The reason why God appoints Judges

The Israelites fail to drive out the Canaanites

1:1-20

• God tells [the tribe of] Judah to fight the Canaanites;
• v3, Judah asks Simeon for assistance;
• v12-15, Caleb & Othniel also fight [cf. Josh 15:13-19];
• v19, Judah cannot defeat all the natives

1:21-36

• [Most of] the other Israelite tribes failed to fully drive out the Canaanites [disobeying Ex 23:33]

2:1-5

• Israel hasn’t driven out Canaanites, so God won’t drive out Canaanites either [cf. Num 33:55]

2:6-9

• In the past...: The people served God in Joshua’s time, but then Joshua died [cf. Josh 24:28-31]

2:10-15

• And now...: The new generation of Israelites worship false gods [of Canaan, fulfilling Ex 23:33], therefore God gives them into the hands of their enemies [see the warning of Moses, Dt 8:19-20]

2:16-19

• God raises up Judges (in response to the groans of oppressed Israelites) to save Israel from the enemies who attack them [the Judges bring God’s judgement], but the people do not listen to them & continue in idolatry

[Moses said that the head Judge must be listened to; the Judge has the final say regarding God’s Law (Dt 17:8-13), e.g. Deborah acted as the Judge in legal cases, see Jdg 4:4-5]

2:20 – 3:4

• Because the people have broken God’s covenant, God will leave the Canaanites in the Land:

i. To test Israel’s obedience to His Law [i.e. what will they choose to do? See 3:5-7];

ii. To teach the Israelites war [i.e. they must learn that war is a spiritual battle, cf. 2:15-16, Ps 20:7-8]

Judges #1 – #5

#1. Othniel (against the Arameans)

3:5-8

• The Israelites intermarry with Canaanites & worship their idols [in disobedience to Dt 7:3-4, & Josh 23:7, v12-13] so God makes them serve the king of Aram for 8 years

3:9-11

• God answers Israel’s prayers [for help] and raises up Othniel [as Judge] (he is younger brother of Caleb) [see Josh 15:16-17];
• Othniel defeats the Arameans; there is peace for 40 years

#2. Ehud (against the Moabites)

3:12-14

• The Israelites act wickedly, so God makes them serve Eglon king of Moab for 18 years

3:15-30

• Ehud assassinates Eglon and leads Israel in battle against Moab; there is peace for 80 years

#3. Shamgar (against the Philistines)

3:31

• Shamgar kills 600 Philistines using an ox goad [a cattle prod that he used as a spear or lance]

#4. Deborah (against the Canaanites)

4:1-3

• The Israelites act wickedly, so God makes them serve Jabin king of Canaan for 20 years

4:4-10

• Deborah commands Barak to fight Jabin’s army, but he won’t unless Deborah goes with him

4:11-24

• During the battle, Jael (Heber’s wife) kills Sisera [Jabin’s army commander, 4:2]; Jabin is defeated

ch. 5

• Song: Deborah & Barak sing praise to God for recent events
• There is peace for 40 years

#5. Gideon (against the Midianites)

A. Prologue: Israelites are oppressed

6:1-5

• The Israelites act wickedly, so God allows the Midianites to brutally oppress them for 7 years

6:6-10

• The people cry to God; a Prophet replies, ‘Israel has been idolatrous & not listened to God’

B. Gideon is commissioned by God as a Judge

6:11-24

• God tells Gideon, ‘Go & defeat Midian’; Gideon offers food to God, & builds altar^#1 to God

6:25-27

• That night: God tells Gideon ‘Destroy Baal’s altar; build altar^#2 to Me & sacrifice on it’

6:28-32

• The next day: The people want to kill Gideon because he destroyed Baal’s altar; Gideon is protected by his father and receives the nickname, ‘Jerub-Baal’ [‘Let-Baal-deal-with-him’]

C. An army is summoned to fight the Midianites

6:33-40

• Gideon summons an army
• Day 1: Gideon puts out a fleece [for a sign] to confirm God’s word;
• Day 2: The fleece is wet with dew; the earth is dry;
• Day 3: The fleece is dry; the earth is wet

7:1-8

• God says, ‘There are too many army men; they may think their own strength can save them’; [Only God has power to save!] God sends [31,700] army men away so that only 300 men remain

D. God gives Gideon the victory

7:9-14

• At night: Gideon spies on the Midianites & hears one telling a dream: ‘A loaf of bread rolled into the camp & knocked over a tent!’, which another one interprets as, ‘Gideon will win!’

7:15-22

• Gideon worships God, then his army blow trumpets & hold up torches, & the Midianites flee

7:23-25

• Gideon calls the other tribes of Israel to give chase; two of the Midianite leaders are killed

8:1-3

• The Ephraimites complain [against God! cf. 12:1, 1 Sam 8:7, Ac 5:39] as they weren’t called to start the fight [but it was God’s fight, Jdg 6:34, 7:2, v9];
• Gideon thanks them anyway [for their help in 7:24-25]

8:4-17

• Gideon continues to pursue the Midianites but Succoth & Penuel [Israelite towns east of river Jordan] refuse to help;
• Gideon defeats the Midianites, then returns and punishes the towns

8:18-21

• The 2 captured Midianite kings confess to killing Gideon’s brothers, so Gideon kills them

E. Gideon’s subsequent role as Judge

8:22-27

• Gideon refuses to rule the people because God is their ruler;
• he makes a gold ephod [used to seek God’s will, cf. priest’s ephod in 1 Sam 23:9-12, 30:7-8] but it becomes a problem, as all people come to it [instead of going to the tabernacle (Dt 17:8-9) & using the high priest’s ephod (Ex 28:28-30)]

8:28-35

• There is peace for 40 years; Gideon has 70 sons then dies
• The people return to Baal worship

King Abimelech

9:1-5

• To become sole ruler [& king] of Shechem, Abimelech [son of Gideon’s concubine, see 8:31] kills all his brothers (Gideon’s 70 sons), except for Jotham (the youngest) who hides himself

9:6-21

• Abimelech is crowned as king of Shechem; Jotham curses Abimelech & the city of Shechem

9:22-49

• Abimelech rules [as king] over Israel, but the people of Shechem plot treason & Gaal wants to become ruler, so Abimelech fights against Shechem & destroys their city & their temple

9:50-57

• Abimelech also attacks Thebez, but a millstone is dropped on his head & he dies

Deut / Josh / JDG / Ruth / 1-Sam