SCRIPTURE: JUDGES 1
INTRODUCTION:
The book of Judges tells the history of Israel for the period between the death of Joshua and the ministry of Samuel. During this time, it was the judge who ruled the tribes of Israel. This book is about heroes – 12 men and women who delivered Israel from its oppressors. It had a period of 325 years. When Joshua and the elders died, the nation entered the dark ages of her history because of their incomplete obedience. Instead of eliminating the enemy completely, they engaged in idolatry and intermarriages. Everyone did whatever seemed right. aS a result, they became captives. It was due to God’s faithful and loving kindness that God raised up judges to deliver His people. Among the well-known judges were: Deborah, Gideon and Samson.
ISRAEL FIGHTS THE REMAINING CANAANITES (vs. 1-36)
After the death of Joshua, the men of Judah and Simeon joined forces to fight against the Canaanites. Caleb promised to give his daughter Accah in marriage to the man who attacked and captured Kiriath Sepher. It was Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother who became Caleb’s son-in-law. It was Acsah who asked her father to give her land with spring water.
The men of Judah, Benjamin, Joseph and Manasseh, Ephraim, asher, Naphtali were able to take possession of the land but they were unable to drive the people out completely. However, they pressed them into forced labor.
THOUGHTS:
Because the Israelites did not defeat the enemy completely, they compromised their ways and worshiped their Gods. As a result, God disciplined them. God raised up judges and empowered them with his spirit to give victory to individuals. Today, God also enables selected servants by the power of His spirit to accomplish great things for His glory.
Since Joshua’s death, power and authority had been decentralized to the tribal leaders and the tribes were no longer unified in purpose. Spiritual decay had infected them thinking that they could handle the temptation. Similarly, we often fail to drive out sins from our lives which results in gradual deterioration of our relationship with God.