Judges 3-9 Recap | OT Ep 30

This episode highlights the cyclical nature of Israel's sin and God's deliverance through various judges, including Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, and Gideon, culminating in the rise and fall of Gideon's son Abimelech. The discussion emphasizes the importance of faithfulness to God and the consequences of turning away from Him.

Reading Plan - Old Testament in One Year
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tSmSv3JOd-gCJS6VSFMtu-iv14NZ45_M/view?usp=sharing

Chapters

• 0:00 Starting the Cycle: Disobedience and Deliverance Ch 3
• 7:38 Deborah Ch 4-5
• 15:20 Gideon Ch 6-8
• 39:02 Abimelech Ch 9

Transcript

Hey everyone,
My name is Austin. And my name is Ashley. Welcome to the Clean Slate Podcast. Where we're finding Jesus in the Old Testament.

Welcome back friends to episode 30. Today we're going to be recapping Judges chapters 3 through 9.

Chapter 3 begins with sort of a commentary of where Chapter 2 left off. The opening 6 verses explain that God did not drive the rest of nations out, in part because of the disobedience of Israel, but also to test the people and teach them for war.

We do see here that the Israelites married their daughters into these nations wives for their sons from these nations. You may remember that God commanded this very thing not happen because Israel would wind up serving other gods and wouldn't you know it, that's the very thing that happened.

Verse 7 through 11 are about Othniel and what he did as a judge.

You may remember Othniel. He is Caleb's son-in-law and we saw what he did early in the book of Joshua.

that Israel did what was evil in the sight of God and forgot the Lord and served the Baals and the Astras.

God, in judgment, sold them into the hand

is King of Mesopotamia.

Remember, at the end of Joshua's life, he told the leaders of Israel to either serve the gods beyond the river, Mesopotamia, or the gods of Canaan are served the Lord, but they needed to choose.

It's interesting to me that they chose something other than the Lord and the first nation to gain control over them was the Mesopotamians.

Othniel was raised up by the Lord, and the Lord gave the King of Mesopotamia into his hand. victory, which of course came from the Lord, the land knew peace for forty years.

judge, Ehud, goes from verse 12 to verse 30.

this section starts at the same as the last where the people of Israel again did what was evil on the side of the Lord.

We say that God strengthened the hand of the King of Moab, Eglin.

And Aglon took a city called the city of Palms, which is thought to be Jericho. And of course he took that from Israel.

taken some other Israelite land around the area, though we're not really sure how cleverly assassinated Eglon and then led the Israelites to battle, recaptured their lost territory, and cleared the Moabites all the way back to the original border of Israel, defeating

about 10,000 of their soldiers in battle. This won Israel peace for 80 years.

The next judge only has one verse recorded about what he did. His name was Shamgar, a Hurrian

and was probably a worshiper of Anoth, a warrior goddess worshipped by the Canaanites.

Shamgar being used by God is totally within the realm of what God does. We will see God use other people, even people who aren't believers in Him, to rescue the people of Israel.

Moving into next section about the fourth Judge of Israel, Deborah, we'll cover chapters four and five together. Chapter four is sort of the historical telling of what happened, while chapter five is the victory song of Deborah and Barak.

Chapter 5 actually will add some detail on things that are more concisely stated from Chapter 4.

So Israel again has done what was evil in the sight of God and just like he had told them he would, he gave them into the hand of another nation into the hand of King Jabin, the king of the Canaanites.

Jabin and his general Sisra oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for 20 years. Sisra had an army that included 900 iron chariots. I know we've discussed this before, but it's worth mentioning that not only were chariots the ancient equivalent of tanks, Israel didn't have any of their own.

The people of Israel went to Deborah, the judge and prophetess, and asked her for judgment. Deborah sent for Barak

because she knew the Lord had spoken to him.

Barak comes and Deborah asks him, Did the LORD not tell you to gather your army and go out and face Sisra by the Kishon River? Barak says that he did and acknowledges that God even said he would give Sisra into his hand, but Barak would not go up and face Sisra without Deborah.

Now here I need to interject something. Ashley and I have done our best to show that while God never viewed women as less than men, He also intends men to lead.

Admittedly, Deborah is the best of the first seven judges, will follow her. But the point remains, of Israel.

Deborah tells Barak that she would go with him, but since he chose this path, Barak would not get the glory of killing this enemy of Israel and that a woman would be the one to do it. Which would have been a jab felt by Barak since he knew he was called to lead. Notice guys, God isn't going to allow someone's unwillingness to follow his commands to cause his plans to go unfulfilled. He always brings about his purposes.

4, it is not entirely clear what happened. You just know that it's completely one-sided. Lord fights on behalf of Israel.

Barak got down off his chariot and actually fled on foot

We found that in chapter 5 that appears that the river Kishon that God had them fight beside overflowed its banks or something like that and perhaps the wheels of the chariots got stuck.

We also see in that same few verses from chapter what may seem like a curious word choice.

Verse 20 says, From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera.

I remember reading this the first time and being utterly lost as to what was going on. Remember how we discuss all the time, context is key and this certainly plays in here. This isn't a literal statement, but imagery. The imagery indicates that the forces of nature fall on the side of Israel. So it's the same sort of thing happening here on a micro scale as what happened in God is using nature to mock the of the Canaanites

that supposedly have control over things like water or the river.

I love how God consistently lets people know that He alone is God in heaven and rules over the earth, and that whatever fictitious God people come up with has no authority over Him or His people.

Alright, so getting back to the aftermath of the battle, Sisra escapes like I said, and while fleeing comes to the tent of woman named Jael. Jael sees him coming and goes out to meet him, and Jael comforts Sisra and tells him to come into the tent and rest, but in his sleep, she kills him by driving a stake from her tent through his temple.

Barak catches up to Sisra only to find him dead, which is exactly what Deborah told him would happen.

After this, God subdues that same king that he gave victory over Israel.

though we aren't told how long, Jabin's rule was ended throughout all of Israel.

the female judge of the land, and Barak, its reluctant military leader.

Israel called out to Him for aid.

We've seen him do that so many times in this book alone,

which shows you a side of his character that is so vital to understanding him. He always seeks after those who have gone astray.

As we continue to ride the roller coaster of the time of the judges, we get to chapter six. And once again, the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years. During that seven years, we see that because of this, the people of Israel were driven to dens and caves in the mountains.

And when Israel would plant crops, it says the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the people of the east would be like locusts. They would encamp against them, devour the produce, and destroy their herds.

So after seven years of this, the people of Israel cried out for help to Yahweh, the one true God. The Lord sent a prophet and he said to them, starting in verse eight, thus says the Lord God, the God of Israel, I led you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of slavery. And I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all who oppressed you and drove them out before you and gave you their land. And I said to you, I am the Lord your God.

You shall not fear the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But you have not obeyed my voice.

Then we say the angel of the Lord come to Ofra, not Oprah. Not you get a judge, you get a judge, everybody gets a judge.

This is Ofra, the city, where Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And Gideon and the angel of the Lord have this exchange back and forth that I'm gonna paraphrase, but basically the angel, AKA God, says something. And Gideon says, but how? Listen up. The Lord says, the Lord is with you.

And Gideon says, but how is the Lord with us if we're still in this situation? And the Lord says, go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Do not I send you? And Gideon says, but how can I save Israel? I'm the weakest person from the weakest clan in the whole tribe of Manasseh. And the Lord says, but I will be with you. And Gideon says, but how can I know? Show me a sign.

And you want to know what's crazy? The Lord does it. He's so patient with us, isn't he?

The Lord burns up the meat and the cake and the angel vanishes from the side of Gideon. Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord.

So God tells him to take a bull and pull down the altar of Baal that his father had, and cut down the Asherah that's beside it, and build an altar to the Lord your God, and offer the bull as a burnt offering on the wood cut down from the Asherah. God is not playing.

So the next morning, everyone comes out and sees what had happened, finds out it was Gideon

and wants to kill him for destroying the altar to Baal. Joash, Gideon's dad, has this amazing response.

Also listen, anybody who says the Old Testament is boring obviously has not actually read it because this is crazy smack talk right here. Joash tells them, if Baal is a real God, then let him fight for himself because his altar has been broken down. And then Gideon from that point forward is known as Jerubal, meaning let Baal contend. This name would serve as a living reminder of Baal's impotence and mocking all who served him.

Well of course, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people of the East came together again. And I'm in verse 34.

and the Abbez rights were called out to follow him. And he sent messengers throughout Manasseh and also to Asher and Zebulun and Naphtali. And they all went up to meet him and follow him. And Gideon starts the, how can I know again? And the Lord with his steadfast love continues to show Gideon signs that he is with him. The first time it was a wet fleece on dry ground. And even though that was Gideon's idea,

The sign wasn't flashy enough. So Gideon said, please don't kill me. But this time, let the fleece be completely dry and the ground be wet all around it. And God did so that night.

The story continues right into chapter 7.

or else Israel will boast saying that they saved themselves. So the Lord gives him some criteria and cuts them down all the way from 32,000 to just 300 men. God wanted no doubt that the victory belonged to him and him alone. He tells Gideon that same night to go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand, he said. But if you are afraid to go down with the army, go down with your servant.

and you shall hear what they say and you'll be encouraged. And if you read, that is exactly what happens

to the point that once Gideon hears the dream and the interpretation, he worships the Lord on the spot.

God is basically telling Gideon, I know my plan is crazy to you, but that's my point. And this just shows that God cares about his people, even about how they feel.

God turns Gideon's fear into worship through a dream that his enemy had of their victory. But friends, our fear can be turned to worship too. God has given us the full assurance of victory through more than a dream, but through the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus. 1 Peter 1 and 3 says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

God, not Gideon's army, is the true warrior of Israel and he plans to show it.

So Gideon divided the 300 men into three companies and surrounded the enemy camp and instructed them, on his signal, blow the trumpets and smash the jars in their hands. When they did this, verse 21 tells us, every man stood in his place around the camp and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. And the Lord set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. So Gideon's 300 men didn't even use a sword on anyone yet. They didn't have to.

The Lord again was going to make sure he got the glory for this victory.

So the Midianite army fled and the men of Israel pursued them close to the borders of the hill country of Ephraim. Gideon sent messengers to Ephraim saying in verse 24, come down against the Midianites and capture the waters against them as far as Beth-Berah and also the Jordan. So Ephraim answers and they actually capture the two princes of Midian, kill them in their own places across the Jordan. Now.

The battle is over. Or it should be.

Continuing the story right into chapter 8, the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against Midian? Their feelings were hurt that they weren't included, but Gideon's flattering response smoothed it over.

After that, in verse 4, we see Gideon continues to pursue but on his own agenda. As you read through this chapter, you'll see the presence of the Lord was notably absent. Gideon's active involvement in attacking and chasing the enemy contrasts sharply with them standing by while the Lord gave them victory in the earlier encounter. Holy war, which is to be fought at God's command for the protection of the whole people.

gives no warrant for this kind of personal vengeance we see from Gideon here, even in the way he talks and treats people.

rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian. Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you and my son will not rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.

Okay, so on the surface you would think good answer Gideon. He has snapped back into reality.

But as we read further, we'll find out that while Gideon denied a kingly role, he certainly

displaying poor kingly qualities.

We read that he ultimately ends up

1700 shekels worth of gold earrings, crescent ornaments, and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian. All of that now belonged to Gideon.

In verse 27 it says,

Gideon made an ephod of it, and put it in his city, Afra. And all Israel hoard after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family.

So remember that the original Ephod was an ornate ceremonial breast piece of judgment worn only by one, the high priest. What a complete 180 for Gideon When we first see Gideon, he starts with a fearful humility, asking God for sign after sign to know God is going to be with him.

And now we see him setting up another ephod in his own city.

Despite this absolute idolatry from Gideon, God kept his word to 40 years.

The last section of chapter 8 tells us that Jerubal, or Gideon, had 71 sons, 70 from his multiple wives and one from a concubine in Shechem, and his name was Abimelek, which we will hear more about soon.

So the Bible records that Gideon dies, and as soon as he does, the people turned again and hoarded after the Baals, and did not remember the Lord their God. And they also did not show steadfast love to the family of Jerubal in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

Gideon, while he did drive out the Midianites and their gang, his golden breastpiece was an idol long before his death. Though he had accomplished some good things, Gideon was a significant contributing factor to this downward slide of Israel that ultimately led to their turning from the Lord once more.

Chapter 9 is a display of the wickedness of the human heart apart from Jesus. see one of the sons of Gideon whose name is Abimelech come up with a diabolical plan to take power in Israel.

Abimelek had 70 brothers, but all of them were from cities other than the city of Shechem.

while he himself was from Shechem.

Abimelech goes to the leaders of Shechem and proposes that they name him king and his brothers be put to death in order that the kingship not be contested.

The leaders of Shechem endorsed this plan and Abimlek executes 69 of his brothers in one day.

the people Israel called out blessings for obedience in Deuteronomy 28. And there Jotham cursed the leaders of Shechem.

Jotham goes on to tell a fable that's really interesting. In Jotham's fable, he tells of these trees that offered kingship to... first to an olive tree, to a fig tree, and finally to a vine.

but all those declined the offer because they had things allotted to them to do by God and being king was not one of them.

kingship to a bramble bush who accepted.

Now a really important thing to know is that a bramble bush was a thorny bush that bore no fruit, provided no real shade to speak of, and the only use people found for it was to burn it. That last bit's really important.

Jotham equates the bramble bush with Abimelech and tells the people they made Abimelech king in good faith and integrity, they can rejoice in Abimelech and Abimelech can rejoice in them. But if it were not done this way, which you know, if you've read it, you know it wasn't, then Abimelech, the bramble bush,

would burn them with fire and they would burn him with fire.

This of course isn't completely literal, but the metaphor is strong and pointed.

A Bimlet rains in Israel for three years, but then the train comes off the tracks.

There is some betrayal that happens and Abimalek moves against it. In the ensuing battle, the leaders of Shechem, the same ones who put him in power, same ones that Jotham had cursed, are killed by a fire that Abimalek starts. There are 1,000 men and women who died in this fire.

Then there's one more battle after this where Bimliq is trying to basically finish off the traders. And in that battle, Bimliq has killed.

Verse 56 and 57 of this chapter says, Thus God returned the evil of Abimelek, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. And God also made the evil of the men of Shechem return onto their heads, and upon them came the curse of Jotham,

The son of Jerubal.

Guys, God is more poetic and proficient than anything so-called karma could ever hope to be. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 30 says, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. Remember, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

So, in all of this, if you're a normal listener, you may feel like, gosh, you guys are light on the gospel glimpses today, aren't you? Well, sort of. early on in this podcast, you'll either see gospel glimpses, pictures of Christ in the Old Testament, or you're going to see our need for a savior.

better than any book in the whole Bible.

It's truly mind-blowing when you read Judges and you get a picture of humanity that this is what Jesus died for. People like that. People like us.

I am beyond thankful that our job is not earning or trying to be worthy of what Jesus did for us because we would never make it.

Alright y'all, that's going do it for today's recap.

May His grace abound to you and to me as we study to find Jesus in the Old Testament.