Today our little community begins studying the book of Judges.
NEW STUDY STARTS TODAY
Our new study starts today!
If you have been with us from the start, you may have noticed we have slowly journeyed through the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and Joshua together. We publish a lesson here every Thursday from The IN SEASON Lifestyle Blog. Some of us have been on this journey for quite awhile!
Today we begin to study the book of Judges. This is going to be an interesting study.
Don’t worry if you haven’t been with us before; we love new faces and welcome anyone who wants to join in with us at any time. Each article in this study can stand alone. Together these lessons form a good solid summary study too. Every study that we do gets put into book format and published eventually. If you decide to join our group, we will give you those details whenever they are available.
THE IN SEASON LIFESTYLE COMMUNITY
For a full concept of how we are studying these bible lessons; please realize we are simply a group of non-denominational Christian people going through the bible page-by-page. People from many backgrounds and all walks of life come here. All are welcomed.
We are moving slowly through our bibles. Each week we are trying to look at the holy scriptures from the eyes and heart of a child who is in awe of their Father. We’ve left our preconceptions behind. Our goal is to read the words as if we are hearing them for the very first time.
By approaching every new word with the heart of a child we allow God to put us into a humble learning position. We simply desire to learn how to imitate Him by learning more about Him. Meditating upon the holy scriptures helps us to grow closer to God.
Most all of us are laypeople; not divine or distinguished and accomplished scholars. The whole study is an act of faith. We simply feel called to do it. The author is a sincerely sincere human. Our best effort is put into this study, but occasionally we do make human mistakes in interpretation. If we catch them; we correct them.
LETTING GOD DO THE WORK
We try to avoid debate here. There is nothing wrong with a good healthy debate; but it doesn’t serve our purposes for this type of study. The idea is to tell the stories and let God do the rest of the work with each individual taking this journey. Everyone moves at their own pace and on their own level of growth in God’s Kingdom.
Debate would hinder the multifaceted way we wish for the lessons to be interpreted by our readers. We prefer the debates to be held between the person and the conviction of God’s Holy Spirit working inside their hearts.
Your comments and suggestions will always be welcomed though.
We fully believe that God is leading different people in different ways on different levels and in his own designed times; according to the purposes He has set for each individual. All of us together will become tools that will eventually accomplish His will.
OUR GOAL IN STUDYING JUDGES
It’s all good!
Your interpretation of each lesson is purposefully DESIGNED to be between you and God. That is how we believe you will grow stronger and faster in God’s Kingdom.
As for the interpretations of the rest of us – we are all on the same journey together. Most of the group is here for admonition and edification of however God decides to move among us and bring us all together within His will.
In the end you may notice that this study isn’t at all about us. The Presence of God in the study of His Word and His divine will for all of us is the main goal we seek.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE
If you wish to receive the Judges study each week; just click on the subscribe button at the very top of this article and enter your email address. We do not overload people with junk mail; and only wish to let you know about these studies and any other information that may pertain to the study as we move forward.
Some of our books/publications DO summarize these studies. We will also send you information on how to obtain these publications in summary if you desire to do so. We suggest you begin with our first two books; The Gospel Hidden in Genesis, Books One and Two. They can be purchased for a very reasonable price at Amazon.com. You may find older lessons on the blog site also.
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
Our blogsite (theinseasonlifestyle.com) is also full of other family-related, and inspirational articles involving day-to-day Christian life with a Hebraic slant.
We love God’s original calendar!
You might enjoy checking all of our other articles out whenever you have the time. The topics of the blog are separated under SEASONS (Notes about Holidays and Holy Days)/COME AS A CHILD (This every Thursday bible study post.)/MONDAY NIGHT MENUS (Menus and recipes we think interesting, seasonal and useful)/AN APPLE A DAY (Tips and hints for staying physically and spiritually healthy)/GROW OLD WITH ME (Articles for older Christians)/OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO (Travel articles)/PIECES OF THE PUZZLE (Theology), THE HOUSE DOCTOR (Articles about making your house your home.) and the ALL MY DAYS CALENDAR PAGE (This page includes articles related to how we think God’s calendar works. We try to keep it seasonally and daily updated; but that is a very difficult task when we are conducting the writing of so many other subjects.)
So; welcome to ALL subscribers of this new study which starts today; whether you be new or old friends; we are so glad you have joined in with us.
WHY STUDY THE BOOK OF JUDGES?
As we dig deeper and deeper into this book called Judges; we are going to see that God let’s His people learn the same as many earthly fathers do; by letting them suffer the consequences of their actions, choices and decisions. Isn’t it amazing that God decided to give us all freedom of choice?
Sometimes this is how our stubborn human nature works. We tend to learn from our mistakes. Funny how our own mistakes and sins appear to be one of the best techniques for getting our attention and helping us understand how to turn around.
Humans more often than not learn the hard way.
It would be so much easier if we would just listen to God in the first place instead of trying our own ways. The book of Judges will give us a great example of how that usually works out.
THE PATTERNS OF HUMANS PAST AND PRESENT
During the period of the Judges Israel seems to repeat the same patterns of all fallen humanity.
It all begins with God’s people committing crimes against God. This is done through apostasy. After all of the amazing miracles we saw Israel experience under the leadership of Moses and Joshua; now we see men turning back to the ways of Baal. They are tempted into following the ways of the Canaanites instead of following God and His ways.
Up to this point; God had always been King of Israel.
When no king ruled over the people, everyone turned to their own ways. During this awkward time of Israel’s history, God watched as his people became unfaithful and committed spiritual adultery.
THE CYCLE OF HUMAN SIN
The same pattern is repeated over and over again; apostasy, oppression, distress, repentance and finally delivery.
Newly appointed judges rise up to lead the people out of their distress. Once delivered, the people become comfortable and forget their sins. They just go out and repeat them again.
The cycle seen during the times of the judges has never really ended. The world suffers from the same cycles today. Only God can change them; but He will only change these times after apostacy, when His people learn to repent and remain faithful and true. If they choose not to do so; no choice is left but to end humanity.
Anyone remember Noah’s ark?
THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR
God is kind and merciful and He loves us. He doesn’t want to ever have to let us lead ourselves into extinction. That is why God sent Jesus to save us. For those of us who are living today not to get the point would be much worse than those who lived before the flood of Noah; they had no savior.
Let’s begin to look into this fascinating book called Judges which speaks of such things. Perhaps we can see patterns to help us navigate our way out of the troubles of our own times.
CHAPTER ONE
Joshua died.
When we studied the Book of Joshua we mentioned much about his last message and his death. Joshua left a last message, just as Moses had done; but he forgot to do something else that Moses did not forget. Joshua did not appoint his successor.
For the first time in their history as a new nation Israel was without a leader.
Some of the Canaanites were still living in Israel. The tribes of Israel had been commanded by God during the days of Joshua to drive them out. As the Israelites moved forward without a leader to command their men, each tribe was wondering who should go up first to fight against the Canaanites.
Finally, they did more than wonder; they asked God who should be first. This was a good start. Israel began their time of no leader respecting God’s authority over them.
Could they continue on this path together? Time would tell the story.
Judah was named by God as the tribe that should go to war first. God assured Judah a victory.
When we speak of Judah here, we include the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin and Judah were together in their territories. They also had the Simeonites living within their borders. By now these three people groups were all considered to be a part of the tribe of Judah. The strength of being three tribes working together helped their strength.
ARE WE ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE CANAANITES?
Maybe it sounds unloving and kind to think that God wished for the Canaanites to be gone from the land. That would be a wrong way to think about this whole process.
The Canaanites were evil personified as a nation. You must consider them as being led by Satan himself.
God had allowed the Canaanites to come in and take over when Israel left for Egypt. Israel had been commanded to stay in their land and they had followed their hunger instead of their faith in God. When they left their homeland, the Canaanites took over. God revealed Himself to them many times and announced his disdain for their pagan ways.
The Canaanites had four hundred years of living in this good land to change their ungodly ways; but they never did. They experienced many witnesses and examples from God during that time period.
Instead of turning they only grew worse with more and more worship of idols and pagan practices. God’s patience finally ended. He pronounced judgement against them. This land was designed from the very start to be a godly place inhabited by a godly nation.
The Canaanites were everything opposite of a godly nation.
JUDGEMENT DAY WILL COME
Once judgement is pronounced; there is nothing that will change it. That is a good fact to keep in mind as we go through the world we are living in today.
God is watching.
He sees the pagan and evil practices of our lands.
Today God has blessed us with lands full of milk and honey; but if we do not honor Him with our first fruits and turn to obey His commandments; we bring judgement upon ourselves.
God has also been patient with us for hundreds of years.
Will we be any different from those foolish Canaanites?
Do you ever notice how pagan our once godly country has become?
FIGHTING THE CANAANITES
Remember that the Simeonites were living inside the area designated to Judah. Judah had been given abundant lands, and some of their properties had been shared with the Simeonites.
These two tribes shared territories, yet they were separate tribes. One tribe lived within another tribe. Judah invited the Simeonites to go with them to fight the Canaanites. They promised to help the Simeonites when their time came to go up to fight. Both sides agreed upon this arrangement and they were willing to work together.
JUDAH FIGHTING THE CANAANITES
The purging of Canaanites began. Soon many of the Canaanites and the Perizzites were given into the hands of Judah.
10,000 men from these two areas were struck down at Bezek. One of their leaders was named Adoni-Bezek. He fled from the men of Judah but they caught him. They cut off his thumbs and his big toes.
This was Israel’s first mistake. Cutting off thumbs and big toes was a pagan practice. It was designed to assure that no king would ever be a successful warrior again because this “cutting off” would weaken their ability to fight.
ADONI-BEZEK IS SYMBOLIC OF SATAN AND SIN
This king from Bezek said a strange thing after the Israelites caught him and removed his thumbs and big toes. He said “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them.”
This king’s sins had found him out and they came back to haunt him. The same God of love and mercy whom we serve can become a God of vengeance once judgement has been pronounced. You do not want to be under His judgement; only his love and mercy. Can you see here how God has taken his own advice and forgiven this pagan king 70 times? He harmed 70 good kings who fought against him; but God did not take revenge until this point. The emphasis here is not on vengeance alone; but also on the amazing patience, long-suffering and mercy of our Great God.
After this confession they took the pagan king to Jerusalem. He died there.
You have to understand the symbolism of this passage. When the thumbs and big toes are cut off the victim of the punishment has trouble walking and grasping objects. They are forever reminded of their military defeat and how useless they are later; unable to ever be effective soldiers again.
DANIEL’S VISION OF THE CLAY TOES
A picture of a prophecy of Daniel flashed before me as I was studying this passage about thumbs and big toes. Remember the dream of Nebuchadnezzar which was interpreted by Daniel? Most think the dream was a prophecy of the falling of the Roman Empire, but the man portrayed in the dream is described as having toes of clay and iron.
These ten iron and clay toes appear to be the representation of ten nations that will result in the end-times. The iron mixed with clay suggests that these are pluralistic governments, which diffuse their economic, political, and military power in order to preclude any one nation or party from gaining undue control. Iron and clay do not mix well; so the toes of these ten nations are rendered useless.
The toes of the pagan king was also rendered useless because without the big toe on each foot the king would be weakened from loss of balance.
In the past Adoni-bezek had kept defeated kings as trophies. In order to eat they had to try to scramble to catch the crumbs falling from under his table with their mutilated hands.
It is interesting to note here how godly men are always pictured in the scriptures as being invited and honored guest to God’s table. Satan’s followers are like those who are left trying to reach the crumbs that fall from the table.
NO MAN IS HIGHER THAN GOD
On the other hand; the Israelites had a ritual of applying blood and oil to the thumb and big toe in certain holy ceremonies.
The pagan king chose these two parts of the body as a way to try to convince everyone that he was greater than the One True God of Israel and to let them know his punishment of other kings would keep them from ever being anointed for service of The One True God .
He knew they could not do these ceremonial rituals without their thumbs and big toes. It was an ironic way of stating how he felt toward Israel’s God. He wanted to be higher and more powerful than God.
Haven’t we seen this before?
SINS MULTIPLIED BACK TO THEIR ORIGINATION
After his defeat by Judah this pagan king realized that what he had dealt out to others was now being returned to him.
This king was kept alive for a short while after he suffered the mutilations. They took him as a prisoner to Jerusalem when they attacked there. His death actually occurred in Jerusalem.
Just as we have to look at the Canaanites being left in the land to be the same as leaving the ways of Satan within the land; these weakened toes of their king represent how a weakened leadership of Satan will be left undestroyed among God’s people if all Canaanites are not purged as God has commanded.
This will become a weakening factor in the land. The government will become unsteady and not be able to be balanced as it had been in the beginning when it implemented only the ways of God.
ALL SIN MUST BE REMOVED
We can carry this even further by looking at the missing toes as the way we are wounded by sins left unpurged from our souls.
Such sin will eventually weaken us and take away the strength that God wishes to supply us with. It must be purged.
UNDONE THINGS
Israel without a leader is not looking great so far. Judah had the strongest desire to serve and seek God’s will. They purged more of the Canaanites than any of the other tribes; but even they left things undone.
Are we leaving things undone in our lives and in our nation?
Have we let paganism rule and take over making us weak?
Do we seek God’s help in preventing such a thing today?
We can learn a lot from the mistakes of a nation called Israel who remembered at first but eventually forgot to let God lead them.