Judges 1- Signs Of Hope In The Midst Of Israel's Faithlessness

We are Statement: We are teaching the consequences of not obeying Jesus (Judges 2:1-5)

Judges 1:1-3 says, “After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” The Lord said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.” And Judah said to Simeon his brother, “Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites. And I likewise will go with you into the territory allotted to you.” So Simeon went with him.”

Last week we saw that it was commendable that Israel prayed to the LORD after the death of Joshua. This type of display will not be repeated again in the Book of Judges! From now on, when a judge dies the people will not pray; rather, they will begin to fall away from the LORD and ‘do what is right in their own eyes’ and become progressively worse each time. (2:16-19)

When Israel prayed, the LORD instructs His people and says, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.”. This answer is short and easy to understand if the people have faith. In thirteen words the LORD gives a command and a promise which can produce more than enough grace in a person(s) who has faith so that they can obey the LORD.

After the LORD says this Judah immediately turns to Simeon and they form a military alliance. From this moment on Judges 1 describes all of Israel’s failure to obey God’s word and the consequences that follow are sad and sobering. This sadness is expressed by Israel in Judges 2:4-5, “As soon as the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim (weepers).”

I would like us to feel these things in Judges 1 which will lead to God’s response in Judges 2:1-5. Last week we considered Judah and Simeon but today we will consider the second half of Judges 1, (27-34), regarding the failure of the other tribes to obey the LORD.

Let’s begin in verses 27-28. In verse 27 we see that Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants but “The Canaanites persisted dwelling in that land.” Then in verse 28 we read, “When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.”

There are two things about verse 28 that captures my attention. First, notice the words, “When Israel”. Verse 27 referred to Manasseh’s failure but verse 28 widens it’s scope to also include all of Israel. Therefore, the things that are described about Manasseh can be attributed to all of Israel. In these opening words of this section we discover that this is not simply the description of a sinful cancer that was contained and localized among one tribe, but this sin has spread and has effected every tribe.

Second, notice the words, “When Israel grew strong”. Judah and Simeon joined forces they became a strong military power, however, they still failed to meet the objectives. Similarly, at times when Israel would become strong but they would still fail to obey the LORD. The inner sickness of Israel’s soul persists even though there are some signs of outward external strength. With any strength that Israel had they sought to do their own will and not the LORD’s.

Application: Our enemies are never vanquished by our own strength and power. (Galatians 2:20) The more we depend upon our strength the less we will obey God and accomplish things for Him. Grace, however, will always produce a life that honors God in every area of our lives.

In verse 31- 32 we read, “Asher did not drive out the inhabitants...The Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.”

The emphasis in these verses is that Asher did not drive out the inhabitants. This is mentioned in v. 31-32. We also have a verb, ‘lived among’ in v. 32 that is a ‘sequential imperfect’ verb. This makes a strong sequential connection with the previous verb in v. 31, ‘did not drive out’. Because Asher did not drive out the inhabitants (31) they continually lived among them (32). They cannot blame giants, iron chariots, bad weather, or anything else. The fault is with their faith. As a result, the Asherites fit in and assimilated with the peoples of the land. They were a reflection of their culture.

In verse 33 we read, “Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of the Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land...they became forced labor for them.” And lastly, in verse 34, we see that the tribe of Dan experienced such opposition from the Amorites that Dan was driven into the hill country and the Amorites did not allow them to come down into the plains.

Notice that in these verses there is no mention of the people ever humbling themselves in prayer as in 1:1. They did not pray as their forefathers had done in Joshua 7:6-9, “Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put on their heads. And Joshua said, ‘Alas, O Lord GOD, why have your brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, When Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?’”

In Judges2:1-5 we see what is going to happen next, “Now the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, ‘I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of the land; you shall break down their altars. But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?’ So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ As soon as the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim. And they sacrificed there to the LORD.”

Notice in v.1 that it does not say that the angel of the LORD left heaven and came to Bochim. It says that the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim. Question: What was the angel of the LORD doing in Gilgal?

When you read the Book of Joshua God’s people would go to Gilgal and worship the LORD. This became the source of their strength and the LORD gave His people victory over their enemies. However, it appears that over time God’s people began to neglect this place of worship. They had received God’s blessings when they sought Him (Matthew 6:33) but they begin to neglect the LORD.

When Israel neglected Gilgal, like Samson, Israel’s strength began to weaken and they did not seem to perceive it. Israel no longer came and worshiped the LORD at Gilgal; therefore, in Judges 2:1-5 the LORD left Gilgal and He came to His people at Bochim to judge them!

Application: Many believe they live beyond God’s reach but one day the LORD will come near in judgment. On that day there will be nowhere to hide as the great and the small will stand before the LORD. The sea will give up the dead, Death and Hades will give up the dead who are in it. Every person will stand before the LORD and be judged. Those who do not stand in the righteousness of Christ will be thrown into Hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Revelation 20:11-15; 2:4-5)

On this occasion the LORD does not raise up a judge to speak to His people. Question: Why not?

• Perhaps Israel would not listen to the judge. If they are not listening to His Word they will not listen to the messenger either.

• Or perhaps this is such a significant moment that the LORD must speak to His people about their sin and the consequences which will be the result.

• I cannot help but see the irony that at the beginning of this Book of Judges we see the LORD do this, but the summary of this book will be, “In those days there was no king in Israel…”. (21:25)

In this moment in Israel’s history the LORD must confront His people. The covenant breaker, Israel, must be confronted by the covenant maker. The LORD comes to the people because Judges 1 has given the evidence against God’s people. In that chapter we saw the partial obedience of God’s people in the first half of the chapter (verses 1-26). Then in the second half (verses 27-36) we see the other tribes failure to accomplish the mission given to them.

In Judges 1 we see God’s reaction and we ought to feel the seriousness and sadness of this situation. However, let me give you two ways that we can have comfort even in these things. First, in Judges 1 there are a few examples that provide hope even if a person is living in a day of faithlessness and declension. We have some examples of faith that achieves the blessing even when the society at large is faithless and failing. The examples are of people who are fulfilling the “We Are Statements”.

For example, in Judges 1:11-15 & 20 we see that Judah, under the leadership of Caleb, conquers Debir (formerly Kiriath-Sepher). And we also see in verse 20 we see that Caleb was able to drive out the three sons of Anak at the same time that Judah failed to overcome the iron chariots. (19)

This shows us that even in a time of national declension there will be faithful people, and others will follow them into a battle, who will obtain the victory. Even though Israel fails to obtain their full inheritance this is not true of Caleb and those associated with this man of faith.

In Judges 1:16 is another example of the Kenites who were related to Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. They were not direct descendants of Abraham, but like Rahab, they had fully associated with God and His people by faith. [Unlike the man in 1:22-26] The Kenites would be faithful to the LORD for centuries and were called ‘true Nazarines’.

We too live in a day of faithlessness and spiritual decline but these examples are here to encourage us. These stories show us that we can live by faith during difficult times. They are also types and shadows of the work of Christ. For example Othniel, Israel’s first judge in v.11-15, is a picture of Christ who defeats our enemies so that He can receive a bride- the church. We will see some pretty sad things in the Book of Judges but these things help us to see God and His grace more clearly.

The second way we can be encouraged by this text is to consider how the LORD alone had to confront His people in this moment. This reminded me of Revelation 5 in several ways. In Revelation 5 John is in heaven and he sees a scroll with 7 seals. A ‘powerful angel’ cries out, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”, (2) but no one responds. The ‘powerful angel’ cannot do this. In this moment not even Isaiah can say, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)

No one is found worthy to do this. Why can’t a faithful saint from Hebrews 11 do this? Answer: This reminds us that a saint is clothed in Jesus’ righteousness and possesses none of their own. Jesus is the only one who is worthy and who has been exalted above all things. (Philippians 2:9-11)

When John realizes no one can step forward he weeps but then one of the elders says, “Don’t cry! The Lion from the tribe of Judah has won the victory. He is David’s descendant. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” (5)

The elder reveals the one Person who can do this and it is the Lion from the tribe of Judah, who will descend from the line of David (1:2). This is the same Person that we are reading about in Judges 2:1-5. In Bochim the people will weep and there is no one to say, “Don’t cry!” On that day the LORD has a very sobering and sad message for the people, “I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”.(3)

In Judges 2:1-5 the LORD comes to pronounce judgment upon His people and they weep bitterly. Yet, there is hope. The LORD begins by saying, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you…’” (1)

The LORD has proven to be faithful because in Revelation 5 the elders around the throne are saying these words, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”