18 March

Bible In 365 Days 

Judges 1-2

Judges 1

The Book of Judges covers historically a period from the death of Joshua to the judgeship of Samuel and the introduction of the monarchy.

It opens with a description of the general condition of affairs at the close of the period of Joshua's leadership. He had led the people into possession of the land but had left them with much to be done ere its final subjugation. Their fist act was to seek to know the will of God as to who should commence this final work of conquest. Judah, the kingly tribe, was appointed. Simeon's inheritance lay within the borders of Judah and therefore Simeon acted together with Judah.

The story as here given reveals that whereas the work began in earnest, it gradually weakened. The Lord was with Judah and victories resulted. The Lord was with Joseph and Beth-el was taken. Manasseh and Ephraim and all the rest weakened in the work and Canaanites were left in possession. This false toleration or manifestation of cowardice resulted in their ultimate undoing. The confession of Adonibezek (Judges 1: 7) is remarkable as revealing the fact that one of their own number was conscious of the corruption which had overtaken the people of the land and of the consequent justice of the divine procedure.

Judges 2

The fact of Israel's failure is still further revealed in this chapter. In the first five verses we have the account of the coming of a messenger from Gilgal. This messenger, referred to as "the angel of the Lord". may have been a prophet, for the word rendered "angel" may with equal accuracy be rendered messenger. On the other hand it may have been a special divine and angelic personality.

There was an assembly of the people at Bochim. For what purpose we are not told, but the message brought to them called them back to loyalty to God.

Immediately following this, the historian gives a brief retrospect of the condition of affairs under Joshua, emphasizing that during his life and the life of the elders associated with him the people served the Lord; but that after the passing of these a generation sprang up which did not know the Lord. This of course means not that they were ignorant of the fact of the divine government, but that they were careless about it and disobedient.

This statement is followed by a synopsis of the history which is yet to be set out in greater detail. Here the facts are set forth in the light of the relation the people bore to God. Three movements, the details of which will be found in subsequent sections, are indicated. The first had to do with the sin of the people (Judges 2:11-13), the second with the punishment which followed (Judges 2:14-15), the third with deliverances (Judges 2:16). Continuing, we find a record of sin repeated (Judges 2:20-23).

This connection of sin, punishment, and deliverance really forms the keynote to the historical movement recorded in the whole of the Book.