The Book of Judges Series – Revival in the Land 2/28/21 “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) - Temporal success can lead to spiritual failure!
Conclusion – 40 years of peace (8:28-35)
Key Verse(s) *Gideon’s military success set him up for spiritual failure
Judges 8:19 (NASB) *The problem of the extreme violence in the Old Testament “He said, ‘They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. As the LORD lives, if only you had let them live, I would not kill you.’”
Judges 8:22-23 (NASB) *Gideon knew better than to let them make him king!
“Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, both you and your son, also your son’s son, for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.’ But Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.’” *cf. Judges 9:1-3; cf. also 1 Samuel 8:6-8
Judges 8:27 (NASB) *But Gideon still fell into the “trap” of sinful pride
“Gideon made it into an ephod, and placed it in his city, Ophrah, and all Israel played the harlot with it there, so that it became a snare to Gideon and his household.“
Judges 8:28 (NASB) *Even with his flawed character, Gideon brought peace to Israel “So Midian was subdued before the sons of Israel, and they did not lift up their heads anymore. And the land was undisturbed for forty years in the days of Gideon.”
“…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 8:18-35 “The Ups and Downs of Life”
“Now the angel of the LORD…said…’I will never break My covenant…’”
Judges 2:1 (NASB)
Key Verses – Gideon’s military victories ultimately led to spiritual failure
Judges 8:30-32 (NASB) *God never endorsed polygamy – It always causes problems “Now Gideon had seventy sons who were his direct descendants, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. And Gideon the son of Joash died at a ripe old age and was buried in the tomb of his father…” *This will be important next Sunday in Judges Chapter 9.
Judges 8:33-35 (NASB) The revival under Gideon was short-lived. Why? [~1050 B.C] “Then it came about, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the sons of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-berith their god. Thus the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the household of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in accord with all the good that he had done to Israel.” *This will be important next Sunday in Judges Chapter 9.
Key x-References– An “ephod” can be associated with a false priestly function
1 Samuel 8:4-7 (excerpts/NASB) *The king and priest offices were separate until Christ “Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, ‘Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.’ But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel…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.’“
Judges 17:5-6 (NASB) *Micah worshipped idols; also established his own priesthood “And the man Micah had a shrine and he made an ephod and household idols and consecrated one of his sons, that he might become his priest.
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” *What is an “ephod?” cf. Judges 8:27 and the priestly garments in Exodus 28:1– 43
Exodus 10:7 (NASB) *A “snare” is something that causes great sin and spiritual harm “Pharaoh’s servants said to him, ‘How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?’” * “snare” or trap – a loop (noose) that entangles (cf. Hebrews 12:1)
Exodus 34:12-15 (excerpts/NASB) *Accommodation is a dangerous spiritual “trap” “Watch yourself that you make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land into which you are going, or it will become a snare in your midst. But rather, you are to tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and cut down their Asherim—for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God— otherwise you might make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land and they would play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to their gods…”
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations)
“snare” (v.27) Hebrew #4170 (28x), NASB moqesh: a bait or lure, a snare:– bait (1), barbs (1), ensnared (2), snare (12), snares (8), trap (4)
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
2 Timothy 2:13 (NASB)