thoroughly enjoyed his company, so much that he wanted him to stay. He gladly returned his daughter to the Levite, with no indication of reservation or remorse. This poor girl had nowhere to turn…

II. THE SIN OF GIBEAH (Judges 19:16-30)

An old man from the hill country of Ephraim who happened to be staying in Gibeah at the time came in that evening from his work in the fields. He noticed the Levite and his company camped out in the public square. The old man invited them to come spend the night in his house. He promised to feed the Levite’s donkeys, as well as the Levite, his servant, and his concubine (who he called a “slave”). The Levite accepted his offer and they went to the old man’s house, where he took them in and showed them hospitality.

Later that evening, several worthless men from Gibeah surrounded the house, banged on the door, and demanded that the old man turn the Levite who was lodging there over to them so that they might have homosexual relations with him. The old man refused to give them his guest, but instead offered to give them his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine to ravish and rape as they pleased. Then the Levite seized his concubine and handed her over to the men of Gibeah. They took her away, brutally raped and abused her all night long, and released her at the approach of dawn. Near death, she made her way back to the old man’s house, fell at his doorway, and laid there until the sun had risen.

When the Levite got up that morning to leave and opened the door, she was lying there with her hands on the threshold. Without any sign of compassion, he said, “Get up and let’s go.” The woman didn’t answer, which suggests that she had probably died. So the Levite placed her lifeless body on his donkey and returned to his home in Ephraim. When he arrived, he took a knife and divided her corpse into 12 pieces. He sent her body parts to the various tribes of Israel. When they received their “packages”, each tribe was appalled and disgusted. They determined that something must be done.

III. PREPARING FOR WAR (Judges 20:1-17)

So, the sons of Israel assembled together at Mizpah - including the Transjordan tribes from Gilead. In total, there were 400,000 armed men. They asked the Levite to tell them what had happened. He recounted how he and his concubine had stopped in Gibeah for the night, how the wicked men of the city surrounded the house and threatened him, and how they took his concubine and repeatedly raped her so that she died. The Levite conveniently failed to mention that he had personally handed her over to them, against her will. He went on to explain that he’d cut her body apart and sent pieces of it to the 12 tribes to stir their attention and demand action.  

After listening to the Levite’s story, the tribes of Israel were united in their resolve to punish the city of Gibeah. They decided to go up against it by lot - that is, 1 tribe at a time - rather than all at once. They also made plans to supply and feed their army while it was camped at Gibeah.

The sons of Israel sent a delegation to the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin asking them to hand over the wicked men of Gibeah to be executed for their heinous crime. However, the Benjaminites refused to relinquish them to Israel Instead, the men of Benjamin gathered together to defend Gibeah. They quickly raised up an army of 26,000 soldiers, not including the 700 warriors who lived in Gibeah. Of these, some 700 were marksmen who could use a sling left handed and not miss.

The stage was set for civil war. The tribe of Benjamin would stand alone against all of his brothers - the men of Israel. We will stop here this morning and continue this story next week…

CONCLUSION

Before we dismiss this morning, I want to point out the similarities between today’s message and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). In the days of Abraham, God determined to destroy the pagan cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their vile sin and wanton sexual immorality (especially homosexuality). When 2 men arrived to rescue Lot and his family from the looming destruction, the men of Sodom surrounded Lot’s house and demanded to have sex with his guests. Fortunately these were no ordinary men, but rather angels, and they struck men of Sodom with blindness.

However, in the passage we read today, it wasn’t heathen Sodomites acting shamefully and immorally - it was the men of Gibeah. They were Israelites! And the entire tribe of Benjamin rallied to their defense. How does someone defend such sinful behavior? Not to mention the callous and heartless conduct of the Levite, his father-in-law, and even the old man who offered up his own virgin daughter to be raped. Were there any God-fearing, virtuous people left in Israel? These were certainly dark days…

But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7

Good morning. As stated last week, before we move into our study of the individual judges we are going to spend a few Sundays discussing the backslidden state of God’s children following the conquest of Canaan. To be specific, we are going to read and discuss the final 5 chapters of Judges (chapters 17-21). These chapters serve as an appendix to the book of Judges. When considered chronologically, they should be near the beginning rather than at the end.

I. MICAH’S PERSONAL PRIEST (Judges 17:1-13)

There was a man named Micah who lived in the hill country of Ephraim. He had stolen 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother without her knowledge.  Initially she pronounced a curse on the thief, but when Micah later confessed and returned the silver, she reversed course and blessed her son. Then she gave a portion of the silver to a silversmith who crafted a carved and cast metal image for her family. Micah took these images, along with some household idols he’d made, and set up his own private shrine. He even made an ephod (a priestly garment) to wear. He consecrated 1 of his sons to serve as his own personal priest.  

About this same time there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who decided to move elsewhere. He left in search of a new place to stay and along the way happened upon Micah’s house. When the 2 met and Micah learned that this young traveler was a Levite, he offered to hire him to replace his son. The unscrupulous Levite accepted the position, moved into Micah’s house, and served as his own personal priest propagating his false religion. Micah falsely believed that God would prosper him because he’d acquired a Levite as his priest.

This corrupt young Levite was named Jonathan. He was the son of Gershom and the grandson of Moses (Judges 18:30). In many of the earliest Biblical manuscripts the name Moses is actually used in this passage, but over time it was replaced with Mannaseh. The 2 names are spelled almost identically in Hebrew, differing by just a single letter. According to Jewish tradition, Moses' name was altered in order to spare him the shame of being associated with such an immoral grandson. Based upon this genealogy, these events must have taken place in the generation immediately following Joshua (in the early stages of the judges).

II. DAN’S SEARCH FOR NEW LAND (Judges 18:1-13)

Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan had been unable to drive out the Philistines living in their allotted inheritance and many of them decided to relocate. A small group of 5 valiant men from among the Danites were sent out to explore the land and find an alternative place to live. Along the way they too came upon the house of Micah. They asked the young Levite to inquire of God whether or not they’d be successful in the quest and the priest assured them that the LORD approved of their efforts.

So the spies continued northward and came to the Phonecian city of Laish. It was a quiet, peaceful city that was far from the stronghold of Sidon and rather isolated and remote. After observing it, they returned to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol in the land of Dan. They reported what they’d seen and what the young priest had told them. The Danites decided that Laish and the surrounding countryside would be an ideal place to resettle.  

So an army of 600 men from the tribe of Dan set out to attack the unsuspecting city of Laish. They took their families and possessions with them. Their first stop was just west of Kiriath-jearim, where they camped in an area that became known as Mahaneh-dan. From there they continued northward into the hill country of Ephraim toward Micah’s house - where the spies had stopped previously.

III. DAN TAKES MICAH’S IDOLS (Judges 18:14-31)

The 5 men who’d already been there on their earlier journey told the others about Micah’s silver images, household idols, and ephod. So the Danites turned aside and came to Micah’s house. The 600 armed men met and spoke with the young Levite who greeted them at the entrance of the gate. Meanwhile the spies snuck into Micah’s house and took both the cast metal and carved images, the household idols, and the ephod. When they came out of the house, the Levite asked them what they were doing. The Danites invited him to join them and serve as their tribal priest rather than merely Micah’s household priest. Seeing this as a promotion, the Levite happily agreed. 

The people of Dan continued onward, placing their women, children, animals and so forth in front of their procession. When Micah discovered that his items had been stolen, he summoned his neighbors and together they pursued and overtook the Danites. Micah charged them of stealing his idols, ephod, and priest. The men of Dan warned him to be silent or else they’d attack and kill him and his family. Micah was greatly outnumbered and realized there was nothing he could do to get his things back. He returned to his house empty-handed and dejected.

When the Danites reached their destination, they conquered the quiet city of Laish and settled there. They renamed the city Dan, in honor of their tribal father - the 5th son of Jacob. Located in a valley near Beth-rehob, it was the northernmost territory of Israel. They set up the idols they’d stolen from Micah and consecrated Jonathan and his sons to serve as their tribal priests. This arrangement continued for hundreds of years, during the era of both the judges and kings, until the land was defeated by the Assyrians.

CONCLUSION

The tribe of Dan is known as the most wicked and idolatrous of the 12 tribes of Israel. As a consequence of their sin, none of their descendants will be sealed with the LORD’s protection during the tribulation of the last days (Revelation 7:4-8). This story describes how the Danites embraced the worship of idols and enlisted their own tainted, corrupt priests. It also explains how this tribe divided into 2 parts - some in the north and others in the south. Ultimately it reveals that some were dissatisfied with the original inheritance they’d been given by Joshua under God’s direction and sought to find something “better”. Isn’t it sad that we do the same types of things today?

In similar fashion, the young Levite was also discontent with his humble service to the LORD. He left Bethlehem in search of something more profitable. Setting aside his allegiance to God alone, he endorsed idolatry by agreeing to become Micah’s household priest. Later, he voluntarily abandoned Micah for what he perceived to be a more prestigious position with the tribe of Dan. All of this was done for personal gain, not in accordance with the calling of God. Again, heartbreakingly, this same compromising behavior and self-serving attitude persists among some in the ministry today.

Finally Micah himself, an unethical man who’d stolen silver from his own mother, led his entire family to worship images and idols. He wasn’t content with the role of traditional Levites who served all of Israel, but felt entitled to have his own personal priest. In the end his priest and religious relics were stolen, yet Micah is no victim. He got exactly what he deserved.

This is the first of 2 stories that depict just how morally bankrupt the people of Israel had become. They had forsaken the LORD and fallen into spiritual despair. Remarkably, next week’s message is even more disturbing than this one…

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. - 1 Corinthians 10:14

God’s instructions to Israel were clear: When you enter the Promised Land, kill or drive out all of the Canaanites and destroy all of their idols, altars, and religious articles. However, as we have discussed over the previous few weeks, the Israelites did not follow through with the LORD’s command. For whatever reason, they allowed many of the Canaanites to remain in the land and continue their idolatrous practices. God warned Israel about the bad influence and potential dangers that these people posed, but nobody listened…

Why is it that we often resent being told what to do? This seems especially true when God gives us a command. Do we not realize that He is trying to keep us from temptation and sin? Do we not understand that His instructions are for our own benefit and well-being? Why are we so stubborn? God foreknew exactly what would happen to Israel, and it did.

This morning’s message is titled, “Israel’s Idolatry”. It is the 15th sermon of our ongoing series. We are currently about halfway through it. May God open our hearts, minds, and ears to the proclamation of His Word.    

I. ISRAEL SERVES BAAL (Judges 2:11-15)

The sons of Israel abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Instead, they worshiped and bowed down to the pagan gods of the Canaanites who lived among them. They did evil in the sight of the LORD by serving the Baals and the Ashtaroth.

Baal was considered the highest and most powerful god of the Canaanites. Generally speaking, he was a fertility god who was thought to increase man’s ability to bear children and the earth’s ability to produce crops. Beyond this, however, Baal had many different attributes which were emphasized and worshiped in a variety of ways. Several adaptations of Baal were developed and adopted by individual localities, which explains the assorted Baals found in scripture. The word Baal means “lord”.

Ashtaroth, or Asherah, was the leading female deity of the Canaanites. She was a consort of Baal, the sun-god, and was considered to be the moon-goddess. She was also regarded as the goddess of love and war. Worshiping her involved sensuality and ritual prostitution. Asherah was represented by a limbless tree trunk planted in the ground and typically carved in her image. As such, the places where she was worshiped became known as groves.    

Due to their wicked idolatry, the LORD’s anger burned against the children of Israel. The LORD gave them over to their enemies all around who plundered the Israelites until they were too weak to stand against them. Wherever they went, God’s hand was against Israel for the evil things they were doing. Just as God had forewarned, so it happened - the Israelites failure to fully eradicate the Canannites led to their descent into idolatry.

II. THE LORD USES JUDGES (Judges 2:16-23)

Over the next few centuries a familiar pattern developed. The people of Israel would rebel against God and wander away into sin. As a consequence for their disobedience, God would allow a neighboring nation to dominate, plunder, and oppress them. Eventually, when the persecution became unbearable, the affected tribes would cry out in desperation and repentance. The LORD would compassionately hear their pleas and raise up a judge to deliver them. After being liberated, the Israelites would enjoy a season of revival and rest from their enemies (typically until the judge died). Then they’d slowly fall back into their former sinful and idolatrous habits thereby starting the cycle all over again.

It is important to remember that during the era of the judges the 12 tribes of Israel were independent from one another and governed themselves. They formed a confederation of sorts aligned around a common heritage and faith. They shared the tabernacle of God at Shiloh. Sometimes these tribes would cooperate with each other and other times they were at odds with each other. That said, the judges that arose during this era were regional leaders who were specific to a particular tribe or group of tribes. It is therefore possible and even likely that some of these judges served simultaneously in different areas of Israel (that is, their years of service overlapped one another).

There are 12 judges named in the book of Judges. They are Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. Some have 1 or more chapters dedicated to them, while others only a single paragraph or sentence. Over the next few months we will study the Biblical account of each of these judges and, along the way, we’ll encounter several other interesting characters. 

III. THE REMAINING NATIONS  (Judges 3:1-6)

God permitted certain pagan nations and ethic groups to remain in and around Canaan in order to test Israel’s faith and obedience. The generations that followed the conquest would learn war by combating against these (and other) antagonizers. These enemies included the Philistines in Philistia, the Sidonians in Phoenicia, and the various clans of Canaanites still living amongst the Israelites - the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Over time, the children of Israel began worshiping their false gods and idols as well as marrying their daughters and sons. The anger of the LORD burned against His people.

In the same way, God has chosen to leave lost and unrepentant sinners in the world. They live, work, and play alongside the Christians. Like the tares among the wheat, both will remain and grow together until the end-time harvest (Matthew 13:24-30). Until then, God will not remove them and we as believers are commanded to leave them be. Their presence presents us with the same test that the ancient Israelites faced… will we succumb to their wicked influences or will we be a light that draws them out of the darkness and to the Lord?

CONCLUSION

For me, it’s a bit frightening to see how quickly Israel turned from their faithful obedience to God (which allowed their parents to conquer the Promised Land) and instead embraced idolatry and pagan worship. Within a single generation, the children of Jacob largely abandoned the LORD and openly rebelled against Him. They brazenly invoked His wrath, completely forgetting the godly example set by Joshua, Caleb, and many others.

Before we launch into our study of the individual judges a few weeks from now, we are going to spend the next couple of Sundays reading a pair of stories that together reveal the depths of depravity to which Israel fell during this time. The upcoming messages will provide us with insight into the state of affairs among God’s people during the early judges period, and show just how bad things really were. As you will see, these stories are very graphic and quite disturbing.

In closing, idolatry is “the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God.” In modern times, especially in the more developed parts of the world, very few people actually worship carved or molten images or statues. That said, we still practice idolatry through the worship of money, material possessions, fame, success, nature, science, sex, pleasure, politics, self, and so on. Many people allow these pursuits and/or lusts to take the rightful place of God. May the LORD forgive us for our reckless and rampant idolatry.

You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you are going to dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. And you shall tear down their altars and smash their memorial stones to pieces, and burn their Asherim in the fire, and cut to pieces the carved images of their gods; and you shall eliminate their name from that place. - Deuteronomy 12:2-3

Good morning. Last week we wrapped up the book of Joshua and touched on a few verses in Judges. This morning we will officially begin our study of Judges and review a few scenes we’ve already discussed in Joshua. There is notable overlap in the closing and opening chapters of these 2 books. According to Jewish tradition the book of Judges was written primarily by Samuel with various additions and edits made by others, but this isn't for certain.

Due to the overlap, the timing of events described in Judges 1 is difficult to nail down precisely. A careful study reveals seemingly identical occurrences taking place both before and after Joshua died. Either way, it's not a big deal. Suffice it to say that for a few decades following the conquest while Joshua was still living and for a few more decades after his death, the various tribes of Israel struggled to drive the lingering Canaanites out of the Promised Land. While successful to some extent, they ultimately failed in their efforts to remove or destroy them all. Their inability to do so would ultimately lead to some serious consequences…

I. EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS (Judges 1:1-26)

After Joshua’s death, the people of Israel asked God which tribe would go up first in their ongoing hostilities against the persistent Canaanites. The LORD selected Judah, stating that He had handed the land over to him. So the tribe of Judah, along with the Simeonites, went out to battle the Canaanites and Perrizites who remained. They defeated 10,000 men at Bezek, causing its king to flee. When the Israelites caught him, they cut off his thumbs and big toes, as he had done to 70 kings previously. What goes around comes around I suppose! The king of Bezek was taken to Jerusalem where he later died.

Most likely prior to this, while Joshua was still alive, the sons of Judah had captured the city of Jerusalem, though many Jebusites continued living there - especially in the portion of the city allotted to Benjamin. It was during this time that Judah had gone down to fight against the Canaanites remaining in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowland. This is when Caleb was credited for defeating the 3 sons of Anak - namely Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai - and was given the city of Hebron as an inheritance (Joshua 14:13-15; 15:13-14). This was also when Caleb gave his daughter Achsah to be the wife of Othniel, his nephew, as a reward for capturing the nearby city of Debir (Joshua 15:15-19).

After winning at Bezek, the combined forces of Judah and Simeon defeated the Canaanites at Zephath and renamed it Hormah. They also took control of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron with their respective territories. The descendents of Jethro who had joined Moses and the Hebrew children during the exodus (Numbers 10:29-32) went along with the tribe of Judah and settled in the wilderness south of Arad.

In addition to these victories, the house of Joseph (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) sent spies to the city of Bethel. It had formerly been called Luz, many years earlier. A man there told them of an entrance into the city which made it possible to bypass the outer walls. Using his intel, they captured the city and struck its citizens. However, they allowed the man who’d helped them to go free and he went to the land of the Hitties and founded a new city called Luz. 

II. EXAMPLES OF FAILURE (Judges 1:27-36; 2:10)

The Benjaminites didn’t drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The ½ tribe of Manasseh in Canaan never took possession of Beth-shean, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, or Meggido with their respective villages despite the fact that most of these cities had been defeated during the conquest. As a result, many Canaanites persisted among them and were eventually subjected to forced labor.

Ephraim didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Gezer. Zebulun didn’t drive out the Canaanites in Kitron or Nahalol. Asher didn’t drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. Instead, the Asherites just lived among them. Nephtali didn’t drive out the people of Beth-shemesh or Beth-anath, but rather allow them to remain. In some cases these lingering Canaanites became forced labor for Israel, but in others they lived freely among them.

The Amorites (aka Canaanites) forced the tribe of Dan into the hill country where they were pinched for space. This would lead some of the Danites to seek a new territory for themselves - a story which we will study in an upcoming sermon. The Amorites also persisted in living on Mount Heres, in Aijalon and Shaalbim. Though many eventually became servants for Israel, they nevertheless maintained a significant presence in the land.

In some instances, the Canaanites proved too formidable and strong for the Israelites to drive out. In other instances, there was little or no effort made to drive them out. Perhaps some of the tribes were content with allowing these pagan peoples to remain or had become intrigued by them to the extent that they actually wanted them to stay. It wasn't that God was unable to drive them out, but rather that Israel’s faith was waning. This new generation didn’t know the LORD as closely as their parents had.

III. THE LORD’S REBUKE  (Judges 2:1-5)

God had commanded the Israelites to utterly destroy all of the Canaanites when they took possession of the Promised Land. This was to be done as an act of judgment against them for centuries of wicked idolatry, but also to eliminate their pagan influence. Unfortunately, the tribes of Israel failed to follow-through with the LORD’s command. They allowed many Canaanites to remain in the land and to continue their religious practices.

The angel of the LORD, whose last appearance had been to Joshua at Gilgal just before the battle of Jericho (Joshua 5:13-15), visited the people of Israel at Bochim (which many scholars believe to be Bethel or somewhere near to it). There are various opinions regarding the identity of this “angel”, but I believe Him to be a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. His words indicate that he was not merely an angel, but rather God appearing in the form of an angel.

The angel rebuked Israel for not fully driving out the Canaanites or destroying their altars. He regarded their partial obedience as disobedience. He warned that these lingering Canaanites would become a thorn in the side of Israel and their pagan gods would become a snare. When the Israelites heard these words they raised their voices and wept. They offered sacrifices there as well. The name Bochim means “weeping”.

CONCLUSION

God’s command was that the children of Israel completely rid themselves of the Canaanites and their sinful influence. God knew that if they were allowed to stay, even to a limited extent, their pagan worship of false gods would inevitably become a hindrance to and a temptation for the Israelites. Yet, the tribes of Jacob disobeyed the LORD by permitting many of the Canaanites to remain in the land.

In much the same way, God’s desire for His children is that they be holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). Holiness requires that we put away all imperfections and sinful practices. We are called to walk in spiritual purity and to purge our lives of all wickedness and iniquity. But, like the sons of Israel, we are often content with allowing some of our sinful thoughts and ways to remain. If we aren’t careful, these “pet” sins will become our downfall…

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

Good morning! Today we will wrap up the book of Joshua and touch on a few verses in the second chapter of Judges. But before we get started, let’s take a quick look back and talk about the timing of events in today’s message…

The confusion over the offensive altar, which we discussed last Sunday, took place immediately after the land had been divided and the Transjordan tribes had returned to their inheritance. Most scholars estimate that Joshua was around 70-80 years old when this took place. However, the discourses recorded in the final chapters of Joshua were given near to the time of his death, at age 110. Thus, it is reasonable to estimate that some 30-40 years passed between the events of Joshua 22 and 23. This gap is longer than the entire conquest itself. During this extended span, the Israelites rebuilt cities that had been ravished during the conquest and settled in the land of Canaan.

I. A MESSAGE TO THE LEADERS (Joshua 23:1-16)

Throughout Joshua’s entire life, the children of Israel as a whole faithfully served the LORD. As time went by, they became more and more comfortable in their new homes and surroundings. When he was very old, Joshua gathered the leaders of Israel together to give them some parting wisdom and counsel.

He reminded these men of everything that God had done for Israel and how the LORD had fought on their behalf during the exodus and the conquest. He reminisced about dividing the land among the tribes and issuing their charge to take possession of it. He urged them to carefully obey the Law of Moses and not follow after the idols and false gods of Canaan. He warned Israel that if they intermarried and intermingled with the remaining heathen peoples living among them that they would suffer God’s judgment and perish from the land they’d been given.      

Joshua knew that his remaining days were few. He emphasized to the leaders of Israel that God had not failed to keep any of His good promises. However, this same God who had kept His promises to bless would also keep His promises to curse if the people turned away from Him by violating His covenant. As he spoke, Joshua felt led to address the entire congregation - not just its leaders. He was deeply concerned for their continued spiritual well being.

II. A CHALLENGE TO THE PEOPLE (Joshua 24:1-28; Judges 2:5-7)

Therefore Joshua summoned all of the tribes of Israel to Shechem, which was located between Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal - the very place where they had pledged to serve God during the conquest many years earlier (Joshua 8:30-35). Joshua began his farewell address by summarizing the history of Israel up until this point. He spoke of how God had chosen Abraham out of Ur and brought him to Canaan. He spoke of Isaac and Jacob, and the slavery of the Hebrew children in Egypt. He talked about the exodus under Moses and Aaron and the wilderness wanderings. He talked about Israel’s victories east of the Jordan over the Amorites and Moabites. Finally he spoke of the conquest itself, and how God had given His people the Promised Land.

In light of the LORD’s past faithfulness, Joshua challenged the people to fear God alone. He called for the people to make a choice - either to serve the true God of Israel or the false gods of Egypt and Canaan, but not to tarry between them. It was during this speech that Joshua made the famous statement, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” The people vowed to follow Joshua’s example, and renewed their commitment to serve the LORD and keep His covenant.

However, Joshua was concerned that the people of Israel would not keep their commitment. He warned them, as he had already done to their leaders, that if they abandoned God and disobeyed Him there would be severe consequences. Again the people declared their allegiance to the LORD. Joshua urged them to do away with foreign and false gods, and for a third time to people collectively committed to serving the LORD alone. In response, Joshua set up a large stone to serve as a witness and memorial to their renewed covenant with God. He also recorded their commitment in the Book of the Law of God.

Joshua dismissed the tribes to their respective inheritances one last time. They obediently served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua - those who had personally seen and experienced the great work which God had done for Israel. Unfortunately, once this generation died off the people began to wander from the LORD…

III. JOSHUA’S DEATH  (Joshua 24:29-33; Judges 2:8-9)

After living a long and heroic life, Joshua died at the age of 110. He was buried in the city of his inheritance, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He was and is remembered as 1 of the greatest and most valiant leaders in Israel's history.

Also around this time Eleazar the son of Aaron died. Eleazar had served many years as high priest alongside Joshua just as his father Aaron had served alongside Moses a generation earlier. Eleazar was buried at Gibeah, also in the hill country of Ephraim. His son Phinehas took his place as high priest.

Another interesting fact is mentioned in the final verses of Joshua. After the Israelites conquered the land of Canaan, they buried the bones of Joseph at Shechem. Joseph had been the prince of Egypt centuries before. The Hebrew children had removed his bones from his tomb in Egypt, carried them throughout the exodus and conquest, and finally laid them to rest in the Promised Land (Genesis 50:25; Exodus 13:19). It was Joseph's dying request to be buried in the land of Israel and, though it took almost 450 years, his wish was finally granted.

CONCLUSION

The last act of Joshua recorded in scripture was his calling of the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God. Joshua wanted to die knowing that his people’s relationship with and devotion to the LORD was strong and healthy. Just as his mentor Moses had done near the end of his life (Deuteronomy 30:19), so also Joshua challenged the congregation to choose and follow God. And, at least for a while after his death, the people did so.

People tend to follow the example of their leaders. Unfortunately, brave and godly leaders like Joshua are few and far between. He was the right man at the right time, and under his supervision the Hebrew children finally took possession of the Promised Land. He presided over Israel during a season of incredible triumph and victory. Joshua exhibited a fearless faith, and trusted wholeheartedly in God to give him success. 

In the opening chapter of Joshua, the LORD urged him to be “strong and courageous”. Joshua listened and obeyed. He was a true warrior of the faith. May we follow his example.