Judges 1
-Introduction: Judges covers the period of time from the
late 1300’s B.C. to the time of the monarchy period somewhere around 1050 B.C.
So the composition covers several hundred years of Israeli history during the
period when they had no king and every man did what was right in his own eyes
(Judges 17:6, 21:25). The book lists twelve judges who ruled primarily as
military saviors for the tribes during this period of time when the nation
would wonder from their covenant God and fall into the pitfalls of sin and
foreign oppression. It was more than likely written during the time of the
early monarchy and some have suggested Samuel as its possible writer, though
authorship is not ascribed in the text and is therefore really unknown. The
book could be outlined in structure as follows: Deterioration (or Failure in
Israel, Judges 1:1-3:6), Deliverances (or Rescue in Israel, Judges 3:7-16:31),
and Depravity (or Moral Failure in Israel, Judges 17:1-21:25). There are
repeated cycles throughout the book within the tribes of Israel that give rise
to the workings of the LORD through His judges. These cycles can be described
as 1) sin, 2) slavery, 3) sorrow (or supplication), and finally 4) salvation
(or a savior). History keeps repeating itself, and the LORD keeps faith with
His people even in their struggles to intervene when they cry out to Him.
Therefore, we can say that the themes this Scripture revolves around include:
decline/compromise, decay/apostasy, defeat/oppression, repentance, and
deliverance/heroes/salvation. There is a unique foreshadowing to the work of
Christ in the propitiation for our sins in this work. Let’s enjoy our study of
this relevant and timely book in the saga of God’s grace and glory.
(Ideas extracted from “New American Standard Bible: Life
Application Study Bible.” Zondervan: Grand Rapids, MI, 1995, pgs. 376-378 &
“Talk Thru the Bible: A Quick Guide to Help You Get More Out of the Bible.”
Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa. Nelson Reference & Electronic: Nashville,
TN, 2002, pgs. 58-64)
-Chapter 1: The book starts with the incomplete conquest of
the land after the death of the great and courageous leader Joshua. The sons of
Israel inquired of the LORD for the tribe to go up first against the Canaanites
to fight against them, and Judah was selected. Judah elicited the help of his
brother Simeon, who was within their territory for this attack. They complied
and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand, defeating
ten thousand men at Bezek. There they found Adoni-bezek and fought against him.
He fled, but they pursued him and caught him cutting off his thumbs and big
toes. Adoni-bezek acknowledged his time of reckoning. He had dealt out
vengeance as a ruler, but now “God has repaid me,” he said. He was brought to
Jerusalem and eventually died there. The sons of Judah fought against
Jerusalem, captured it, struck it with the edge of the sword, and then set the
city on fire. Afterwards, the sons of Judah went south to fight the Canaanites
living in the hill country and in the Negev and in the lowland. Hebron was
attacked and defeated along with Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. Caleb was the one
leading this attack by now (Joshua 14 & 15), and they went against the
inhabitants of Debir (or formerly known as Kiriath-sepher). This was a recount
from the book of Joshua where his younger brother, Othniel, won the hand of
Caleb’s daughter by leading in the capture of this city. Achsah therefore
became Othniel’s wife, and she persuaded her husband to ask of her father a
field, a blessing, in the land of the Negev with springs of water. Caleb
obliged and gave them the upper springs and the lower springs (Judges 1:1-15).
Moses’ father-in-law, the descendants of the Kenite, chose to go up from the
city of palms to live among the sons of Judah inhabiting the desert parts of
the land in the south of Arad (Judges 1:16). More conquest is described then by
the tribe of Judah with Simeon, his brother. They struck the Canaanites living
in Zephath and utterly destroyed it. The city got a new name after that,
Hormah. Judah also took Gaza with its territory along with Ashkelon and Ekron
with their territories. The LORD was with Judah in these conquests as they took
possession of the hill country, “but they could not drive out the inhabitants
of the valley because they had iron chariots.” Caleb received Hebron, as Moses
had previously promised (Numbers 14:24), and he drove out the three sons of
Anak. “But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in
Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem
to this day (that being the early monarchy period more than likely).” In the
same manner, the house of Joseph went up against Bethel, and the LORD was with
them. They spied out the city. In much the same way as Rahab helped the two
spies of Jericho, this man that helped the Israelis find entrance into the city
was treated kindly and given life and freedom after the conquering of it. He
ended up moving to the land of the Hittites and built a city by the name of
Luz, which survived a long-long time (Judges 1:17-26). “But Manasseh (of Joseph’s
sons) did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and
its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of
Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the
Canaanites persisted in living in that land.” Israel had become strong and put
the Canaanites to forced labor for them, but they did not drive them out
completely as the LORD had told them to do. Ephraim did not drive out the
Canaanites in Gezer, Zebulun did not drive out the pagan inhabitants of Kitron
and Nahalol. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib,
Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. Naphtali did not drive out the Canaanites of
Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. The sons of Dan were not allowed to come down into
the valley by the Amorites. Dan was thus contained in the hill country not
realizing their full potential. Even in the hill country areas of Mount Heres,
Aijalon, and Shaalbim the Amorites survived even though they became forced
laborers. “The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from
Sela and upward (Judges 1:27-36).”
-*Application* When God calls us to a task, He expects us to
complete it according to the word He gives us. Israel was incomplete in their
conquest. They were told to utterly destroy and take the land without
compromise. Thus they inherited not only the Promised Land, but also some of
the pagan influences that went with it. In time this would prove to be a fatal
flaw. Don’t do things half-hearted. Finish the assignment to 100%. Be diligent
in everything that God asks of you. This is the only way to get 100%
satisfaction and favor (Proverbs 4:23; 21:5, Romans 12:10-11, Colossians 3:23,
2 Timothy 2:15, 2 Peter 1:2-10).
Verses to Memorize:
Judges 1:28
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