Content Essay_Judges

docx

School

Arkansas Tech University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

500

Subject

Religion

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by jschalow

Content Essay: Judges Justin Schalow OBST515-B12: Old Testament Orientation I September 17, 2023

Contents Introduction………………… .... ……………………………...………………….………………1 The Recurring Cycle……………………………………………………………………………..1 Prophetic Significance…………………………………………………………………………...3 Central Message………………………………………………………………………………….4 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………...6 ii

1 Introduction The book of Judges begins at the death of Joshua (Judges 1:1) and captures the leadership of twelve individual “Judges,” or Israelite leaders, one of whom was a woman, through the establishment of the monarchy. 1 This Old Testament book captures the challenges faced by the Israelite people following their occupation of Canaan and the seemingly cyclical circumstance of falling into inappropriate behavior and worship and returning to God’s design. The theme is clearly that God demands more than conditional or situational obedience from His people and will not allow the sin of disobedience to present itself. Yet, the unled Israelite people are bombarded with cultural influences and, like children, fall into the trap of idolizing this world over God, yielding ungrateful hearts that require leadership. However, despite the constant cyclical downfall of the Israelite people, God remained faithful, even when His people did not. The Recurring Cycle Focusing on Chapters 1-8, a clear cycle emerges within the Israelite people's behavior that can be captured in the following way: Disobedience  Consequences  God’s Forgiveness. F. Duane Lindsay confirms this observation and further elaborates on the inherent hardship that the people were ignorantly bringing upon themselves. The purpose of the Book of Judges was to demonstrate divine judgment on Israel’s apostasy. More particularly, the book recorded Israel's disobedience to Yahweh’s kingship as mediated through her sovereignly appointed and Spirit- empowered leaders, and the subsequent need for a centralized hereditary kingship as the means through which Yahweh would continue to exercise His kingship over the nation Israel. Israel’s disobedience to Yahweh and her worship of Canaanite gods resulted in her failure to experience divine blessing and the full conquest of her enemies. 2 1 Victor P. Hamilton, Handbook on the Historical Books (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), 98. 2 F. Duane Lindsey. “Judges” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty , eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. (Colorado Springs: Cook, 2000), 374.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

2 In the book of Judges, we witness a portrayal of Israel's turning away from Yahweh as their rightful King, choosing instead to pledge allegiance to the Canaanite deities. This unfortunate choice led to the adoption of Canaanite customs and values, shaping both their society and nation. Following the events chronicled in Judges, the Israelites experienced a tragic descent into moral chaos, bearing the weight of the covenantal curses outlined in Deuteronomy 28. This downward spiral ultimately culminated in their fragmentation, subjugation, and eventual exile, as referenced in Judges 18:30. 3 Furthermore, several aspects of systematic theology emerge within this recount of Israel’s cyclical downfall, correction, and realignment, including God (both power and relational), The Holy Spirit, sin, and providence. 4 God’s longsuffering love for His people, holiness, and sovereignty are among the most obvious of His attributes presented within the first eight chapters of Judges. It is clear that while He is displeased that the Israelites continue to immerse themselves within the social constructs and cultural influences of the Canaanites, He never abandons His people. Instead, He provides sovereign redirection and allows consequences, bringing the Israelites' attention back to Him, ultimately demonstrating His faithfulness. Kenneth Way elaborates on the presentation of these theologies as well. While Israel’s judges are increasingly depicted as failures, readers are ironically reminded that Yahweh is the ultimate ‘Judge.’ Moreover, while Israel wrestles with the meaning of kingship, readers are reminded that Yahweh shall ultimately ‘rule.’ After all, God alone is the one who graciously delivers Israel time and time again, not because Israel deserves it but because God chooses to preserve his covenant people. Thus, God is revealed in Judges as the consummate Rescuer of His people, which is among the greatest themes of Scripture. 5 3 David J.H. Beldman, Judges: The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary . (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2020). Accessed September 13, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central. 4 Ibid. 5 Kenneth C. Way, Judges and Ruth: Teach the Text Commentary Series , eds. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2016), 26.

3 Prophetic Significance The prophetic significance of the first eight chapters of Judges revolves around the human incapability of appeasing a Holy God, therefore foreshadowing the need for propitiation as an atonement to redeem man's relationship with God, which came to fruition in the personhood of God in flesh, Jesus Christ. Every leader found in the Old Testament historical, poetic, or prophetic books felt this very incapability to provide reconciliation with God. Without atonement for sin, there is no peace with God. Therefore, man is left to his own devices, doing what is right in his own eyes (Judg 21:25). In fact, Susan Niditch, offers an enlightening commentary on the last chapter of Judges and the means sought to reestablish order amongst the Israelites. She states, “[Canaanite] Women are manipulated and raped at the end of the cycle in Judges 19-21, as at the beginning of the cycle. They are the doorways through which chaos descends, and order is reestablished, critical to tales of creation and foundation… There will be no Israel without them. Marginal, they are nevertheless critical portals in tales of nationhood.” 6 There was no king, no leadership, and no one seeking God’s plan for restoration. Thus, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” and according to this commentary, this included a concocted plan to breed out the Canaanite people. Further relevant prophecy evident through this documented historical period, as well as throughout the canon of scripture as a whole and even into modern life, is God’s providence, sovereignty, and longsuffering. From the first day of creation, until this Earth ceases to exist, God’s essence has not and will not change. Notably, there is an understandable contrast between God's power and relational presentation within the scriptures. For example, in the book of Exodus, God speaks to Moses, explaining, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as 6 Susan Niditch, Judges: A Commentary, eds. William P. Brown, Carol A. Newsom, and David L. Petersen. (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008), 211.

4 God ( elo-him 7 ) Almighty, but by my name the Lord ( yhwh 8 ) I did not make myself known to them” (Exod 6:3). Conducting a brief word study on this verse will prove helpful in understanding God’s relationship with the Israelites within the book of Judges. God Almighty ( םיִהֹלֱא , elo-him ) is a representation of the unmatched power of God in creation, destruction, and control. While Lord ( הוהי , yhwh ) represents the relational aspect of God in provision, guidance, and love. 9 This understood, within the book of Judges, the scriptures capture interaction with Yahweh only, eluding to the presentation with which God interacted with the Israelites, guiding, loving, providing, and allowing patience with these broken and sinful people. However, the cycle continues because the nature of man remains the same. The author of Judges observes, “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel” (Judg 2:10, ESV). While God never changes, unfortunately neither does humanity. Within modern times the same pattern of cyclical downfall observed within the first eight chapters of Judges, continues even in the 21 st century. Central Message The central message of Judges is a warning from God. Humanity has a bent toward following the leader and remaining in comfortable bubbles that align with the rest of society. However, throughout the book of Judges, God shows both the historical and modern audience that He is the only one who should, nay, the only one capable of maintaining that throne. Despite the leaders that may rise and fall, God’s people are to remain steadfast in their obedience to the God of the universe. The Israelites painted a clear picture of what it looks like to do what you 7 Trent C. Butler, “God,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016). 8 Ibid. 9 Bible Word Study, LOGOS Bible Software 2023. Accessed September 15, 2023.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

5 think is right in your own eyes and how that presents a drastic separation between humanity and a Holy God. The Israelites promised to keep God’s covenant (Josh 24:16-18), yet they continually turn away from the Lord to worship other Gods, and this pattern is repeated throughout the book of Judges: 1) the people abandoned the Lord; 2) God punished them by raising up a foreign power to oppress them; 3) the people cried out to God for deliverance; and 4) God raised up a deliverer, or judge, for them. 10 The straightforward principle is complete dependence, trust in God, and nothing of this world. A warning echoed over a thousand years after the historical events recorded in Judges by the Apostle Paul, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom 12:2, ESV). Bibliography Beldman, David J.H., Judges: The Two Horizons Old Testament Commentary . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2020. Bible Word Study, LOGOS Bible Software 2023 . 10 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jdg.

6 Butler, Trent C., “God,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary . Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016. Hamilton, Victor P., Handbook on the Historical Books. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001. Lindsey, F. Duane, “Judges” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty , eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Colorado Springs: Cook, 2000. Niditch, Susan, Judges: A Commentary , eds. William P. Brown, Carol A. Newsom, and David L. Petersen. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version . Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016. Way, Kenneth C., Judges and Ruth: Teach the Text Commentary Series , eds. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2016.