The Book of Judges Series – Revival in the Land 2/21/21 “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did
what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6; 21:25 (NASB)
Introduction-“Who will go up for us…” (1:1-3)
I. Background of the period of the judges-The reason for Israel’s apostasy (1:4-3:6)
A. The political background-Hostilities between Israel and the Canaanites (1:4-36)
B. The spiritual background – Israel’s conduct and God’s response (2:1-3:6)
II. History of the period of the judges-The record of Israel’s apostasy (3:7-16:31)
A. 1st apostasy-Mesopotamian oppression-Othniel’s deliverance (3:7-14) B. 2nd apostasy-Moabite oppression-Ehud’s deliverance (3:12-30)
C. 3rd apostasy-Canaanite oppression-Deborah/Barak (4:1-5:31)
D. 4th Apostasy-Midianite oppression-Gideon’s deliverance (6:1-8:35) 5. Part 5: Gideon completes his conquest of Midian (8:1-27)
a. Part 1: The need for balance (8:1-17) (1) The Warrior’s Softer Side (8:1-3) (2) The warrior’s toughness (8:4-17)
- The significance of a “just balance” (Proverbs 16:11)!
b. Part 2: Life’s Ups and Downs (8:18-34)
(1) Success – The “Thrill of Victory” (8:18-21) (2) Failure – The “Agony of Defeat (8:22-27)
Conclusion – 40 years of peace (8:28-35)
Key Verse(s) * The importance of balance in life (cf. “just balance” Prov. 16:11)
Judges 8:1-3 (excerpts NASB) *”A soft answer turns away wrath…” (Prov. 15:1)
“Then the men of Ephraim said to him, ‘What is this thing you have done to us, not calling us when you went to fight against Midian?’ And they contended with him vigor- ously. But he said to them, ‘What have I done now in comparison with you?…God has given the leaders of Midian…into your hands; and what was I able to do in comparison with you?’ Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that.“ (cf. 7:24-25)
Judges 8:13-17 (excerpts) *“…But a harsh word stirs up anger” Don’t make him angry! “Then Gideon the son of Joash returned from the battle…He came to the men of Succoth and said, ‘Behold Zebah and Zalmunna, concerning whom you taunted me, saying, ‘Are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna already in your hand, that we should give bread to your men who are weary?’ He took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and he disciplined the men of Succoth with them. He tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.”
“…if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)
Judges 8:1-17 “The Importance of Balance in Life”
“Now the angel of the LORD…said…’I will never break My covenant…’”
Judges 2:1 (NASB)
Key x-References – The need for balance in life
Proverbs 15:1 (NASB) *There’s a time for both – gentle and firm! [~950-700 B.C] “A gentle [KJV “soft”] answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 16:11 (NASB) *A “just balance” illustrates the need for “balance” in life “A just balance and scales belong to the LORD; All the weights of the bag are His concern.”
Proverbs 20:23 (NASB) *The standard for a Christian is the righteousness of Christ “Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD, And a false scale is not good.”
Romans 3:21-26 (NASB) *Even God may do things differently in some situations
“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the re- demption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.“
1 Samuel 17:36 (NASB) *Taunting God’s people may actually be taunting God! “Your servant [David] has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine [Goliath] will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” *May help explain Gideon’s harsh response to Succoth and Penuel.
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NASB) *True when sharing the Gospel also! [~930 B.C.] “But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the LORD. The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.’” *Like Succoth and Penuel?
Acts 17:30-31 (NASB) *God delt with OT saints looking forward to Christ [~A.D. 61] “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NASB-excerpts) *A time for everything means balance! [~950-700 BC] “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—…A time to be silent and a time to speak…” *Even when witnessing for Christ!
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations)
“taunted” (v.15) Hebrew #2778a (39x), NASB charaph: to reproach:– defied (2), defy (2), despised (1), insult (1), reproach (7), reproached (8), reproaches (5), revile (2), reviled (1), scorned (1), taunt (1), taunted (6), taunts (2)
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”