The Book of Judges. David Gooding. Myrtlefield House Study Notes.

Transcription

1 The Book of Judges David Gooding Myrtlefield House Study Notes

2 David Gooding has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work. Copyright The Myrtlefield Trust, 2018 Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the English Revised Version (1885) or from the King James Version. Sometimes Dr Gooding gives his own translations or paraphrases. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce this document in its entirety, or in unaltered excerpts, for personal and church use only as long as you do not charge a fee. You must not reproduce it on any Internet site. Permission must be obtained if you wish to reproduce it in any other context, translate it, or publish it in any format. Published by The Myrtlefield Trust PO Box 2216 Belfast BT1 9YR w: e: info@myrtlefieldhouse.com Myrtlefield catalogue no: Judg004.cht

3 Contents Preface 4 The Weapons of our Warfare 5 The Various Uses of the Book of Judges 6 Table of Contents 7 The Major Captivities and Deliverers 8 The Two Introductions and The Two Epilogues 9 The Function of the First Introduction 10 The Function of the Second Introduction 11 Denials of First Principles 12 The First Captivity 13 The Moabite Captivity 14 The Turning Point in Ehud s Campaign 15 A Comparison 16 The Canaanite Oppression 17 The Midianite Captivity (1) 18 The Midianite Captivity (2) 19 The Abimelech Tyranny 20 The Ammonite Conflict 21 The Philistine Captivity 22 Samson s Story 23 Gideon 24 The First Epilogue 25 The Second Epilogue 26 The Breakdown in Theory and Practice of Faith in Direct Theocracy 27 Conclusion 28 About the Author 29

4 Preface The biblical authors used the literary conventions of their day to convey their message. These included structures and patterns that are less obvious to us in an age of typesetting and digital display. David Gooding has brought his considerable experience of reading and teaching ancient literature to bear on the biblical text, and these study notes represent his thinking about the structure, patterns and thought flow of Judges. He has often said to groups of Bible students, When it comes to Bible study, there is structure, pattern and thought flow, and the greatest of these is thought flow. Here are the thoughts of God expressed. Our job is to follow the thought flow. The most important thing to grasp is the way the author develops his argument or message, and discovering the structure and patterns that the text exhibits should always be to that end. The study notes have been developed over a number of years and were distributed at talks he gave in various places publicly and privately. Audio recordings and transcripts of some of these talks are available for free download from myrtlefieldhouse.com. These study notes are not meant to be the last word on Judges, and may not cover the entire book. They are offered publicly to help Bible students, preachers and teachers to stimulate further thinking about the book, so that its message may be understood. The Myrtlefield Trust 2018

5 The Weapons of our Warfare BELT BREASTPLATE SHOES SHIELD HELMET SWORD Ephesians 6:13 20 Truth Righteousness Preparation of the gospel of peace Faith Hope of salvation The word of God To be used with all prayer and supplication. 2 Corinthians 10:3 5 We do not war according to the flesh: for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of strongholds.

6 The Various Uses of the Book of Judges For Israel 1. LESSONS FROM HISTORY FOR SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS: a. God s redemptive ways in past history b. How we got here c. Their debt to past saviours, deliverers, heroes, judges, men and women of faith d. Warning examples of the consequences of departure from God s word e. Encouraging examples of God s salvation and restoration (cf. Ps 83:9 18) 2. PROTOTYPES OF THE GREAT PROPHETIC RESTORATION. And the Lord of hosts shall stir up against him [the Assyrian] a scourge, as in the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb (Isa 10:26). 3. A MANUAL OF MILITARY WARFARE AND TACTICS. See Joab s recall of Abimelech s false move in the attack on Thebez (Judg 9:50 55 and 2 Sam 11:18 22). 4. ENCOURAGEMENT TO LEARN TO FIGHT (Judg 3:1 2). For Us 1. PART OF THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES STIMULATING FAITH (Heb 11:32) 2. PRACTICAL WARNINGS AGAINST IDOLATRY AND DEPARTURE FROM GOD S WORD (compare 1 Cor 10:11, written for our admonition) 3. LESSONS IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE: a. Discernment of the causes of captivity b. Preparation and qualification of deliverers c. Reconnoitring the various enemies d. Strategies and tactics in overcoming the foe (that by them you may wage the good warfare, 1 Tim 1:18) 4. ENCOURAGEMENT TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT (1 Tim 6:12)

7 Table of Contents The Two Introductions 1. 1:1 And it came to pass after the death of Joshua :6 Now when Joshua had sent the people away... another [third] generation... which knew not the Lord, and the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord... The Main Deliverers 3. 3:7 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERER: OTHNIEL 4. 3:12 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERER: EHUD After Ehud: Shamgar 5. 4:1 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERERS: DEBORAH, BARAK, JAEL 6. 6:1 And the children of Israel did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERER: GIDEON 7. 8:33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again and went a whoring after the Baalim... > ABIMELECH: KING. DELIVERER: A WOMAN OF THEBEZ After Abimelech: Tola, Jair 8. 10:6 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERER: JEPHTHAH After Jephthah: Ibzan, Elon, Abdon 9. 13:1 And the children of Israel again did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. DELIVERER: SAMSON The Two Epilogues :1 Micah a Levite the Danites and their idolatry :1 The all-tribal-assembly and its mishandling of a case of gross immorality

8 The Major Captivities and Deliverers 1:1 3:6; 17:1 21:25 Two Introductions Two Epilogues 1. After the Death of Joshua Who shall go up first against the Canaanites? Covenant, Bochim, weeping 6. Gideon Enemy: Midian Tactic: Light in earthen vessels 11. Benjamin s Immortality Who shall go up first against Benjamin? Bethel, weeping, ark of covenant 2. When Joshua had Sent the People Away 5. Deborah, Barak, Jael Enemy: Canaanites 7. Woman of Thebez Enemy: Abimelech 10. Micah s Idolatry Institutionalised idolatry Intermittent idolatry Tactic: Skull pierced with tent peg Tactic: Skull crushed with millstone 4. Ehud Enemy: Moabites Tactic: Killing the enemy at the fords 8. Jephthah Enemy: Ammonites Tactic: Killing one s brethren at the fords 3. Othniel Enemy: Mesopotamians Secret of success: his wife 9. Samson Enemy: Philistines Secret of failure: his wives

9 The Two Introductions and the Two Epilogues The Introductions 1:1 2:5: AFTER THE DEATH OF JOSHUA: the all-tribal assembly and the second phase of the conquest. Who shall go up first against the Canaanites? and the Lord said, Judah (1:1 2). 2:6 3:6: THE THIRD GENERATION AFTER JOSHUA: Israel s recurrent lapses into, and rescues from, idolatry. The Epilogues 17:1 18:31: THE GRANDSON OF MOSES AND HIS POSTERITY BECOME PRIESTS IN THE DANITES SYSTEM OF INSTITUTIONALIZED IDOLATRY (18:30). 19:1 21:25: THE ALL-TRIBAL ASSEMBLY AND THE BOTCHED DISCIPLINE OF BENJAMIN. Who shall go up for us first to battle against the Benjamites? and the Lord said, Judah (20:18).

10 The Function of the First Introduction I. It Sets the Context of the Era of the Judges II. III. IV. The Second Phase of the Conquest of Canaan First Phase: Joshua and the united armies of all the tribes broke the back of all opposition. Israel was now in the land and possessed it. In that sense Israel had rest. Second Phase: Each tribe had now to peel off from the united army and to enter into their own particular inheritance, drive out any remaining Canaanites, and then settle and develop their allotted territory. That involved faith, courage, fighting and persistence. The Varied Success of the Individual Tribes A. Some, like Judah, drove out the Canaanites. 1:1 17 B. Some, like Benjamin, did not drive out the Canaanites. 1:21 C. Some did not drive out the Canaanites, but put them to task-work. 1:28 D. Some could not drive the Canaanites out of parts of their possessions e.g. 1:19 Judah. E. Some did not e.g. Ephraim. 1:29 The Four Incidents A. Adoni-bezek. Principle: you reap what you sow. 1:4 7 B. Othniel and Achsah. Principle: with what measure you mete, it shall be meted 1:12 15 to you; to him that has shall be given. C. Caleb. Principle: past faith brings eventual reward. 1:20 D. House of Joseph. Principle: the price of compromise is that you perpetuate the 1:22 26 evil elsewhere. God s Rebuke at Bochim For his people s lack of faith in his covenant and oath, which led them to make 2:1 5 covenants with the Canaanites, instead of persisting in their efforts to drive them out.

11 The Function of the Second Introduction To Outline God's Response to Israel's Failure and Compromise (2:6 3:6) I. A Basic Cause of (But Not Excuse for) Their Forsaking the Lord 2:10 The weakness of the third generation. They did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel. II. God s Anger 2:14 15 A. He taught and disciplined them by allowing them to experience, and suffer under, the consequences of their sin: spoiled, oppressed, weakened, distressed by their enemies, as the Lord had spoken, and as the Lord had sworn unto them (2:15). B. Cf. 1 Corinthians 11: III. God s Mercy 2:16 18 He raised up judges to be their saviours: A. To teach them and judge their sin; B. To bring them to repentance; C. To lead them to deliverance from their enemies. IV. God s Providential Turning of Evil to Good 2:19 3:6 A. By not driving out all the nations at once, but leaving them in order to prove Israel, whether they were genuine in faith and obedience (2:21 23); B. By leaving the nations in Canaan so that the younger generations of Israelites might learn to fight (3:1 2).

12 Denials of First Principles 1. ISRAEL: brought into the land by God according to his oath and never-to-be broken covenant, they enter covenants with Canaanites and go after their gods (2:2 5). 2. FIRST CAPTIVITY: to the king of the country from which Abraham came out (upper Mesopotamia). 3. SECOND CAPTIVITY: Moab takes Jericho, the city which Israel destroyed, in order to enter Canaan. 4. THIRD CAPTIVITY: Jabin, king of the Canaanites, mightily oppresses Israel just as Pharaoh had done. 5. FOURTH CAPTIVITY: Israel are in the land of milk and honey, but Midian nearly starves them out. 6. ABIMELECH: should have been a judge and deliverer, but he acts the tyrant and Israel have to be saved from their saviour. 7. JEPHTHAH: treats his brother Israelites as though they were enemies and slaughters them. 8. SAMSON: the Philistines were uncircumcised; i.e. they were not members of the covenant between God and Abraham s seed. Samson marries an unconverted Philistine wife and blurs the distinction. 9. DANITES: destroy the Canaanite city of Laish, rebuild it as Dan, and install therein idolatry. 10. THE ALL-TRIBAL-ASSEMBLY: in attempting to discipline Benjamin for breaking the sanctities of hospitality and sex, itself breaks the sanctities of oath and innocent blood, which was its responsibility to protect.

13 The First Captivity To the King of Mesopotamia 1. Reconnoitring the enemy: a. Cushan-rishathaim: Cushan of double wickedness! b. Haran: the place from which Abraham had been called out. c. What brought Abraham out of Chaldaea and Haran? (1) Vision of the God of glory (2) Promise of inheritance (Acts 7:2 4) 2. Cause of Israel s downfall: false-loves, false gods, misdirected desires and energies (3:6 7). 3. Othniel s fitness to be a deliverer: a true-love, Achsah, who was his incentive (1:12 15): a. To go for the full enjoyment of his inheritance b. To develop and enlarge his inheritance 4. a. John s advice: love not the world... (1 John 2:15 17) b. 1 Peter 1:3 4 and 1:13 23: the connection between our inheritance and our desires c. He called us by his own glory and virtue (2 Pet 1:3)

14 The Moabite Captivity Reconnoitring the Enemy Moab in Scripture I. In the Old Testament A. Genesis 19:30 38: Moab was the son of Lot by his daughter. B. Numbers 25: Balaam teaches the king of Moab to tempt Israel into eating things sacrificed to idols and into committing fornication. C. Jeremiah 48:11, 29: Moab has been at ease from his youth... his pride, arrogance, haughtiness, wrath. D. Judges 3: The king of Moab: 1. A very fat man 2. Killed through his belly II. New Testament Warnings Against Moabitism A. 1 Corinthians 10:8, 21 23: A warning against both moral and spiritual and fornication. B. Revelation 2:14: You have some that hold the teaching of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.

15 The Turning Point in Ehud s Campaign The Right and Wrong Use of the Knife (3:19) 1. CARVED IMAGES The knife used to make religion attractive to the flesh 2. GILGAL The place where Israel made knives and circumcised themselves (Josh 5)

16 A Comparison Judges 3 and Philippians 3 Judges 3 Philippians 3 1. Ehud: a Benjamite 1. Paul: a Benjamite 2. Moab: the fleshly man 2. Confidence in the flesh 3. The right and wrong use of the knife 3. Concision versus circumcision 4. Israel s crossing of the Jordan: Moab the fords 4. Conformed to death and resurrection of Christ 5. Moab re-takes and lives in Jericho: city of the curse 5. They mind earthly things... our citizenship is in heaven 6. A message from God to you 6. Even this shall God reveal unto you 7. Ehud took the sword... and thrust it into his belly 7. Whose god is the belly, whose glory is in their shame 8. So Moab was subdued on that day 8. The saviour... is able even to subdue all things to himself

17 The Canaanite Oppression I. Reconnoitring the Enemy A. Joshua 11: At Israel s entry, led by the living God (see Judg 5:4), JABIN I led a great confederacy of kings against Joshua, to thwart the purpose of God to establish Israel in the land. Joshua defeated them. B. Judges 4 5: A revival of Canaanite power. JABIN II mightily oppresses Israel, nation of Israel fragmented, little intercourse (5:6); people leaderless and unarmed, few shields for defence or spears for attack (5:8). II. Features of the Enemy A. JABIN: Name = he perceives B. Technology: nine hundred chariots of iron C. Canaanites: so famous as merchants that the word Canaanite comes to mean merchant (cf. Zech 14:21) D. SISERA killed through the BRAIN E. SISERA lived in Harosheth of the Gentiles III. Some Biblical Descriptions A. The SINNERS, the Amalekites B. The UNCIRCUMCISED Philistines C. Galilee of the GENTILES: 1. Its geographical significance 2. Its moral and spiritual significance IV. Effect of the Captivity He mightily oppressed the Israelites (4:3) V. Believers Are Not to: A. Pray like Gentiles (Matt 6:7) B. Have the same objectives as Gentiles (Matt 6:32) C. Have the same mind-set as Gentiles or the same behaviour-patterns (Eph 4:17) VI. Strategies and Tactics in the Conflict A. 1. DEBORAH S INSIGHT into the purposes of God in history and the battles of the Lord (5:4 5) 2. Cf. the confederation of the kings against God s Christ (Acts 4:23 29) 3. Christ s victory over the principalities and powers B. BARAK S TACTICS: 1. Up Mount Tabor (4:6, 12) 2. Going down Mount Tabor with the Lord before him (4:14) 3. Taking captivity captive (5:12; see Ps 68:8, 17 18; Eph 4:7 16) C. JAEL AND HER TENT-PEG (4:17 24)

18 The Midianite Captivity (1) Gideon: His Success I. Reconnoitring the Enemy 6:1 6 A. Midianites: were Ishmaelites: A wild donkey among men: his hand against every man... and every man s hand against him (cf. Gen 16:12) B. Nomads: destroyed crops like a plague of locusts C. Result: left no sustenance in Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass D. No longer a land flowing with milk and honey II. Cause of Israel s plight God s assessment 6:7 10 I brought you up... I delivered you... I drove them out... I gave you their land... I said... I am the Lord your God... but you have not listened to my voice. III. Israel s Defeatist Reaction 6:2 Made dens, caves and strongholds in the mountains IV. GIDEON S FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY 6:11 A. Maintained the food-supply: Gideon a victorious cake (cf. 7:13 14) B. Maintained enough provision to entertain the angel of the Lord in worship C. An experience of Jehovah-Shalom: the God of peace and plenty (6:24) D. Reasoning and interceding with God (6:12 16) V. STRIVING AGAINST BAAL: The Positive Approach 6:25 32 Must build an altar to the Lord so the altar of Baal must go VI. GIDEON S TACTICS 7:1 25 A. Seeking the Lord s guidance: controlling the dew (cf. Ps 133:3). And God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth, plenty of corn and wine (cf. Gen 27:28) B. Learning not to put faith in numbers (7:1 8) C. Learning in advance that the enemy has already been defeated by Gideon s food-supply-tactics (7:9 14) D. The victory gained by standing behind the light and proclaiming: The sword of the Lord and of Gideon (7:15 25) E. The necessary process: the breaking of the earthen vessel so that the light could shine out (cf. 2 Cor 4:4 15) F. Calling all Israel to join in the victory (7:24 25)

19 The Midianite Captivity (2) Gideon: His Decline I. Turning Away the Unreasonable Anger and Criticisms of His Brethren 8:1 3 The approach of true humility II. His Destructive Approach to Those Who Refused to Cooperate 8:4 21 A. Cruel discipline (8:16) A. Breaking down their only defence (8:17) III. The Lure of the Spoils of Victory 8:22 28 A. Tested by flattery: each one resembled the sons of a king: Gideon: they were my brothers (8:18 21) B. Nobly refused to be king (8:22 23) C. Requested the ornaments and robes of the Midianite kings; made an ephod of them; it became 1. An idolatrous object of reverence to the Israelites 2. A snare to Gideon and his house (8:24 27) IV. One of His Sons Called Abimelech 8:29 32 = My father is king

20 The Abimelech Tyranny Chapter Nine I. Abimelech The self-promoted king an ancient Diotrophes: spiritual ancestor of many ecclesiastical tyrants II. Abimelech s False Alternative A. Is it better for you that all the seventy sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you? (9:2). Answer: neither; cf. Gideon: the Lord shall rule over you (8:23). B. Remember that I am your bone and your flesh: the appeal to family connections and pride (9:2). C. He slays his brethren so as to become king himself (9:3 6). III. Jotham s Fable 9:7 21 The ugly, barren and destructive desire to be king just for the sake of exercising power over others; cf. Christ s warning: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them... but you shall not be so; but he that is the greater among you let him become as the younger; and he that is chief, as one who serves (Luke 22:25 26). IV. Gaal s Falsely Motivated Attempt to Eliminate Abimelech 9:26 45 Who is Abimelech?... Would that this people were under my hand! (9:28 29) Zebul said: Where is your mouth now? (9:38) V. The Victory of Common Sense Care for the People of God 9:50 57 An unknown woman used her millstone and broke Abimelech s skull

21 The Ammonite Conflict I. Reconnoitring the Enemy Ammonites in Scripture: A. Genesis 19:38: Ammon the son of Lot by his daughter. B. 1 Samuel 11:2: Nahash the Ammonite proposes a covenant with men of Jabesh on condition that their right eyes shall be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach on all Israel. C. 1 Chronicles 19:4 5: Hanun the Ammonite shaves David s servants and cuts off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks... and... the men were greatly ashamed. D. Amos 1:13: Ammon... they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they might enlarge their border. E. Zephaniah 2:8: I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land. F. Nehemiah 2:19; 4:3; 13:1, 4 6: But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah... the Ammonite... heard it, they laughed us to scorn and despised us... Now Tobiah... said, even... if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall... An Ammonite... should not enter into the assembly of God. But Nehemiah finds him installed in a great chamber in the courts of the house of God. G. Judges 11: Ammon claims the right to Israel s territory. II. God s Remonstrance with Israel (10:10 16) A. The danger: thinking that forsaking the Lord does not really matter, because, if it results in trouble, God will always save us from the consequences of our idolatry and start a new revival, like he has always done. B. You cried unto me and I saved you... yet you have forsaken me and served other gods: wherefore I will save you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress. C. The need for fundamental repentance: We have sinned: do unto us whatever seems good to you: only deliver us this day (10:15 16). III. Jephthah s Distinguishing Tactic (11:12 28) A. Diplomacy: arguing the historical facts of redemptive history. Will you not possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whoever the Lord our God has dispossessed from before us, them we will possess. B. Cf. Paul s argument from church history (Gal 1:11 2:21) C. Our need to know church history, so as not to be disinherited by those who would impose on us unscriptural institutions and tyrannies and reduce our God-given inheritance. IV. Jephthah s Weakness A. He was an illegitimate child, and suffered the resultant pain of rejection (11:1 3) B. His reaction: the urge to be recognised as head (11:9 11) C. He regards his fellow-nationals who criticise him as enemies and slaughters them (12:1 6) D. Question: how to explain what happens to his daughter? (11:34 40) E. A possible explanation: his desire to be head; a desire to found a dynasty? Cf. the sons of Ibzan and Abdon (12:8 9; 13 14) F. 1. Shall I be head? They made him head... and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah (11:9 11). 2. Jephthah vowed a vow to the Lord: if you will deliver the children of Ammon into my hands... whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me... it shall be the Lord s. The Lord delivered them (11:30 33). 3. God s providential answer: his daughter; she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter (11:34 40). 4. The result: there never was a reigning house of Jephthah.

22 The Philistine Captivity I. Reconnoitring the Enemy A. They gave their name to the land of Palestine B. They were uncircumcised: i.e. not members of God s covenant with Abraham and Abraham s seed, and not heirs of the inheritance C. Their god Dagon fell over and had to be set up again by human intelligence and power (see 1 Sam 5) D. Their finest specimen: the super-man, Goliath (1 Sam 17) II. Samson A. His preparation: owed to his parents; a Nazirite from birth B. A man empowered by the supernatural power of the Spirit of God C. A man of faith (Heb 11:32 33) D. But he married unconverted Philistine women E. He broke the rules of his Naziriteship F. He vexed the Philistines, but never finally delivered Israel from them G. He died in captivity himself

23 Samson s Story Chapters I. The Preparation 13:1 25 A. The incomprehensible name the man who is God B. The ascension and acceptance C. We have SEEN GOD II. Seeking a Philistine Wife 14:1 20 A. The riddle of the lion and the honey B. The riddle betrayed III. Re-Seeking Philistine Wife 15:1 20 A. Revenge over Philistines B. Victory in spite of brethren: the jaw-bone of an ass IV. The Harlot of Gaza 16:1 3 A. A trap but escape V. Delilah 16:4 21 A. A trap and no escape B. The secret betrayed VI. Final Victory 16:22 31 A. Avenged for his eyes B. The acceptance that victory comes through death

24 Gideon The Turning Point in the Book 1. OTHNIEL: fought Mesopotamians; secret of his success: his wife 2. EHUD: fought Moabites, Ammonites and Amalek; brought a message to the enemy: took fords of Jordan and killed the enemy 3. DEBORAH, BARAK, JAEL: fought Canaanites; a woman kills army-commander through his skull 4. GIDEON: fought Midianites: a. stands against idolatry b. fights the enemy c. fights fellow Israelites d. lapses into idolatry 5. ABIMELECH: fought Israelites; a woman kills him by breaking his skull 6. JEPHTHAH: fought Ammonites; sent messengers to enemy; took fords of Jordan and killed Israelites 7. SAMSON: irritated Philistines; secret of downfall: his wives

25 The First Epilogue Chapters The Institutionalising of Idolatry Resulting from a complete loss of knowledge of God and disregard of his word I. The Ordinary People Example: Micah 17:1 6 A. His name: who is like Jehovah? = Declaration of the uniqueness of God B. Yet he and his mother cultivate idolatry without any bad conscience about it C. Seemingly unaware of first and second commandments, Micah had a house of gods (17:5) II. The Levite 17:7 13 A. Hires himself out for money B. But how can you hire a Levite when by redemption they belong to God? They could be supported by tithes; but not hired C. Micah: Now I know the Lord will do me good, seeing that I have a Levite as my priest in complete ignorance of Exodus/Leviticus (17:13) III. The Danites Seek Their Inheritance 18:1 31 A. Looks good: 1. Spies 2. Enquire of God 3. Destroy Canaanites 4 Build their own city B. But all false: 1. Should have enquired of the high priest 2. The Levite gave a smooth answer C. The expedition: 1. They take the Levite from Micah by offering him a better living 2. They take the gods by force: morality not in it; ultimate sanction: force and violence 3. Micah s wail: a. You have taken away my gods which I have made b. He has no concept of the living God; no salvation; no freedom D. The Destruction of Laish (18:27 31) 1. Executing the judgment of God? 2. They conquer the people of Laish, destroy their city, and set up IDOLATRY E. The Priests, grandson of Moses and his sons, officiate in this idolatrous shrine (18:30) IV. Compare the History of Christendom

26 The Second Epilogue The Appalling Failure of Godly Discipline in Israel (Isaiah 19 21) I. The Function of the All-Tribal-Assembly A. Concerned, among other things, with inter-tribal travel and commerce, in order to guard the sanctities of hospitality, sex, marriage and oaths B. Cf. Zeus Xenios among the Greeks 2. The Trouble 19:10 30 A. The Benjamites of Gibeah commit a worse moral outrage than even the Gentiles of Jebus would have done (cf. 1 Cor 5) B. The pathetic appeal of the woman: appealing for protection, with her hands on the threshold. Just a body; the person gone (19:27) C. The Levite s challenge to all Israel for discipline (19:24 20:11) III. The Problem 20:12 28 A. All the other Benjamites side with those of Gibeah B All the other tribes enquire of the Lord: 1. Who shall go up first against Benjamin? 2. Answer: Judah C. But disastrous defeats by Benjamin on the first two occasions D. Leads to confession and weeping and enquiring before the ark of the Lord VI. The Excessive Discipline 20:30 21:6 A. Practically all the tribe of Benjamin destroyed only six hundred escape B. Left with no wives C. Cf. Deut 25, which commands respect for brother even under discipline D. Cf. 2 Corinthians 2: concern for offender s recovery E. All tribes had sworn an oath not to give their daughters as wives to the Benjamites: now they lament it V. The Problem 21:7 25 A. How to get out of their oath? B. Answer: slaughter the men of Jabesh-Gilead for not joining in earlier discipline! C. Then seize their virgins and give them to the surviving Benjamite men. D. Even so not enough wives. E. So deliberately arrange a dance for the girls of Shiloh, so that the rest of the Benjamite men can come and seize them. F. And so the all-tribal-assembly salve their consciences and try to believe that they have not broken their oath, because they did not actually give these girls to the Benjamites. G. Thus the assembly undermined the very sanctities it was meant to uphold in the very process of trying to uphold them; and in the course of chastising one act of inter-tribal injustice, commits two others itself. VI. General Lesson for the Church A. Godly church discipline is necessary and commanded (cf. 1 Cor 5) B. But beware of carnal attitudes that, in the course of disciplining others, commits grievous acts of compassionless cruelty and casuistically justifies its own trespasses against the law of Christ.

27 The Breakdown in Theory and Practice of Faith in Direct Theocracy 1. Cf. Samuel s commentary on the days of the Judges: And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me: No, but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God was your king (1 Sam 12:12). 2. a. The men of Israel said to Gideon, rule over us, both you and your son and your son s son... And Gideon said... I will not rule over you neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you (8:22 23). b. And his [Gideon s] concubine... in Shechem... bore him a son, and he called his name ABIMELECH = MY FATHER IS KING (8:31). 3. And all the men of Shechem... made Abimelech king (9:6). 4. Jotham s fable: the olive tree, the fig tree and the vine all refuse to be made king; the bramble accepts kingship (9:7 21). 5. Jephthah: if the Lord delivers them [the Ammonites] before me, shall I be your head? (11:9) 6. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes (21:25). BUT WHY? Did they do so in Moses and Joshua s day?

28 Conclusion Witnesses to the Failure of the Institutions: The Book of Judges 1. Judgeship cf. Samson 2. The Levites (cf. 17:7 13) 3. The priests, Moses grandson and his sons (18:30) 4. The all-tribal-assembly (Ch. 20) The Book of First Samuel 5. The worsening corruption of the priesthood: Eli s sons (Chs. 1 4) 6. The complete breakdown of the judges: Samuel s sons (8:1 5) 7. Appointment of a king, Saul: a failure 8. The appointment of David, the king after God s own heart The Books of First and Second Kings 9. The eventual failure of the monarchy The Solution: THE CHRIST, JUDGE, PRIEST, KING, SAVIOUR: THE ONE AND ONLY SON

29 About the Author DAVID W. GOODING is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament Greek at Queen s University, Belfast and a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He has taught the Bible internationally and lectured on both its authenticity and its relevance to philosophy, world religions and daily life. He has published scholarly articles on the Septuagint and Old Testament narratives, as well as expositions of Luke, John, Acts, Hebrews, the New Testament s Use of the Old Testament, and several books addressing arguments against the Bible and the Christian faith. His analysis of the Bible and our world continues to shape the thinking of scholars, teachers and students alike.