Judges:Hope For Troubled Times

Chapters 1:1-2:5“Israel’s Success and Failure”

14 Dec 11

Announcements

Judges and Ruth – Winter QuarterWeek Date Topic

1 07 Dec 11 Overview – Judges and Ruth

2 14 Dec 11 Israel’s Success and Failure: Judges 1:1-2:5

3 21 Dec 11 Oppression and Deliverance: Judges 2:6-3:31

4 28 Dec 11 Deborah, Gideon: Judges 4-6

5 04 Jan 12 Gideon’s Success and Failure: Judges 7:1-10:5

6 11 Jan 12 Jephthah the Judge: Judges 10:6-12:15

7 18 Jan 12 Samson and His Exploits: Judges 13-14

8 25 Jan 12 Samson and Delilah: Judges 15-16

9 01 Feb 12 A Levite and His Concubine: Judges 17-19

10 08 Feb 12 The War with Benjamin: Judges 20-21

11 15 Feb 12 Ruth and Naomi Return to Bethlehem: Ruth 1-2

12 22 Feb 12 Ruth and Boaz are Married: Ruth 3-4

13 29 Feb 12 Review – Judges and Ruth

Today’s Objectives• Review last weeks class• Provide an historical background and timeline• Review historical maps of Israel and the region• Read Judges 1:1-2:5• Observe how Israel waged war against the

Canaanites to secure possession of the land• Gain understanding of Israelites disobedience• Relate to Israelites sorrow over disobeying God and

learn from their failure• Sense their need to trust and obey the Lord

Historical Background• Jewish traditions states Samuel wrote Judges• Written around 1050 B.C. and covered the period from

1375 B.C. to 1050 B.C.–Death of Joshua to the beginning of the monarchy– Israel’s form of government was a theocracy–God alone was their King–God raises up a series of judges between Joshua’s death and the coronation

of Saul–Major and minor judges; most did not rule over all

• Depressing period in Israel’s history–Cycle of sin, oppression, repentance, and deliverance–Spiritual compromise was the norm of Israel–God sends powerful oppressors to counter spiritual compromise

Historical Background• Political background–Much political upheaval in the region–Egyptians and Hittites are regional powers–Hittite people overthrown by influx of sea people–Egyptian power beings to subside–Rise of the Assyrians in the north– Israelite freedom of control in the south

• Israel waging war to gain the land–Against various tribal groups in Canaan–Israel repeatedly attacked by nomadic groups from Moab,

Ammon, and the eastern desert

Application• Spiritual compromise of God’s people–God’s allows His people to stray–God sends their enemies to afflict them–God does not abandon them

• Relevance to Christians–Rebellion against God always leads to disaster

•Spiritual defeat•Moral bankruptcy

–Only God’s loving discipline can bring us back–When we “own” our sin by taking personal responsibility

for it, we experience God’s forgiveness and restoration

Other NationsOther Nations

• Canaanites• Hittites• Philistines• Phoenicians• Moabites• Ammonites• Edomites• Midianites

Nations of Canaan

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NASA PHOTO© EBibleTeacher.com

Mediterranean

Mediterranean

Hittite Hittite EmpireEmpire

EdomEdom

MoabMoab

AmmonAmmon

MidianMidian

www.Studylight.org

Key People in Today’s Lesson•Joshua– The son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, the successor of

Moses as the leader of Israel– Began the wars of conquest

– Conquered six nations and thirty-one kings •Canaanites– Descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham– Cursed by Noah, generations cursed by God– One of Ham’s grandson’s found Babylonia

•Judah– Fourth son of Jacob by Leah– Gen 49:10

•Simeon – Second son of Jacob by Leah– Cursed for his cruelty

•Perizzites – Dwellers in the open country of Israel•Adoni-bezek - Canaanitish king defeated by Judah

and Simeon•Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai – Sons of Anak

expelled by Israel•Caleb – Tribe of Judah, son of Jephunneh, received

the city of Hebron

Key People in Today’s Lesson

• Achsah - Daughter of Caleb whom he gave in marriage to his younger kinsman Othniel the son of Kenaz, as a reward for capturing Kiriath-sepher

• Othniel – Married Achsah, captured Kiriath-sepher• Kenaz - Father of Othniel • Kenite - Tribe of nomads; Jethro is associated with

the Kenites• Moses – Hebrew leader, led the Exodus back to the

Promised Land• Benjamin - Youngest of Jacob's sons

Key People in Today’s Lesson

Key People in Today’s Lesson

• Jebusites – Inhabitants of Jebus, the old name of Jerusalem, 3rd son of Canaa

• Joseph - Elder of the two sons of Jacob by Rachel • Hittites – – Inhabited the whole region between the Euphrates and

Damascus– Descended from Heth, second son of Canaan

• Manasseh - Joseph's firstborn by Asenath• Ephraim - Joseph's second son by Asenath

• Zebulun - Tenth of Jacob's sons, sixth and last of Leah's sons

• Asher - Eighth son of Jacob by Zilpah, Leah's handmaid

• Naphtali - Jacob's fifth son, second by Bilhah, Rachel's maid

• Amorites - Highlanders, or hillmen, the name given to the descendants of one of the sons of Canaan

• Dan - fifth son of Jacob. His mother was Bilhah, Rachel's maid

Key People in Today’s Lesson

Judah Conquers Its Territory (1:1-10)

• Israelites continue the work of Joshua– Conquer lands of Canaan– After Joshua passed, tribes had to complete the

conquest of the land– Description of how each tribe did (Ch 1)– Only partial success– No single person to take Joshua’s place

• Israel ask God who should lead them– God reveals that Judah should lead them– God promises to give Judah the land allotted to them

•Judah’s role in leading the Israelites–God promises descendants would lead (Gen 49:8-12)–Judah was to spearhead the campaign in Canaan

•Judah and Simeon join forces–Judah ask Simeon to join his fight–Simeonites agree–Canaanites routed; 10,000 defeated–Attack Jerusalem, but did not occupy (until David)

•Judah continues the attack–Against the Canaanites living in the hill country–Marched against Hebron (Kiriath Arba)

Judah Conquers Its Territory (1:1-10)

• Judah attacks Debir–Caleb offers his daughter in marriage to the man

who could attack and conquer Debir–Othniel (Caleb’s nephew and later a judge in Israel)

accepts the challenge–Othniel takes Debir and Caleb’s daughter

• Judah and Simeon continue their attacks–Descendants of Jethro (Reuel) join Judah–Zephath annilated–Attack and capture the Philistine city of Gaza, then

Ashkelon, and finally Ekron

Southern Tribes Fight (1:11-21)

•Israelites begin to lack trust in God– Fail to dislodge Canaanites along the coast because of

superior weapons

•Hebron given to Caleb– Fulfills scripture (Josh 14:9)

•Contrast with Benjamites– Failure to remove the Jebusites from Jerusalem– Jebusites continued to live in Jerusalem– Tribe of Benjamin not totally committed to God

Southern Tribes Fight (1:11-21)

Tribes Fail to Purge the Land (1:22-36)•Ephraim and Manasseh compromise the house of

Joseph–God was on their side against Bethel–Expelled Canaanites out of Bethel–Failed to expel Canaanites in other areas•Zebulun fails to obey God–Pressed Canaanites to perform forced labor–Canaanites not expelled•Tribes of Asher, Naphtali, Dan fail to obey God–Failed to remove Canaanites from several cities

Angel of the Lord Admonishes Israel (2:1-5)• Angel of the Lord– Some think preincarnate Christ– Or heavenly being who represented the Lord

• Angel describes two key things God has done– Rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt– Brought them to the promised land

• Covenant– God would not break His alliance with the people– Israelites were not to arrange peace treaties with the

Canaanites– Israelites were to tear down Canaanites alters, sites– Israelites fail to failed to do what God commanded

Review• Reviewed last weeks lesson• Provided an historical background and timeline• Reviewed historical maps of Israel and the region• Read Judges 1:1-2:5• Observed how Israel waged war against the

Canaanites to secure possession of the land• Gained understanding of Israelites disobedience• Related to Israelites sorrow over disobeying God and

learn from their failure• Sensed their need to trust and obey the Lord• Next week: Judges 2:6-3:31