Welcome to the seventh book of the Old Testament, Judges. Today, we will only read chapters 1 and 2.
This is the next step in the evolution of governance. We should always be leary when a layer of rulership is added between us and God. Jesus, through His resurrection, has made it possible for us to go boldly to God. We have been adopted as the King’s children. Therefore, no other layers are required.
Pledging allegiances
The third verse describes Judah’s request that the Simeonites accompany them to Canaan. Such alliances can be beneficial to all involved. We all need to band together to complete the will of God.
But, reading this, I feel their fear of the people and cities they had seen when they spied out Canaan. Instead of trusting that they had God, therefore they need nothing else, they are looking for earthly answers.
This is theology based on works. All religions other than Christianity believe that man has to do various things to earn salvation. The Bible is clear that Jesus is all we need. He did it all for us.
What could we add that would bear any significance beyond what He did on the Cross?
But Judah and Simeon form an alliance and attack the Canaanites and Perizzites and are victorious. Not because of their combined strength. I believe the Bible would have been clear if that were the situation. It would have said, with their combined might, they slew ten thousand.
That is not what it says. Instead, it states God gave them into their hands. God was and is their strength. Whenever we believe we need more resources than we have, we are forgetting we have the only resource we will ever need.
Disabling the resistance
In verse six, they catch Adoni-Bezek who was a brutal king and warrior known to cut off the thumbs and toes of the people he defeated. He did this because it would render the people unable to fight. Without thumbs, they could not hold a sword, and without the big toe, they would lack balance.
Because he had been doing this to his enemies, Judah returns the treatment to him.
Then we see how many of the tribes did not destroy the people they were to drive out. Trusting only in God and followed His commands, they would have eliminated those people from the land.
Coexistence is a sin
Instead, they went for diplomacy and allowed them to coexist. God had warned against this because it would lead to them worshipping the foreign gods, which it did.
It is a foolish mistake to think we have a better plan than God. Trust in God and follow His commandments. This is the only way to create peace and lasting prosperity.
God sends an angle to tell them to stop making covenants with the people of the land they are taking. They continue to disobey Him. All disobedience to God is sin.
As generations pass, we get further and further from knowing the truth that God provides.
Today we have schools which don’t acknowledge the truth at all. They refuse to talk about the Bible except to refute it. Their administrators were raised in the school system taught this. Now, each generation grows more corrupt.
A similar dynamic was happening in chapter two as they began serving Baal and the Ashtoreth.
The results were that God turns His back to them. The Lord was against them when they go out to fight. He is always going to keep His word, and He had warned them this would happen if they sought idols.
Judgment needed
Because they lacked judgment, He gives them judges to guide them. God works through these judges to lead the people.
It is easy to scoff at these people. If we are being honest with ourselves, don’t we try to make our own rules? I know I often strike out on my own, relying on myself. If I am not enough, I call upon a friend for help. I count on my finances and I trust in my credit rating.
This is how we make money into an idol and why Matthew 6:24 warns we can’t worship God and money. We need to seek the Lord and when we know we are doing His will, trust Him.
