Bible: Beginning to End - Judges 1-9: Prologues & Cycles of the Judges Part 1

Episode Date: July 10, 2022

Judges 1-9 (Read) Important Links for the Podcast  Click Here for our YouTube Channel Discuss each episode on Reddit Contact Us Visit our Website On Instagram @biblebeginningtoend On Twitter: @biblebeginning1 Via email: [e-mail] Supporting the Show Financial contributions are never required, but if you'd like to support the show, here are a couple of ways: Be a listener and share the show with your friends! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to become a monthly supporter via Spotify.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠* ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to make a one-time contribution via Paypal⁠⁠⁠.* *Note that the Bible Beginning to End podcast is not a registered 501(c)3 or charitable organization. Therefore, any monetary support provided is not tax deductible. 10% of any profits made from this podcast via ad revenues or listener support will be donated to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Asha's Refuge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a Christ-centered nonprofit that "exists to assist the most disadvantaged refugees/asylees in achieving a successful resettlement in the Memphis, TN area.". Episode Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 1:30 - Ad Break 1:31 - Judges 1 12:38 - Judges 2 21:09 - Judges 3 29:55 - Judges 4 36:49 - Judges 5 44:35 - Judges 6 56:25 - Judges 7 1:04:51 - Judges 8 1:16:11 - Judges 9 1:29:11 - Outro Bible Verse Copyright Statement Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. To purchase an NLT, please visit https://amzn.to/3wUpUef

Hello and welcome back to Bible beginning to end, where we are reading through the scriptures together from Genesis to Revelation. Last week, we finished with the book of Joshua, where we saw the story of the Israelites as they conquered the land that God had promised to their ancestors, also known as the promised land. Today, we are starting a new book, the book of judges. And the purpose of the book of judges is to show what happened when the Israelites disobeyed God and fell away from their covenant with God. So it will be about the Israelites disobedience to God and the judges God put in place to lead the Israelites during this time. As always, I will not be offering commentary along the way, but I will stop and ask a lot of questions. questions that are meant to get you thinking about the scriptures on your own with God and seeing what God reveals to you through reading scripture this way.

We are currently still using the New Living Translation and that will change at some point, but as always, in the description of this episode, there will be links to the text that you can read along with online. and you can also find information about the show, ways to reach out, and ways to support us. So let's go ahead and get started with judges. These first few chapters will be the prologues, and then we will go into another section. But we're going to start here with Judges One, which is called Judah and Simeon conquer the land. after the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord,

which tribe should go first to attack the Canaanites? The Lord answered, Judah, for I have given them victory over the land. The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory. So the men of Simeon went with the Judah. When the men of Judah attacked, the Lord gave them victory over the Canaanites and Parasites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bezik.

While at Bezik, they encountered King Adani Bezik, and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Parasites were defeated. Adani Bezik escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes. Adani Bezik said, I once had 70 kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table.

Now God has paid me back for what I did to them. They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there. The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire. Then they went down to fight, the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Ngev, and the western foothills. Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron, formerly called Kiryoth Arba, defeating the forces of Shishai, Ahemun, and Talmi. From there, they went to fight against the people living in the town of Debra,

formerly called Kiryoth Sefer. Caleb said, I will give my daughter Aksa in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiryoth Sefer. Atheniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kinaz, was the one who conquered it. So Aksa became Othneel's wife. When Aksa married Othneel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, what's the matter? She said, let me have another gift. You have already given me the land in the Negev. Now please give me the springs of water too.

So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. Okay, so pause there. That story about Caleb's daughter. Have we heard that somewhere before? Maybe look at Joshua 15, 16 to 19 to remind yourself. Why do you think this story was repeated here? after it had also been recorded in Joshua. Verse 16, when the tribe of Judah left Jericho, the city of Palms,

the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses' father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev. Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zefeth, and they completely destroyed the town. So the town was named Horma. In addition, Judah captured the towns of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekran, along with their surrounding territories. So pause there at the end of that section and ask yourselves,

why are the Israelites fighting the Canaanites? What do you think the purpose of this section was? might it be setting up because a lot of it is talking about the Israelites capturing kings and these other lands. What do you think the purpose of that section is? And then in verse 16, it said that Judah left Jericho. And then as an aside, it said that Jericho is the city of Palms. Why do you think that's included here? What is the significance of Jericho and Palms? Is there something in the New Testament with Jesus that has to do with palms in the city of Jericho. This might be something that if you're unfamiliar with the Bible,

you could look up and seek out information about it. And if you are familiar, maybe you know what I might be talking about. The next section is Israel fails to conquer the land. Verse 19. The Lord was with the people of Judah and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains who had iron chariots. The town of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised, and Caleb drove out the people living there who were descendants of three sons of Anok. Okay, so pause there and ask yourself, who is with the people of Judah? Who does it say is with the people of Judah at the beginning of this section? And why is that significant?

Why do you think they are able to take possession of some of the land, but are not able to drive people out from other parts of the land? This is something you can think about as we continue reading, because you'll see some of the tribes are able to take position of this one section, but then it'll say they failed to drive out the people of this area, so just think on why that might be. Verse 21. The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So, to this day, the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin. Okay, so also pause there.

When it says that the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin, for example, how does that change the dynamic for the Israelites? Do you think it'll make it harder or easier for them to stay true to God and trust in God when they have other people living among them. Do you think there will be opportunity for them to teach these other people about God and share the one true God with them? Verse 22,

the descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the Lord was with them. They sent men to scout out Bethel, formerly known as Luz. They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, show us away into the town and we will have mercy on you. So he showed them a way in and they killed everyone in the town except that man and his family.

Later, the man moved to the land of the Hittites where he built a town. He named it Luz, which is its name to this day. The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Bethshan, Tanak, Door, Ibliam, Megadou, and all their surrounding settlement. because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.

The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaan continued to live there among them. The tribe of Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kittran, and Nahal. So the Canaanites continued to live among them, but the Canaanites were forced to work as slaves for the people of Zebulun. The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residents of Akko, Saidan, Alab, Aqzib, Helba, Afik, and Rehab. Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites who controlled the land, for they failed to drive them out.

Likewise, the tribe of Naftali failed to drive out the residents of Beth Shamesh and Beth Anath. Instead, they moved in among the Canaanites who controlled the land. Nevertheless, the people of Beth Shamesh and Beth Anath were forced to work as slaves for the people of Noftali. As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Herez, Ayelan, and Shaalban. But when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves. The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass to Sela and continued upward from there. Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter 1. So we see here time and time again the tribes of Israel failing to do what God has asked them to do,

which is drive out the Canaanites from the promised land. Why do you think, they're unable to fulfill this promise to God. And the times that they do drive the Canaanites out of these areas, what phrase do you see associated with those sections? Who is with them? And then a few times we see that the Israelites make these people their slaves. Is that something that God approves of? or is this an instance where it is recording history accurately, whether God approves of that or not?

And what do you think of them making these people their slaves when they couldn't drive them out of the land? And lastly, how do you think Israel's inability to drive out the people from their land will affect their relationship with each other? and how might it affect their relationship with God? Okay, Judges 2 starts with a section, the Lord's messenger comes to Bacom. So you can already ask yourself, why do you think a messenger of God might be coming to the Israelites?

Judges 2, verse 1, The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgall to Baccombe and said to the Israelites, I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land. Instead, you were to destroy their altars, but you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your side, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.

Okay, so pause there and ask this question, why does the angel of the Lord ask a question? He asks, why did you do this, but doesn't give them time to respond? What are the Israelites guilty of? What is their punishment? What do you think? think about their punishment. How do you think the Israelites will react? Verse four, when the angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. So they called the place Baccham, which means weeping, and they offered sacrifices there to the Lord. Okay, so pause there before we go into the next section and ask yourself this question. Why did the Israelites weep?

In our lives today, how is our sin revealed to us in our own lives? And how do we repent from that and seek forgiveness and move forward in a way that honors God so that we can continue walking in his light? Okay, so the next section is called Leadership Failure and the Rising Up of Judges, and it will last for the next chapter and a little bit into chapter three, and it starts with the death of Joshua. So you can ask, why are they including the death of Joshua again when we already saw him die in the book of Joshua? Verse 6. After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted them. and the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua,

and the leaders who outlived him, those who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. Joshua, son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. They buried him in the land he had been allocated at Timnoth, Sarah, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gahash. So pause there and ask this question, why does it say in this section that the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua? Why is it important to include that? Does that mean that they served the Lord faithfully and as soon as Joshua dies?

Do you think they're going to start disobeying God or does it mean something else? Why is that sentence included? The next section is Israel disobeys the Lord. After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight and served the images of Ba'al. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshipping the gods of the people around them, and they angered the Lord. They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal.

and the images of Oshtereth. This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel. So he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated just as he had warned,

and the people were in great distress. Okay, so pause there. Why did this generation of people fall away from worshiping the one true God? Why did they start worshipping other gods? What can we learn from this section about how important it is to teach other people and future generations about God? What was God's reaction to the Israelites disobeying him? And what do you think of God's reaction and how he punished the Israelites for this? How do you think the Israelites will react? Do you think God will save them?

The next section is the Lord rescues his people. Verse 16. Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. Yet Israel did not listen to the judges, but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors who had walked in obedience to the Lord's command. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge's lifetime, for the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering.

But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshipping them, and they refused to give up their evil practices in stubborn ways. So the Lord burned with anger against Israel. He said, Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors,

and have ignored my commands, I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. I did this to test Israel, to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did. That is why the Lord left those nations in place, place, he did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter two. What was the pattern that the Israelites had fallen into? How many chances do you think God had given the Israelites? Why was God's reaction so strong here to the way that they had violated his covenant? And we've talked before about what a covenant is, but why was God, was it such a big deal that they broke God's covenant? And lastly, why do you think the Israelites turned away from God so quickly and so easily? What was it about the people they were living around the Canaanites who were there before them who worshipped multiple gods? What do you think

it was about them that would attract the Israelites away from God and to their religions? And something else you can even ask on top of that is what in our lives now attract us away from God and into other ways of living. Okay, the next chapter is Judges 3, and it starts with the nations left in Canaan. So Judges 3, verse 1. These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. These are the nations, the Philistines, those living under the five Philistine rulers, all the Canaanites, the Sedonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon

from Mount Baal-Herman to Libo Hamath. These people were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses. So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amirites, Parasites, Hivites, and Jebysites, and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons, and the Israelites served their gods. Okay, so pause there. Why did God leave these people to live among the Israelites? What did it say God was doing? What were the results of this test? Did the Israelites stay true to God or did they start worshipping other gods? Are you surprised by

these results at all? Are you starting to see why God will send his son Jesus in the New Testament? Are you starting to see why that's necessary? The next section, and judges is called cycles of the judges, and that will last from chapter 3, verse 7, all the way to chapter 16. So we're going to start that here with the period of stability. And this first section is, Athneal becomes Israel's judge, verse 7. The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asheral. And the Ashral. poles. Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan Rishathayam of Aram Naharam, and the Israelites served Cushin Roshaphaham for eight years.

But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Atheniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kana. The spirit of the Lord came upon him and he became Israel's judge. He went to war against King Kushan Rishafayam of Aram, and the Lord gave Atheneal victory over him. So there was peace in the land for 40 years. Then Athneal, son of Canaz, died. Okay, so pause there. What did the Israelites do for God to send them a rescuer?

What did they say? what did they ask for? How was Atheneal able to rescue the Israelites? Did he do it on his own, or did he do it with God? Now that Atheneal has died, what do you think is going to happen to the Israelites? The next section is Ehood becomes Israel's judge. Once again, the Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight,

and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and the Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of Palms, and the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for 18 years. But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehood, son of Gara, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehood to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. So Ehood made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing.

He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat. After delivering the payment, Ehood started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. But when Ehood reached the stone idols near Gilgall, he turned out of the money. turned back. He came to Eklon and said, I have a secret message for you. So the king commanded his servants, be quiet, and he sent them all out of the room. Ehood walked over to Eklon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room, and Ehood said, I have a message from God for you. As King Eelon rose from his seat, Eud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh and plunged it into the king's belly. The dagger went so deep that the

handle disappeared beneath the king's fat. So Ehood did not pull out the dagger and the king's bowels emptied. Then Ehood closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine. After Ehood was gone, the king's servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room, so they waited. But when the king didn't come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor. While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Saira. When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehood sounded a call to arms.

Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills. Follow me, he said, for the Lord has given you victory over Moab, your enemy. So they followed him, and the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing. They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped. So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for 80 years. Okay, so pause there at the end of Ehood's time as judge. How does it differ from Othneal's time as judge?

This is a very interesting story about how Ehood defeated the king of the Moabites. Why do you think we have so much detail here, whereas in Othneal's, section, all we were told was that he went to war and defeated the king. Why was it important for us to know that Ehud was left-handed? Did that play into the story somewhere? And we can already start to see the back and forth, where Israel will disobey God, they'll ask for help, he'll bring about a leader, there will be peace, and then the Israelites will fall away again. What do you think the Israelites' lives, would have been like if they had kept God's covenant from the beginning.

The next section is Shamgar becomes Israel's judge. After Ehud, Shamgar, son of Anath, rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. Okay, so pause there. That's the end of chapter three. And ask yourself, why was Shamgar's time as judge? only talked about for a very short one verse. Why isn't there more information about this particular judge? Okay, now we can start Judges 4, and the title of this chapter is Deborah

becomes Israel's judge. Chapter 4 verse 1. After Ehood's death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord's sight. So the Lord turned them over to King Jobbin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Cicera, who lived in Hereseth Hagoiam. Cicero, who had 900 iron chariots ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. Deborah, the wife of Lopidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the palm of Deborah between Rama and Bethel in the hill country of Ephra, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment.

Okay, so pause there. What difference do you see between Deborah and the other judges we have met so far? Do you see a difference between her and the other judges? And then also, how are the Israelites repeating, the patterns we've seen before. Verse 6. One day she sent for Barack, son of Abanoam, who lived in Kadesh in the land of Naftali.

She said to him, this is what the Lord the God of Israel commands you. Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naftali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Cicera, commander of Jobbens' army, along with his chariots and warriors to the Kishon. River. There, I will give you victory over him. Barak told her, I will go, but only if you go with me. Okay, so pause there. Why do you think Barack is saying he'll go, but only if Deborah goes with him? Why do you think he's asking that question and making that request to her? Verse 9, very well, she replied, I will go with you, but you will receive no honor in this venture,

for the Lord's victory over Sassara will be at the hands of a woman. So Deborah went with Barack to Kadesh. At Kadesh, Barack called together the tribes of Zebulin and Naftali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him. Okay, so pause there.

Why do you think Deborah made the point to tell Barack that if she went with him, God would give the victory over Sassar to the hands of a woman? woman. What did that mean for Deborah and what did it also mean for Barack? Do you think it is significant that Deborah, who is a judge and a prophet in the book of judges, is also a woman? She will be the only female judge that we see throughout this book. And so you might ask yourself what the significance of that is and if you think it made a difference to the people of Israel. Verse 11, now Hebrew,

The Keenite, a descendant of Moses's brother-in-law, Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his tribe and pitched his tent by the oak of Zananam near Kadesh. When Cicera was told that Barack's son of Abinom had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched Harasheth Hagoyim to the Kishon River. Then Deborah said to Barack, get ready. This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Cicera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you. So Barack led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. Okay, so pause there. Who is Deborah attributing their victory to? Why is it significant that she attributes this victory to the Lord? Verse 15. When Barack attacked, the Lord threw Cicera and all,

his chariots and warriors into a panic, Sassara leapt down from his chariot and escaped on foot. Then Barack chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harisheth Hagoyim, killing all of Sassara's warriors. Not a single one was left alive. Meanwhile, Sissera ran to the tent of Jile, the wife of Heber, the Keenite, because Heber's family was on friendly terms with King Jobin of Hazor. D'all went out to meet Cicera and said to him, Come into my tent, sir. Come in.

Don't be afraid. So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket. Please, give me some water, he said. I'm thirsty. So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again. Stand at the door of the tent, he told her. If anybody comes and asks you if there's anyone here, say no. But when Cicera fell asleep from exhaustion,

Ja'al quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died. When Barack came looking for Sassara, J'Ael went out to meet him. She said, Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for. So he followed her into the tent and found Sassara lying there dead with the tent peg through his temple. So on that day, Israel saw God defeat Jobbin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on, Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jobbin until they finally destroyed him. Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter four.

How was Deborah's prophecy fulfilled? Remember when she told Barack that the Lord's victory over Cicara would be at the hand, of a woman. And why do you think this woman, Jael, the wife of King, Heber, did this to Cicera? Why did she help defeat Cicara? And then the fact that Deborah's prophecy came true, what does that tell us about Deborah and her relationship with God? Okay, now we can start Judges 5, which is called the Song of Deborah. Chapter 5, verse 1. On that day, Deborah Emperor, Emperor Emperor Emperor Emperor Emperor Emperor Emperor Emperor Rock, son of Abanoam, sang this song. Israel's leaders took charge, and the people gladly followed.

Praise the Lord. Listen, your kings. Pay attention, you mighty rulers, for I will sing to the Lord. I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel. Okay, so pause there. What do you think this song is in response to? And who are the singers of this song giving a warning to? And what are they warning them of? Verse four, Lord, when you set out from Sayer and marched across the fields of Edom, the earth trembled, and the cloudy skies poured down rain.

The mountains quaked in the presence of the Lord, the God of Mount Sinai, in the presence of the Lord, the God of Israel. Okay, so pause there. praising God in this song. How are they attributing power and honor and victory to God? Verse 6. In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, people avoided the main roads, and travelers stayed on winding pathways. There were few people left in the villages of Israel, until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel. When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates, yet not a shield or spear could be seen among 40,000 warriors in Israel. My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war, praise the Lord.

Okay, so pause there. What are they summarizing in that section? What are they talking about? Part of Israel's history are they referring to. Verse 10, consider the You who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the Lord and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the Lord marched down to the city gates. Wake up, Deborah, wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up and sing a song. Arise, Barak. Lead your captives away, son of Abinom.

Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the Lord marched down against mighty warriors. They came down from Ephraim, a land that once belonged to the Amalekites. They followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makar, the commanders marched down. From Zebulin came those who carry a commander's staff. The princes of Isakar were with Deborah and Barack. They followed Barack rushing into the valley, but in the tribe of Rubin, there was great indecision. Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds,

to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Rubin there was great indecision. Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors, but Zebulun risked his life, as did Naftali on the heights of the battlefield. Okay, so pause there. What are they saying about the different tribes of Israel,

as they're recapping what happened with Deborah and Barack? What do these things reveal about the character traits of the different, tribes at this time. Verse 18. The Kings of Canaan came and fought at Tonic, near Megado's Springs, but they carried off no silver treasures. The stars fought from heaven. The stars in their orbits fought against Cicero.

The Cichon River swept them away, that ancient torrent, the Cichon. March on with courage, my soul. Then the horse's hooves hammered the grounds, the galloping, galloping of Cicera's mighty steeds, let the people of Maraz be cursed, said the angel of the Lord. Let them be utterly cursed, because they did not come to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty warriors. Most blessed among women is Jail, the wife of Heber the Keenite. May she be blessed above all women who live in tents.

Cicera asked for water and she gave him milk. In a bowl fit for nobles, she brought him yogurt. Then, with her left hand, she reached for a tent peg, and with her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Cicera, with the hammer crushing his head. With a shattering blow, she pierced his temples. He sank. He fell. He lay still at her feet. And where he sank, there he died. From the window, Cicera's mother looked out. Through the window, she watched for his return, saying, Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why don't we hear the sound of chariot wheels?

Her wise women answer, and she repeats these words to herself, they must be dividing the captured plunder with a woman or two for every man. There will be colorful robes for Cicera, and color. colorful embroidered robes for me. Yes, the plunder will include colorful robes embroidered on both sides. Lord, may all your enemies die like Cicera, but may those who love you rise like the sun in all its power. Then there was peace in the land for 40 years.

Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter 5 and ask yourself this question. So why do they include that section about Cicera's mother? We didn't hear that in Chapter 4, so why do you think that piece is included now? Why also do you think it was important for them to include the summary of events that happened in the form of a song in Chapter 5 when we had just read about the events in Chapter 4? Does the song version of this victory in Chapter 5 teach us anything new about the events that have? happened? Does it make you feel any different way? Does it show us anything else about God in this story? And then that last statement, there was peace in the land for 40 years. How is that again showing us Israel's pattern? What do you think is going to happen after this 40 years of peace?

Okay, now we can start Judges 6, which is going to take us into the reign of a new judge named Gideon. So Judges 6, Gideon becomes Israel's judge. Chapter 6, verse 1. The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the East would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza.

They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts. They arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count, and they stayed until the land was stripped bear. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. Okay, so pause there and ask this question. Again, how are we seeing the Israelites repeat their mistakes? What is the pattern that we keep seeing? And then also, how is this a picture of God's forgiveness and grace and how he protects us and hears us? and seize us no matter how often we make mistakes.

Verse 7. When they cried out to the Lord because of Midian, the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says. I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who opposed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land. I told you, I am the Lord your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amarites in whose land you now live, but you have not listened to me. Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Afra,

which belonged to Joash of the clan of a Beezer. Gideon, son of Joach, was threshing wheat at the bottom of a wine press to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, Mighty hero, the Lord is with you. Sir, Gideon replied, if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn't they say the Lord brought us up out of Egypt?

But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites. Okay, so pause there. and reflect on Gideon's response to the angel of the Lord. Do you relate to his response at all? In his response, he asks where the miracles are that his ancestors spoke of. Where are God's miracles? Why do you think he's asking this question?

Are there times in your own life where you wonder why God doesn't perform miracles in the same way that he did for the Israelites, or in the same way that he did through Jesus when Jesus was on earth. How can we have faith and hold close to God, even in those times where we don't feel close to him? We don't necessarily see miracles that he's doing currently. Like Gideon, we might hear from family members or ancestors about the amazing things God has done,

but for some reason in our lives we just don't feel that way. how can we stay true and have faith and continue to follow God, despite feeling that way? Verse 14. Then the Lord turned to him and said, Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you. But Lord, Gideon replied, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manassah, and I am the least in my entire family. Okay, so pause there. Why do you think Gideon replied in this way? Why is he nervous about accepting the job God has given him to do? Are there things in your life that you feel God has called you to

that you have not done because you might feel like you're not good enough or you're not strong enough or there's no way you could accomplish that task or that job or that thing that God might be calling you to? What are some ways that you can put your trust in God so that he will lead you through those insecurities? Do you think Gideon will accept the task? And who do you think will do the work? Who will be leading the way? Verse 16, the Lord said to him, I will be with you, and you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.

Gideon replied, if you're truly going to help me, show me a sign to prove that it is really the Lord speaking to me. Don't go away until I come back and bring my offering to you. He answered, I will stay here until you return. Gideon hurried home. He cooked a young goat, and with a basket of flour he baked some bread without yeast. Then, carrying the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, he brought them out and presented them to the angel who was under a third.

The great tree. The angel of God said to him, Place the meat and unleavened bread on this rock and pour the broth over it, and Gideon did as he was told. Then the angel of the Lord touched the meat and bread with the tip of the staff in his hand, and fire flamed up from the rock

and consumed all he had brought, and the angel of the Lord disappeared. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the Lord, he cried out, O sovereign Lord, I'm doomed. I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face. Okay, so pause there. How did God reassure Gideon that it really was him speaking?

Why do you think Gideon reacted in the way that he did saying that he was doomed because he had seen the angel of the Lord face to face? What does that show us of God's power? In our own lives now, how does God reassure you that he's there, that he's with you, and that he hears you. Verse 23, It is all right, the Lord replied, Do not be afraid.

You will not die. And Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and named it Yahweh Shalom, which means the Lord is peace. The altar remains in Afra in the land of the clan of Abyser to this day. That night, the Lord said to Gideon, take the second bull from your father's herd,

the one that is seven years old. pull down your father's altar to Ba'al and cut down the Ashera pole standing beside it. Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Oshera pole you cut down. So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded, but he did it at night because he was was afraid of the other members of his father's household and the people of the town. Okay, so pause there. Why do you think Gideon was afraid of the people in the town and his family members? Verse 28. Early the next morning, as the people of the town began to stir, someone discovered that the

altar of Ba'al had been broken down and that the Ashera pole beside it had been cut down. In their place, a new altar had been built, and on it were the remains of the bull that had been sacrificed. The people said to each other, who did this? And after asking around and making a careful search, they learned that it was Gideon, the son of Joash. Bring out your son, the men of the town demanded of Joash. He must die for destroying the altar of Baal and for cutting down the Asherapole. But Joash shouted to the mob that confronted him. Why are you defending Baal? Will you argue his case? whoever pleads his case will be put to death by mourning. If Ba'al truly is a god, let him defend himself and destroy the one who broke down his altar.

From then on, Gideon was called Jerub Baal, which means let Baal defend himself, because he broke down Baal's altar. Okay, so pause there. What do you think of the reaction that the townspeople had to their altar being destroyed? and what does that tell you about the culture in this town and the people who lived there? The next section is Gideon asks for a sign. Verse 33. Soon afterward, the armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east, formed an alliance against Israel and crossed the Jordan camping in the valley of Jezrael.

Then the spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon with power. He blew a ram's horn as a call to arms and the men of the clans. of Abyser came to him. He also sent messengers throughout Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun, and Naftali summoning their warriors, and all of them responded. Then Gideon said to God, if you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning, but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue. Israel as you promised. And this is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning,

he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowl full of water. Okay, so pause there. Why do you think Gideon is asking for another sign, another proof that it is God speaking that God will be with them? What might this reveal about Gideon's character and who he is? Verse 39, then Gideon said to God, Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew. So that night, God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with due.

Okay, so now we're going to go straight into Judges 7, which is Gideon defeats the Midianites. Judges 7 verse 1. So Jerob Baal, that is Gideon, and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Herod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Mora. The Lord said to Gideon, you have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home. So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. Okay, so pause there.

Why did God want to send some of the soldiers home? What was the purpose for that? Do you think this will affect the fight? Will it make it more difficult, easier? Remember who is with them? Who is actually leading the fight? Verse 4. But the Lord told Gideon, there are still too many. Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not. When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, divide the men into two groups. In one group, put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group, put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream. Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.

All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The Lord told Gideon, with these 300 men, I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home. So Gideon collected the provisions and ram's horns of the other warriors and sent them home, but he kept the 300 men with him. Okay, so pause there and ask this question. question, what do you think Gideon is thinking right now? He went from having thousands of thousands of soldiers to having just 300. Do you think he's still trusting in the Lord, or is he nervous,

or does he believe that God will take them through this fight and bring them victoriously to the other side? If you were in Gideon's shoes, how might you feel right now? And why do you think God put the warriors through this specific test where they had to drink water, and depending on how they drank water, that decided whether or not they were going to fight. Why do you think it was that specific test? The rest of verse 8. The Midian night camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the Lord said, get up. Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them. But if you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant, Listen to what the Midianites are saying, and you will be greatly encouraged.

Then you will be eager to attack. So Gideon took Pura and went down to the edge of the enemy camp. The armies of Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts. Their camels were like grains of sand on the seashore, too many to count. Gideon crept up, just as a man was telling his companion about a child. dream. The man said, I had this dream, and in my dream a loaf of barley bread came tumbling down into the Midianite camp. It hit a tent, turned it over, and knocked it flat. His companion answered,

Your dream can mean only one thing. God has given Gideon's son of Joash, the Israelite, victory over Midian and all its allies. When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship before the Lord. Then he returned to the Israelite camp and shouted, Get up, for the Lord has given you victory over the Midianite hordes. He divided the men into three groups and gave each man a ram's horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Okay, so pause there. What did God tell Gideon to do?

And how did Gideon following these instructions gain confidence to defeat the Midian? When Gideon overhears the conversation between the Midianites, what did the dream mean? Do you remember what the dream was and then what did it mean? How was it interpreted for the Midianites and for Gideon? How does this story so far show us that God keeps his promises, that what God says will happen is going to happen? and how does it show us that God is an active participant in fulfilling these promises? Also, how does this show that we are active participants in helping to fulfill God's promises? How does he use us in these situations?

Verse 17, then he said to them, keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the ram's horn, blow your horns too, all around the entire camp and shout for the Lord and for Gideon. It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard when Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the ramshorn and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars.

They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, A sword for the Lord and for Gideon. Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their ram's horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth Chitaa, near Zerara, and to the border of Abel Mahola, near Taboth.

Then Gideon sent for the warriors of Naftali, Asher, and Manasseh, who joined in chasing the army of Midian. Gideon also sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, come down to attack the Midianites, cut them off at the shallow crossing of the Jordan at Beth Barah. So all the men of Ephraim did as they were told they captured Oroab and Zeb, the two Midianite commanders, killing Orob at the rock of Orob, and Zeb at the wine press of Zeb. And they continued to chase the Midianites. Afterward, the Israelites brought the heads of Oroob and Zeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan River.

Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter 7. The battle isn't over yet, but so far what has happened during the battle with the Midianites? Has God been giving the Israelites victory so far? Why do you think that Gideon had the soldiers all shout for the Lord and for Gideon? Why do you think he included himself in that army cry? Chapter 8, which is Gideon kills Ziba and Zalmana. So, Judges 8, verse 1. Then the people of Ephraim asked Gideon,

Why have you treated us this way? Why didn't you sin for us when you first went out to fight the Midianites? And they argued heatedly with Gideon. But Gideon replied, What have I accomplished compared to you? Aren't even the leftover grapes of Ephraim's harvest better than the entire crop of my little clan of abyser? God gave you victory over Oreb and Zeb,

the commanders of the Midianite army. What have I accomplished compared to that? When the men of Ephraim heard Gideon's answer, their anger subsided. Okay, so pause there. Why were the people of Ephraim upset and angry with Gideon? What was Gideon's response to their anger? And then after Gideon made his response,

It says that the people of Ephraim's anger subsided. Why do you think that is? What was it about his response that caused their anger to go away? Verse 4. Gideon then crossed the Jordan River with his 300 men, and though exhausted, they continued to chase the enemy. When they reached Sucath, Gideon asked the leaders of the town,

please give my warriors some food. They are very tired. I am chasing Ziba and Zalminah, the kings of Midian. But the officials of Sakath replied, Catch Ziba and Zalmina first, and then we will feed your army. So Gideon said, After the Lord gives me victory over Ziba and Zalmina, I will return and tear your flesh with the thorns and briars from the wilderness.

Okay, so pause there. Why do you think the people of Sakath would not feed Gideon and his army? And then why do you think Gideon responded in such a strong way to the people? of Sakoth when they said they would not feed them unless they caught the Midianite kings first. Verse 8. From there, Gideon went up to Peniel and again asked for food, but he got the same answer. So he said to the people of Penil, after I return in victory, I will tear down this tower. By this time, Ziba and Zalmina were in Karkor with about 15,000. warriors, all that remained of the allied armies of the east, for 120,000 had already been killed.

Gideon circled around by the caravan route east of Noba and Jokhba, taking the Midianite army by surprise. Ziba and Zalmina, the two Midianite kings, fled, but Gideon chased them down and captured all their warriors. Okay, so pause there. do you remember how many warriors these kings had versus how many warriors Gideon had? How do you think Gideon was able to capture all these warriors with the few men that he had? Verse 13. After this, Gideon returned from the battle by way of Harry's Pass. There, he captured a young man from Saccoth and demanded that he write down the names of all the 77 officials and elders in the town.

Gideon then returned to Saccoth and said to the leaders, Here are Ziba and Zomina. When we were here before, you taunted me saying, Catch Ziba and Zomina first, and then we will feed your exhausted army. Then Gideon took the elders of the town and taught them a lesson, punishing them with thorns and briars from the wilderness. He also tore down the tower of Pineal and killed all the men in the town.

Then Gideon asked Ziba and Zomina, The men you killed at Tabor, what were they like? Like you, they replied. They all had the look of a king's son. They were my brothers. The sons of my own mother, Gideon exclaimed. As surely as the Lord lives, I wouldn't kill you if you hadn't killed them. Turning to Jethr, his oldest son, he said, kill them.

But Jethr did not draw his sword, for he was only a boy and was afraid. than Ziba, and Zalmanah said to Gideon, be a man, kill us yourself. So Gideon killed them both and took the royal ornaments from the necks of their camels. Okay, so pause there at the end of that section. How did Gideon fulfill the threats that he made to those people in Sakath and Poneal? Why do you think Gideon gave his son in order to kill these rulers? and why do you think the son chose not to? What does it tell you in the text?

Why do you think Gideon wasn't initially going to do it himself? Why did Gideon end up being the one to kill these leaders? The next section is Gideon's Sacred Ephet, verse 22. Then the Israelites said to Gideon, be our ruler. You and your son and your grandson will be our rulers, for you have rescued us from Midian. But Gideon replied, I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you.

However, I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies. The enemies, being Ishmaelites, all wore gold earrings. Okay, so pause there. Why do you think the people of Israel wanted Gideon to be their ruler? Why was it such a big deal to them that he rescued them from the Midianites? What were the Midianites doing to the Israelites? That they needed rescue from them.

And then why did Gideon say, no, I will not be your ruler, nor will my sons? Why did he deny this request that he be their ruler? And then why do you think he says, no, I won't be your ruler, but I do have one request, and he asks for these earrings from the Ishmaelites. Why do you think he asked for this? Verse 25, gladly, they replied. They spread out a cloak and each one threw in a gold earring he had gathered from the plunder. The weight of the gold earrings was 43 pounds,

not including the royal ornaments and pendants, the purple clothing worn by the kings of Midian or the chains around the necks of their camels. Gideon made a sacred Ephid from the gold and put it in Afra, his hometown. Okay, so pause there real quick in the middle of verse 27. Do you know what an Ephid is?

Do you remember what the Ephid is from earlier books that we've read? If not, it might be something worth looking up. E-P-H-O-D. E-F-D. Try to see if you can remember what that was in the community of Israel and what its purpose was.

Maybe look in Exodus 12. 28 to help you out. And why do you think Gideon decided to make this effort? What do you think his purpose was or his intention behind it was? The rest of verse 27, but soon all the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshipping it, and it became a trap for Gideon and his family. Okay, now pause there at the end of the second half of that verse

and ask yourself one question, why does the Bible use the term prostituted when they refer to times that Israel begins worshipping other gods or idols besides the one true God? Why do they use the term prostituted in that context? Why do you think this effort became a trap for the community of Israel and for Gideon and his family? And do you think that's going to be a problem for Israel in the future? verse 28 that is the story of how the people of israel defeated midian which never recovered throughout the rest of gideon's lifetime about forty years

there was peace in the land then gideon son of joash returned home he had seventy sons born to him for he had many wives he also had a concubine in shechem who gave birth to a son whose name is abimelech gideon died when he was very old and he was buried in the grave of his father, Joash, at Afra, in the land of the clan of Abyser. As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites prostituted themselves by worshipping the images of Baal, making Ba'al beareth their God. They forgot the Lord their God who had rescued them from all their enemies surrounding them. Nor did they show any loyalty to the family of Jerob Baal, that is Gideon, despite all the good he had done for Israel.

Okay, so pause there at the end of chapter 8. What ended up happening to the Israel community after Gideon died? What did we learn about Gideon's life after he helped rescue Israel from the Midianites? What did that teach us about Gideon's character and who he was as a person? Do you think he stayed true to God or did he fall away? from God later in his life. When we read earlier that the people of Israel began worshiping the effort that Gideon made and that it was a trap for Gideon's family,

do you think that Gideon was part of the reason that Israel started turning away from the Lord after he died? What might Gideon's story teach us about how important it is to stay true? to God all throughout our lives. Okay, now we can start Judges 9, and this starts a section called Abimelech, the anti-judge. And the first section in this chapter is Abimelech rules over Shechem. Judges 9, verse 1.

One day, Gideon's son, Abimelech, went to Shechem to visit his uncles, his mother's brothers. He said to them, and to the rest of his mother's family, ask the leading citizens of Shechem, whether they want to be ruled by all 70 of Gideon's sons or by one man, and remember that I am your own flesh and blood. So Abimelech's uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. And after listening to this proposal,

the people of Shechem decided in favor of Abimelech because he was their relative. They gave him 70 silver coins from the temple of Baal Barath, which he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him. He went to his father's home at Afra, and there, on one stone, they killed all 70 of his brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped and hid. Okay, so pause there. Who is Abimelech? Do you remember him introduced at the end of Chapter 8? What do you think about him so far in just these first few verses of Chapter 9? What is his character like? What are the things he's already done?

How do you think his leadership will affect Israel? Verse 6. Then all the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth Malo called a meeting under the oak beside the pillar at Shechem and made Abimelech their king. Okay. The next section is Jotham's parable. When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerrism and shouted, Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, listen to me if you want God to listen to you. Once upon a time, the trees decided to choose a king. First, they said to the olive tree, be our king.

But the olive tree refused, saying, Should I quit producing olive oil that blessed both God and people just to wave back and forth over the trees? Then they said to the fig tree, you be our king. But the fig tree also refused, saying, Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees? Then they said to the grapevine, you be our king. But the grapevine also refused, saying, Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people just to wave back and forth over the trees?

Then all the trees finally turned to the thorn bush and said, Come, you be our king. And the thorn bush replied to the trees, if you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Okay, so pause there. The first question I want to ask is, do you know what a parable is? And if so, why is the story that Jotham just told considered a parable?

If you don't know what a parable is, that might be something worth looking up just to see what the word means and what it is and how it's used throughout the Bible. Is this a story that actually happened, this story that he tells about the trees, or is it more of a fairy tale or fable style of story that he's telling to help get his point across? In his story, in his parable, what do the trees represent? What do you think Jotham is trying to tell? the people of Shechem through this story. Is he trying to warn them of something?

Is he trying to warn them about some one? Verse 16. Jotham continued, Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished? for he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites,

but today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his 70 sons on one stone, and you have chosen his slavewoman's son, Abimelike, to be your king just because he is your relative. If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you. But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Bethmelo, and may fire come out from the citizens of Shekham and

Bethmeloo and devour Abimelech. Then Jotham escaped and lived in beer because he was afraid of his brother, Abimelech. Okay, so pause there at the end of that. section, why is Jotham warning everybody against Abimelech? How do you think the people will respond to his warning? What can this teach us today about the people who rule us now in the modern world? Should we be taking these decisions seriously or just electing officials based on superficial reasons like they did here where they chose. Abimelech just because he was related to them. The next section is Shechem rebels against Abimelech.

After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon's 70 sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. The citizens of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed to that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot. Okay, so pause there. Why did God cause the people to revolt against Abimelech? Do you think they should have listened to Jotham's warning? Because how many years passed before God caused this to happen? verse 26 one day gaal son of abed moved to shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of shechem during the annual harvest festival at shechem held in the temple of the local god the wine flowed freely and everyone began cursing abimelech who is abimelech gahl shouted he's not a true son of shechem so why should we be his servants he's merely the son of gideon and this

Zebel is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, get some soldiers and come out and fight. But when Zebel, the leader of the city, heard what Gaul was saying, he was furious. He sent messengers to Abimelech in Arma, telling him, Gaal, son of Abed, and his brothers have come to live in Shechem,

and now they are inciting the city to rebel against you. Come by night with an army and hide out in the fields. In the morning, as soon as it is daylight, attacked the city. When Ga'al and those who are with them come out against you, you can do with them as you wish. So Abimelech and all his men went by night and split in four groups, stationing themselves around Shechem. Gaal was standing at the city gates when Abimelech and his army came out of hiding. When Gaul saw them, he said,

Dezbel, look, there are people coming down from the hilltops. Zebel replied, it's just the shadows on the hills that look like men. But again, Gaal said, no, people are coming down from the hills. And another group is coming down the road past the diviners oak. Then Zebel turned on him and asked, Now where is that big mouth of yours? Wasn't it you that said, who is Abimelech? And why should we be his servants. The men you mocked are right outside the city. Go out and fight them. So Ghaal led the leading citizens of Shekam into battle against Abimelech. But Abimelech chased him and many of Shekam's men were wounded and fell along the road as they retreated to the city gate. Abimele returned to Aruma and Zebel drove Gahal and his brothers out of Shekam. The next day, the people of Shekam went out

into the fields to battle. When Abimelech heard about it, he divided his men into three groups and set an ambush in the fields. When Abimelech saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men jumped up from their hiding places and attacked them. Abimelech and his group stormed the city gate to keep the men of Shechem from getting back in, while Abimelech's other two groups cut them down in the fields. The battle went on all day before Abimelech finally captured the city. He killed the people, leveled the city and scattered salt all over the ground. When the leading citizens who lived in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened, they ran and hid in the temple of Baal Barath.

Someone reported to Abimelech that the citizens had gathered in the temple, so he led his forces to Mount Zalman. He took an axe and chopped some branches from a tree, then put them on his shoulder. Quick, do as I have done, he told his men. So each of them cut down some branches, Following Abimelech's example, they piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire, so all the people who had lived in the town of Shekham died.

About a thousand men and women. Then Abimelech attacked the town of Tebiz and captured it. But there was a strong tower inside the town and all the men and women, the entire population, fled to it. They varicated themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. Abimalek followed them to attack the tower, but actually, As he prepared to set fire to the entrance, a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull. He quickly said to his young armor bearer, Draw your sword and kill me.

Don't let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech. So the young man ran him through with his sword and he died. When Abimelech's men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes. In this way, God punished Abimelech. for the evil he had done against his father by murdering his 70 brothers. God also punished the men of Shechem for all their evil. So the curse of Jotham, son of Gideon, was fulfilled. Okay, so pause there. At the end of chapter 9, what a very exciting and epic story we just read. And the question I want you to ask is, why was Abimalek punished in this way? What had he done? And why do you think God also

punished the people of Shechem? What had they done? What do you think might have happened to the Israelites if they had listened to Jotham, or if they had never made Abimelech their king in the first place? And throughout all of these stories that are happening in judges, every time the Israelites turn away from God, every time they are faithful to God, is God still there regardless working and making sure that the people do not forget him. Okay, so that is where we are going to stop for today. We have read a lot about the Israelites. We have seen them be faithful to God.

We have seen them turn away from God. We have seen many judges come and go. And we will continue to see the ups and downs and ebbs and flows of the Israelites its relationship with God. When we start next time, we're going to be going into a new section, and this one is the period of decline. So that might give you some insight into what we're going to be reading next time as we read through the rest of judges.

So thank you guys so much for listening. I am so thankful for each and every one of you, and I pray that God is speaking to you through his word and through this project. And I love hearing from you guys and I hope that you keep reaching out. Know that you are a valued part of this community, whether you listen one time or listen to every episode. So thank you so much and I will talk to you in the next one.