Everyone considered him the coward of the county

He’d never stood one single time to prove the county wrong
His mama named him Tommy but folks just called him yellow
But something always told me they were reading Tommy wrong

Kenny Roger’s “Coward of the County” is a classic country song. The song tells the story of a young man named Tommy, who was ten years old when his daddy “dies in prison.” Tommy and his uncle (portrayed by Rogers in the role of narrator) come to see him for the last time, and Tommy’s father makes him promise to walk away from trouble and not to fight when provoked. This earns Tommy a reputation as the “Coward of the County” because he never stands up for himself.

Years later, Tommy is in love with a girl named Becky. One day, while he is out working, the three “Gatlin boys” attack Becky. When Tommy returns home and finds Becky hurt, he is forced to choose between upholding his promise to his father and avenging the crime that is committed against the love of his life.

The song ends with Tommy going to the local bar where the Gatlin boys hang out. At first, it appears that he will cower again as he turns toward the door after the Gatlin boys laugh at him. However, as he locks the door, a deathly silence comes across the barroom. “Twenty years of crawlin’ were bottled up inside him” and he let them have it all. When Tommy left the barroom, not a Gatlin boy was standing. Tommy then addresses his dead father, saying that while he did his best to avoid trouble, “Sometimes you gotta fight when you’re a man.”

            Did you know that the Bible has its own version of the “Coward of the County.” His name is Gideon, the son of Joash, from the town of Ophrah, the coward of Manasseh county. He spent most of his early life living in fear, but God transforms him into a mighty warrior and uses him to deliver the Israelites from oppression.

The Cycle of Sin Continues (6:1-6)

Gideon’s story begins like the other judges of Israel, with the nation spinning through another cycle of sin. Deborah led Israel through 40 years of peace, but when she died, the people did evil in the eyes of the Lord again. So, God disciplined them by giving them into the hands of the Midianites for seven brutal years. The malicious Midianites forced the Israelites to abandon their homes and to literally “run for the hills.” The Israelites lived in caves, mountain clefts, and anything they could find to provide shelter. The Midianites were merciless when it came to raiding Israel’s crops. Like a swarm of locusts, they descended upon Israel during harvest season and devoured everything in sight. They stole as much food as they could and destroyed the rest. They slaughtered the livestock and left the land completely desolate. God used these seven years of misery to humble his people.

            When I was a kid growing up in Pennsylvania, an old couple named Paul and Mary, lived  across the street from me. Paul was a miserable old curmudgeon who didn’t like anyone or anything, except his large vegetable garden and his long blacktopped driveway. Every summer, he spent countless hours manicuring his garden and maintaining his driveway. He had the only blacktopped driveway in our area, but he wouldn’t let me or my friends ride our bicycles on it.

             One August night when I was about 13 years old, six or seven of the neighborhood boys decided to camp out in the backyard. That night, we snuck into Paul’s garden, picked every vegetable, and smashed them on his beloved driveway. We whipped tomatoes and beans at each other; we threw the heads cabbage over our heads just to watch them shatter on the freshly sealed blacktop; and we gorged ourselves on his watermelons.

            When I went home in the morning, I surveyed the damage from the safety of my front porch. Paul’s driveway looked like a giant tossed salad. I watched Paul dash from his front door to the edge of the driveway, and I saw a look of devastation on his face.

            I’m not sure if God was using us as his instrument to humble Paul or not, but when I remember that look of horror in his eyes, I can understand how the Israelites felt about the Midianites! God still uses oppression and misery to humble his people today. Like the Israelites, he wants us to turn away from our sinful idols and return to him today!

An Incorrect Candidate (6:7-24)

After seven years of misery, the Israelites once again cried out to the Lord, and ironically, he raised up Gideon, the coward of the county. What an unlikely candidate! Gideon didn’t have the correct character or credentials to serve as judge of Israel. The text reveals four reasons why Gideon was the wrong choice. First, verses 11-12 reveal that he came from the wrong occupational background. He was a farmer—for he was found threshing wheat in a winepress. Now there is nothing inherently wrong or cowardly about farming, but we would expect someone with a military background to liberate Israel from oppression.

Secondly, Gideon had the wrong attitude. When the angel pronounced God’s calling upon Gideon, he told him that the Lord was with him. In verse 13, Gideon’s questions reveal his bad attitude toward God, “If the Lord is really with us, why has all of this happened? Sure, we have heard about his miracles in the past, but why isn’t he doing anything in the present?”

Many people today have this same attitude toward God! They blame him for the bad things that have happened to them rather than looking for his plan. It becomes all about them in the moment rather what God is doing in the big picture of their lives. Questions like these show a fundamental misunderstanding of God’s character. Like Gideon, questions like this show a fundamental self-centeredness in our own hearts. Do you ever find yourself having the wrong attitude toward God?

Thirdly, Gideon had the wrong family background. As he points out to the angel in verse 15, his family was from the weakest clan in Manasseh and he had the lowest status in his family. His family pedigree made him an unlikely candidate to save Israel.

Fourthly, Gideon had the wrong faith, or at least a lack of faith. As this encounter with the Lord’s angel was coming to an end, in verse 17 he demands a miracle to prove that this angel really was from God. This lack of faith should have disqualified Gideon from serving as Israel’s judge, but the Lord honored his request by consuming the meal of lamb meat and unleavened bread with fire from the rock.

Like Gideon, God chooses unlikely people to serve him today. People with the wrong occupational background! People from the wrong family! Even people with bad attitudes and fickle faith! When God chooses you, it doesn’t matter if it makes logical sense or not! When God calls you to do something, there is never a reason or excuse that is good enough to deny it. Are you one of God’s unlikely choices? If God chose the coward of the county to save his people from oppression, there is no telling what God might choose you for!

The Cost of Obedience (6:25-32)

After Gideon received his call from God, his first mission was to destroy his father’s idols which the people of his hometown worshipped. He was to tear down the altar that had been built for worshipping Baal, the Canaanite God of nature, and to cut down the Asherah poles that were erected to worship the Canaanite fertility goddess. He was also supposed to build a new altar to the Lord and sacrifice a bull with the wood from the Asherah pole.

Although Gideon expressed his cowardice again by doing it at night, he obeyed the Lord and accomplished the tasks that were appointed for him. When the people woke up the next morning, they were outraged when they saw that the idols had been destroyed. They immediately launched an investigation to find out who did this. When they discovered that it was Gideon, they demanded that he be executed. But Gideon’s father Joash interceded for his son by saying that Baal can take care of himself. Nonetheless, Gideon learned the cost of obedience to God!

            This scene reminds us that when we obey God today, it comes at a cost. When we act in obedience to God and do what is right, it usually costs us something. When we obey God by giving him 10% of our income, it cost us monetarily. When we make God our top priority in life, it may cost us a relationship with a family member or friend. When our boss pressures us to cut corners or do something unethical at work, it may cost us our jobs.

Like Gideon and many Christians throughout our world today, obedience may even threaten our life? Would you be willing to give up your life to be obedient to God? I’m so glad that our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to obey his father even to the point of death! We must always remember that the blessings of obedience always outweigh the cost!

Fear in the Fleece (6:33-40)

Gideon’s second mission was even more difficult and terrifying that the first. He was to round up the troops from the northern tribes of Israel and battle against the allied forces of the Midianites, Amalekites, and eastern peoples who were camped in the Valley of Jezreel. But before he went to war, fear and cowardess creep into his soul again. He tries to get out of his mission by testing God twice.

The first time, Gideon says that he would place a dry fleece (a wool coat) on the ground and if there was only dew on the fleece and not on the ground in the morning, he would know that this really is what God wanted him to do. When he woke up, the fleece was soaked but the ground was dry. So, he tried to get out of it again by saying that he would set out the fleece again the next night and if it was dry and the ground was wet, then he would know for sure that God wanted him to lead the Israelites into battle. Sure enough, in the morning, the ground was wet but the fleece was dry, and Gideon knew what he must do. He should have known that it is impossible to pull the wool over God’s eyes!

Have you ever tried to lay your fleece before the Lord? We may not have used a literal wool fleece, but I would bet that most of us have tried to manipulate God at some point in our lives. Have you ever tried to make a deal with him by saying, “If you really want me to do this, then show me a sign or give me a miracle?” We need to realize that God doesn’t make deals with us! He’s not interested in our fleece, he wants our faith!

Unfortunately, many people in the church have misinterpreted this episode as a model for discovering God’s will. Like Gideon, most of us already know what God wants us to do—the problem is that we are either afraid or we just don’t want to do it! As we learn in the story of Jesus’ temptation, we should “never put the Lord your God to the test!” (Luke 4:12)

Conclusion

Despite Gideon being the unqualified coward of the county, who, having the wrong background and a bad attitude toward God, resisted obedience and put the Lord to the test, God was gracious to him. The Spirit of the Lord clothed him and empowered him for the mission at hand! How will it all end? Come back next week for part 2!

            Until then, let me summarize what we have learned from the first part of Gideon’s story. Here are some arrows for your quiver as you battle against the world this week:

1. 1.      When we do evil in the eyes of the Lord, he uses oppression and hardship to lovingly convict us, humble us, and bring us back to him!
   2.      Instead of blaming God for the bad things that happen to us, look for how he uses suffering to accomplish his bigger plan for our lives!
   3.      God is likely to call and use unlikely people to accomplish his purposes! People just like you and me!
   4.      Obedience to God usually comes at a cost, but the blessings of obedience are always worth it!
   5.      God cannot and will not be manipulated! Don’t ever use a fleece to try to pull the wool over his eyes!

In 1907, Anna Jarvis, a Philadelphia schoolteacher, had an idea. She wanted to do something special to honor her mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis. So, she solicited the help of hundreds of legislators and prominent businessmen to create a special day to honor mothers. The first Mother’s Day observance was a church service honoring Anna’s mother. Anna handed out her mother’s favorite flowers, white carnations, as they represent sweetness, purity, and patience. Anna’s hard work finally paid off in the year 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as a national holiday in honor of mothers.

Slowly and gradually the Mother’s Day became very popular and gift giving activity increased. All this commercialization of the Mother’s Day infuriated Anna as she believed that the day’s sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit.

Regardless of Jarvis’s worries, Mother’s Day has flourished in the United States and has spread to various countries of the world. Many countries celebrate Mother’s Day at various times during the year, but some such as Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, and Belgium also celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May.

            As we continue our series through the Book of Judges, today we come to fourth judge, Deborah, who was called “a mother of Israel.” Judges 4 tells us the story of how God used her to liberate the people of Israel from Jabin and Sisera, the king and commander of the Canaanites. Judges 5 records the song that Deborah composed and sang in response to the Lord’s deliverance. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of Hebrew poetry ever written.

Let us take a look at this wonderful woman that God used to lead his people! Let us take a look at Deborah—a mother in Israel! 

The Cycle of Sin Continues (4:1-3)

After Ehud assassinated Eglon, king of Moab, the Israelites experienced peace in the Promised Land for 80 years. Under Ehud’s leadership, the people stayed on the straight and narrow path. They worshipped the one true God and remained faithful to him. But after Ehud died, the Israelites continued in the cycle of sin that is so prevalent during the period of the judges. They did evil in the eyes of the Lord by turning their hearts toward idols. They forsook the Lord as the top priority in their lives.

Just as in the days before, God disciplined his people by allowing them to experience oppression at the hands of a foreign enemy. This time God sold them into the hands of Jabin, the king of the Canaanites, who reigned from the northern city of Hazor. The commander of Jabin’s army was Sisera, who cruelly oppressed the Israelites with his 900 chariots for 20 years.

            Every time we see this pattern of God disciplining his people for doing evil in his eyes, it should cause us to reflect on the condition of our own spiritual lives. If we continue to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, it will be only a matter of time until we experience his discipline. When we turn our backs on him and go our own way, he orchestrates the events of our lives so that we see our need for him. Just as the Lord rose up Jabin and Sisera to discipline the Israelites, he rises up all sorts of calamities and hardships to humble us and bring us back to him today.

            If you have been persisting in some cycle of sin, stop! If you are engaging in some evil endeavor, stop! If you have turned your heart away from the Lord, come back! Come back before you endure God’s discipline!           

Deborah: An Unlikely Leader (4:4-5; 5:7)

It took the Israelites 20 years to humble themselves before the Lord—20 years of oppression and misery, but eventually they cried out to the Lord for help. And as he had done so many times before, God heard the cries of his people, and he poured out his grace on them by raising up another judge to deliver them. This time he raised up a woman named Deborah!

When we read verse 4, we should be shocked. In a time and culture that was almost exclusively patriarchal, it is astonishing that God would raise up a woman to fulfill these unlikely roles. Notice first, she was a “prophetess.” This is an extremely rare role; the term is only found in the Bible 8 times. Like her male counterparts, she received and proclaimed God’s Word to the people. She served as God’s mouthpiece to deliver instruction to the nation of Israel.

Secondly, she was the wife of Lappidoth. This is a more traditional role for the time. The Bible doesn’t tell us anything about Lappidoth or their marriage. Because of Deborah’s other roles, we can assume that her role as a wife would have been considerably different from the typical wife of the time.

Thirdly, she was “judging (or leading) Israel at the time.” This is the most remarkable role of all. During this period of Israelite history, the judge was the top position in the nation. She had final legislative, judicial, social, and military authority. She led the people and spent considerable time deciding cases in court, which she held under the palm tree that was named for her in the hill country of Ephraim. Long before Judge Judy draped herself in a judge’s robe or opened her big mouth on television, Deborah administered real justice in Israel!

Finally, in 5:7, Deborah sings that when village life in Israel ceased, she arose as a “mother of Israel.” When the life and livelihood of the people in the villages of Israel were being oppressed, she came to power and delivered her people. All of her roles (prophetess, wife, judge, and leader) are encompassed this term. As a mother fulfills many roles for her children, Deborah did all of these things for the children of Israel. We don’t know if Deborah had any biological children, but we do know that God called her to be a spiritual mother of the whole nation.

            Deborah’s unlikely leadership roles in Israel remind us that God is not limited by historical periods or cultural customs.  Even in this ancient patriarchal culture, if God wants a woman’s touch at the top of a nation, he can do it. I am so glad that he raises up spiritual mothers like Deborah to shepherd his people today.

            We should thank God for the spiritual mothers he has placed in our lives. Mothers who share God’s Word with us! Mothers who stand up for justice! Mothers who bring their children and grandchildren to church! Mothers who are willing to serve God in all sorts of roles! Who are your spiritual mothers? Praise God for spiritual mothers!

Deborah’s Courage, Barak’s Cowardice (4:6-10)

God revealed to Deborah that Barak was to gather 10,000 men from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun to prepare for battle against Sisera by the Kishon River near Mount Tabor. There the Lord would lead Sisera into a trap and give Barak and the Israelites victory. God chose the leader of his army, the place of the battle, and he also guaranteed the victory; all Barak had to do was trust the Lord.

But Barak’s faith was weak and he showed his cowardice when he said to Deborah, “If you go, I’ll go; but if you don’t go, I won’t go.” He was like a little a little boy walking into a dark room who says to his mother, “I’m scared, mommy! You go with me!” I love Deborah’s response, “Very well, I’ll go with you.” But she warned him that he would not receive the honor; for the Lord would take Sisera by the hands of a woman. This was her way of telling him, “No guts, no glory!” So, Deborah and Barak summoned the soldiers and gathered them for battle.

This scene should serve as a lesson for us today. How often does God call us to do something, yet we are reluctant to obey because we are afraid? How often does God reveal his plan for us, yet we are still paralyzed by fear? Even though God already guaranteed the victory, all Barak could think about was 900 iron chariots. When God calls you to do something, will you have the cowardice of Barack or the courage of Deborah?

Jael Kills Sisera (4:11-24; 5:24-31)

Now it was the family of Heber the Kenite who first warned Sisera that Barack was planning a revolt at Mount Tabor. Sisera’s 900 iron chariots made him cocky and arrogant. His forces hadn’t seriously been challenged in years, but he did not know that the Lord God of Israel has the power to turn mighty chariots into tinker toys. This God is the creator of heaven and earth and is all powerful.

As Sisera and his chariots rode toward the Israelite army, God sent fierce rains upon the land that made the Kishon River overflow and turned the battlefield into a sea of mud. The chariots were rendered immobile and the Israelites completely routed the Canaanite army. This unexpected rainstorm during the dry season would have messed with the Canaanite’s minds. Remember, the Canaanites worshipped Baal, the supposed God of storms. God proved his superiority and sovereignty over all other gods.

While Barak and his men were defeating the Canaanite army, the mighty warlord Sisera abandoned his chariot and ran for his life. He was probably heading for Hazor, but his strength began to give out and he sought refuge in the tents of Heber the Kenite, the one who had originally warned him about the Israelite revolt. Since the Kenites had been friendly toward Jabin, he assumed that this would be a safe place to rest.

As he approached the tents, Heber’s wife Jael came out to greet him. She immediately recognized who he was and why he was on the run. Like Deborah, she plays the part of a loving mother—she sweet talked him, got him some milk to drink, and prepared a soft place for him to sleep. Just as Sisera had no idea that God had planned to rout his army by sending a rainstorm, he had no idea that God had planned for a woman to take his life. He didn’t suspect any danger, so he rested in peace.

As Sisera slept, Jael picked up a long tent peg and a hammer and quietly knelt down by his head. She held the peg in one hand and the hammer in the other, set the peg up against Sisera’s temple, and drove it into the ground. In this culture it was the woman’s job to set up the tents, so she knew how to hammer a tent peg. In this way, God kept his promise that Sisera would fall by the hands of a woman. (How ironic, the mighty Sisera, I never would have pegged  him to die this way!)

When Barack arrived on the scene, Jael showed him what she had done. From there, the Israelites grew stronger and eventually the Lord used them to overthrow Jabin, king of Canaan. Under Deborah’s leadership, the land experienced peace for forty years.

            This scene betrays all of our expectations. We would expect God to raise up a powerful Israelite warrior to kill Sisera with a sword, not a housewife with a hammer. Even when Deborah tells Barak that Sisera would fall by the hands of a woman, we expect that it would be Deborah, not some obscure Kenite woman. This would be the equivalent of a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader taking out Osama Bin Labin instead of a Navy Seal.

But God often uses unexpected people to accomplish his plans. He likes to break our expectations to show his sovereignty over all things. That is really what the whole Book of Judges is about—a long list of unlikely heroes. No one would expect God to use disabled Ehud to deliver his people from Moab, but he did! No one would expect God to use Deborah to lead Israel, but he did! No one would expect God to use a housewife and a hammer to conquer the greatest military leader of the day, but he did!  Neither would anyone expect God to sacrifice his own Son to save us from our sins, but he did that too! God often uses unlikely people to accomplish his purposes. I wonder how he is going to use you?

As I conclude, I would like to leave you with three exhortations from today’s text:

1.) If you are sinking somewhere in the cycle of sin, repent before you incur God’s discipline!

2.) Praise God for our spiritual mothers! Deborah epitomizes what a spiritual mother is all about! She was a women of the Word—a woman of faith—a woman of justice—a woman of courage—a woman of service!

3.) When God calls you to do something, respond with faith instead of fear.

4.) Expect God to use unexpected people to accomplish his plans—people just like you!

            Steve Rogers was born during the Great Depression and grew up in a poor family. His father died when he was a child, his mother when he was in his late teens. Horrified by newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to try to enlist in the Army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy’s earnest plea to be accepted, General Chester Phillips of the U.S. Army offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment called Operation: Rebirth. Rogers agreed and was taken to a top secret laboratory in Washington, D.C. where he was introduced to Dr. Abraham Erskine, the creator of a special serum.

            After weeks of tests, Steve Rogers was at last administered the serum and was then bombarded by a special combination of radiation rays designed to accelerate and stabilize the compounds in his body. Rogers emerged from the chamber with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. A Nazi spy who observed the experiment murdered Dr. Erskine just minutes after its conclusion. He died without fully committing the formula to paper, leaving Rogers the sole beneficiary of his genius.

            Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program, teaching him gymnastics, hand-to-hand combat, and military strategy. This new super-soldier was then given a red, white, and blue uniform and named Captain America: The First Avenger. His assignment was to stop the Nazi agent called the Red Skull and to protect America from evil.

            When I was a young boy, I loved reading about Captain America. Almost every Sunday morning, instead of going to church, I would go to Nick Canyon’s Novelty Store and buy a Snicker’s candy bar and the new Captain America comic book and spend the afternoon reading about one of my favorite superheroes. Little did I know back then, but the Bible is filled with stories that have even more adventure, intrigue, insidious villains, and heroic figures than the comic books. Not only that, but these biblical stories have the power to bring salvation to our souls and to help us live better lives.

            This is precisely the case with today’s Bible reading from the Book of Judges. It was a dark time in Israel’s history. God’s covenant people had abandoned the Lord and were worshipping foreign idols. Therefore, God gave them into the hands of the ruthless Mesopotamian king Cushan-rishathaim, who pressed them under his evil thumb for eight long years. But after the Israelites cried out to God for help, he raised up a noble hero named Othniel to deliver them from evil and become Israel’s first judge. Let’s take a closer look at the story!

Israel Forgets God (7)

            This story begins with the heartbreaking backdrop of Israel doing evil in the sight of the Lord. These are the exact words that we saw in 2:11 and they will be repeated four more times, forming one of the key themes throughout the Book of Judges. But what exactly was the evil they did in the eyes of the Lord? The next phrase clarifies it for us: “They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and Asheroth. The Hebrew verb “sakah” which generally means “to forget” here denotes “to disregard” or “not take into account.” It describes a passive falling away from the Lord. The Israelites did not bump their head one night and wake up with a sudden spiritual amnesia, but just as dementia or Alzheimer’s patients lose their memory slowly over a long period of time, God’s people gradually drifted away from him until he completely faded from their collective affections and memories. If they had been alert, they would have actively paid attention to the Lord and kept him as a higher priority in their lives. They would have worshipped and served him daily, rather than become distracted by everything else around them.

            Regrettably, the people of Israel forgot the one true God and served Baal and Asheroth, the chief god and goddess of the Canaanites. These so called gods were carved images made out of wood and stone and they promised prosperous agriculture, proliferation of many children, and protection from one’s enemies—all things that the Israelites deeply desired. So, they exchanged the glory of the living God for mere hand-held trinkets that gave them momentary pleasure.

            This one verse aptly describes our modern situation. Like the ancient Israelites, so many individuals, churches, and even some Christian denominations have forgotten the Lord! Instead of actively worshipping him, they have succumbed to the hand-held idols and superstitions of the culture. Instead standing for God’s truth, they have caved into the pagan pleas for political correctness. Instead of holding on to God’s standards of ethics and morality, over time they have shifted away from the fundamental teachings of the Bible and have affirmed sinful lifestyles and attitudes that God deplores.

            Are we suffering from a case of spiritual dementia? Do we remember the Lord and what he has done for us? Have we been distracted by other things and have slowly drifted away from him? Have we been led astray by the luster of foreign gods that promise momentary pleasure?

God Disciplines Israel (8)

            Well, as we have already seen in the first few chapters of Judges, when God’s people forsake him, his anger flares up and he disciplines them. When they worship foreign idols, God sells them into the hands of a foreign enemy; and in this case it is king Cushan-rishathaim, the menace of Mesopotamia. He is the most powerful of all Israel’s enemies in the Book of Judges. Like the Red Skull in the Captain America series, Cushan-rishathaim is a world-class villain. For him to have extended his tentacles as far as Judah in southern Canaan, meant that he had enormous power. Even his name has a comic book quality to it: His given name Cushan means “dark” and his nickname Rishathaim means “doubly wicked.” (This name evokes similar sinister name/nickname combinations throughout the ages like the Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler, the Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible, or my third child whom we have affectionately named Duncan the Destroyer.)

            God subjugated his people under this wicked warlord for eight long years. He did this as a measure of discipline to humble his people and to bring them back to him. It is amazing how adversity and suffering can remind people of their need for God!

            Thus is the case today too. In many places throughout the Old and New Testament, we learn that the Lord disciplines those he loves. When we forget the Lord and worship idols, he allows us to experience pain, suffering, and hardship to draw us back to him. He does not take pleasure in punishing his children, but he does it to protect us from the eternal consequences of our sin.

            Most of you have experienced some microcosm of this principle as children. When I was a child, my grandmother gave me the very clear rule not to jump into the swimming pool when she wasn’t outside. Being the Olympic swimming prodigy that I was at six years old, I felt like this rule was oppressive and even borderline abusive. So, one day I jumped in before she came outside. My arrogant attitude and disrespectful behavior caused her anger to burn against me and she made me sit on the deck all day and watch my sister and cousin’s play in the pool. Needless to say, I never jumped in the pool by myself again until I was old enough to swim unsupervised. She certainly did not take pleasure in disciplining me, but she had to do it to teach me a lesson and to protect me.

            Have you ever experienced the Lord’s discipline because of some sinful attitude or action? Are you under the Lord’s discipline right now? Please don’t misunderstand me; I’m not saying that every adversity we face is the result of God’s discipline, but I am saying that sometimes God does use pain and suffering to humble us and bring us back to him.

God’s Deliverance (9-11)

            God’s subjecting Israel to Cushan-rishathaim’s cruelty for eight years worked. Finally, like a damsel in distress, Israel recognized that they could not make it alone and they cried out to the Lord for help. And when their hearts were humbled, God raised up a great champion to deliver them. Othniel, son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother was a Judean hero, who was already distinguished for his courage and prowlness in capturing of Debir and winning the hand Acsah, Caleb’s daughter,  in marriage (1:111-13).

            As a heroic conqueror of the Canaanites who married within the covenant community, Othniel stood in stark contrast to those in the nation who had settled down and intermarried with the enemy. He is a model of faithfulness to God and the Scriptures reveal no flaws in his character. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that he became Israel’s first divinely appointed judge, who set the standard for all who will follow.

            Unlike Captain America, Othniel did not need some secret super-soldier serum to make him powerful; all he needed was the supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit to come upon him and transform this minor Israelite officer into a conqueror of a world-class enemy. By the matter-of-fact way the narrator tells the story, Othniel easily defeated Cushan-rishathaim and liberated the Israelites from oppression and evil. After this, the land experienced peace for 40 years. The land returned to the same state of tranquility that marked the period of Joshua and his generation.

            Othniel is an outstanding model of faith, courage, and obedience! Among a generation that had embraced idolatry and accommodated the surrounding culture, he believed God’s promises, married within the faith, and heeded God’s call in his life. And he experienced all of the blessings of a successful life and led his people to a prolonged period of peace and prosperity. Even now, over 3000 years later, we still remember Othniel’s legacy of excellence.

            Are you living a life of faith, courage, and obedience to God? Will you believe God’s promises, marry within the faith, and heed God’s call in your life? Do you want to live a successful life?

            Even though Othniel is the first judge and the human deliverer, I hope you noticed who the real super-hero of this story is: God. God is the one who “raised up” Othniel and “put his Spirit on him” and gave him the power to overwhelm the enemy. We must always remember that even our best human leaders are nothing without God’s power. Our greatest human efforts are nothing without God’s grace. Our best decisions are nothing without God’s guidance and direction!

            As I conclude today, I would like to draw your attention to another Judean deliverer. Like Othniel, this deliverer had impeccable moral character, a steadfast heart of obedience to God, and the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. He too was raised up by God to fight against a fierce enemy, deliver his people from slavery, and to restore peace to the land. Who is this great hero, you ask? It is Jesus Christ, God’s own son! God raised up Jesus not to defeat a human warlord but to conquer Satan, the true enemy of our soul! He raised up Jesus not to free us from political or social oppression but to liberate us from bondage to sin! He raised up Jesus not to bring temporary peace here on earth but to restore true peace for eternity in heaven.

            Jesus Christ is the ultimate judge! He is our divine deliverer! He is the greatest hero in the history of the world because he sacrificed his own life by enduring the pain of the cross to provide forgiveness and atonement for our sins!

            What do we need to do to secure Jesus’ salvation? Stop trying to save yourself—cry out to the Lord—repent from your sin—put your faith in him—and accept his free gift of deliverance!

            Marchers filed past the reviewing stand hour after hour. The day was Thursday June 6^th, 1946; the place, Prospect Park, in Brooklyn, New York. Two years to the day when the Allies landed on the Normandy beaches, the nation now paused to give thanks and reflect on its collective heritage. But the marchers were not soldiers or war heroes. They were children: little girls in starched dresses, wearing white gloves and holding bouquets of spring flowers; little boys in their neatly ironed shirts with clip on bow-ties and paper hats.

            Together they marched, accompanied by bass bands and floats, past rows of parents and grandparents. In the reviewing stand Brooklyn’s mayor, the Governor of New York, and a Supreme Court Justice smiled and nodded in approval. By public declaration all schools were closed for the day. In all, approximately 90,000 youngsters participated. The event was the 117^th Annual Sunday School Union Parade. (Robert Wuthnow, The Restructuring of American Religion: Society and Faith Since World War II, p.3)

            Can you imagine that—90,000 children marching in a Sunday school parade? Little more than a generation later, the world of the Brooklyn Sunday school parade seems strangely out of place in America. More than the differences in dress, or even the location, the idea of multitudes of people turning out for a Sunday school parade boggles our modern minds. It is amazing that an event like this should garner the support of government officials and involve closing the public schools; especially when just sixty years later the little town of Franklin, Vermont isn’t even allowed to open its Town Meeting with a 30 second public prayer! What happened?

            This little story illustrates how fast a culture can change! In the period of just one generation, a whole society can fall away from its spiritual foundation. In so many ways, America has slide down this slippery slope of secularization. In recent years, the Ten Commandments have been stripped off our courthouse walls; “Merry Christmas” has been replaced by “Happy Holidays”; and the words “under God” is even challenged in our Pledge of Allegiance. Many of us have watched these changes unfold before our very eyes.

            The same thing happened to the nation of Israel over 3000 years ago during the period of the Judges. Within just one generation, the nation abandoned the worship of the Lord and adopted practices of idolatry. The first introduction to the Book of Judges (1:1-2:5), which we looked at last week, told the story of Israel’s disobedience to God and their subsequent settling with their Canaanite enemies. The second introduction (2:6-3:6), which we will encounter today, is a theological reflection on that story; it focuses on Israel’s spiritual decline rather than its political and military struggles. And so, let’s see how a whole generation became lost!

An Epitaph for the Faithful (2:6-9)

            This second introduction to Judges begins with a flashback to the good old days when Joshua was leading Israel. Joshua, who became Moses’ successor, remained faithful to the Lord by marching into the Promised Land.  He courageously followed the Lord’s instructions and the Lord blessed his campaign with spiritual, political, and military success. Under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites and their elders witnessed all of the wonderful works that God had done for them, and they enjoyed a prolonged period of prosperity.

            Verses 8-9 serve as a sort of obituary or epitaph of Joshua’s life. He was the son of Nun; he was the servant of the Lord; he died at the ripe old age of 110. And he was buried just north of the mountain of Gaash, in the hill country of Ephraim, in the land of his inheritance in Timath-heres. His burial in the land of his inheritance demonstrates that it belonged to him and his descendents as his God-given heritage. By mentioning these details, the author of Judges wants us to see how the Lord rewarded Joshua for his diligent obedience and faithful service.

            Joshua’s epitaph reminds us that obedience to the Lord and service to his kingdom is rewarded by God’s rich blessing. Now God doesn’t necessarily guarantee good health to age of 110 or monetary wealth like the “prosperity preachers” on TV, but he does promise the blessing of a clear conscience, contentment in the midst of adversity, and the peace of knowing that God’s presence is with you all the time. What a joy it must be to look back at the end of your life and not have any regrets! What satisfaction comes along with being able to say things like, “I was faithful my Lord”, “I was faithful to my spouse”, and “My children and grandchildren have received a godly heritage.”

            Consider the last words and legacy of these men: Henry David Thoreau, the writer who was known as a stubborn, arrogant individualist (who is said to have loved a snowstorm more than Christ and wanted nothing to do with the church) died on May 6, 1862. Shortly before his death, his aunt asked him if he’d made his peace with God. Thoreau responded to her with his final cynical words—“I didn’t know we’d ever quarreled.”

            Contrast Thoreau’s legacy with the great evangelist, D.L. Moody’s deathbed words. He was reported to have turned to his boys who were at his bedside and said, “If God be your partner, make your plans large.”

            Many are the rewards that are reaped by righteous life. Are you following Joshua’s lead? Live such a life of faithful obedience to God that your pastor won’t have to lie at your funeral!

A Lost Generation (2:10-15)

            The finality of Joshua’s death marked the end of an era for Israel. Would the next generation rise to the occasion and complete what Joshua and his generation started? Sadly, verses 10-15 indicates that they did not—instead, they fell into spiritual apathy and a whole generation became lost. This new generation did not know the Lord personally nor did they know the things that he had done for Israel. And this lethargy would quickly degenerate into idolatry. Notice the rapid-fire verbal forms that describe Israel’s descent into debauchery. They “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”, “served the Baals”, “forsook the Lord”, “worshipped and served various gods”, and “aroused the Lord’s anger.”

            In contrast to Joshua and his generation, this generation served the Canaanite fertility god Baal and the war/love goddess Astarte in their various local forms. These deities were especially attractive to the Israelites, for they promised their worshippers agricultural prosperity, abundant offspring, and national security. By rejecting the God of their ancestors who had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and by worshipping the false pagan gods of the surrounding people, Israel provoked the Lord’s anger.

            The Lord showed his anger by removing the prosperity and security Israel hoped their pagan gods would provide. He removed his divine presence from them and gave them into the hands of the plundering raiders and hostile nations around them. This punishment was perfectly appropriate. God gave them exactly what they asked for. He basically said, “You want to serve other gods; go ahead! Let’s see how that goes for you. If you want to worship them, don’t expect any help from me.” Their sinful actions compelled their divine advocate to become their divine adversary. By this, a whole generation was lost! (Robert Chisholm, A Commentary on Judges and Ruth, p.157)

            This tragic tale of a lost generation in Israel should cause us to deeply reflect on our own spiritual lives and the spiritual lives of our families and nation. We should constantly be asking ourselves: “Have I done evil in the eyes of the Lord? Have I embraced any of the gods of the surrounding culture? Have I forsaken the Lord in any way?” Allow me to press these questions a little further. We should also ask: “Have I adopted any moral, political, or social positions that displease the Lord? Are my theological beliefs, financial principles, and sexual ethics defined by God’s Word or by what is popular in the surrounding culture? Have I exchanged the worship of the one true God for any of the modern American idols—money, materialism, work, sports, power, popularity, or entertainment? Have I provoked the anger of the Lord?”

            How about our families and our nation? Do you see a generational departure from God in your family or our nation? I talk to a lot of grandparents who say, “I don’t know why my kids don’t go to church anymore? My poor grandchildren have hardly ever been to church.” Without any grounding in the Holy Scriptures, is it any wonder that kids don’t know the difference between right and wrong and they feel entitled to everything?

            In America today, we have a whole generation of young people who don’t know the Lord or what the Lord has done. It should not surprise us that our rates of societal poverty, substance abuse, drug addiction, violence, depression, and crime are off the charts? (But hey, at least we have iPads.)

Cycles of Sin (2:16-3:6)

            Even though the Lord removed his presence from Israel in his anger, he did not completely abandon them. Verse 16 tells us that the Lord shed his grace on them by raising up judges (divinely appointed military leaders) to deliver the people. When they groaned in their distress, God took pity on them and rescued them from the hands of their oppressive enemies. And as long as the judge lived, the people remained faithful to the Lord and the Lord blessed them with a period of peace and prosperity. But as soon as the judge died, the people prostituted themselves to other gods and worshipped them. They turned away from faithful obedience to the Lord’s commands and gave themselves to even more evil practices than their ancestors.

            This section establishes the cycles of sin and the pattern that we will see throughout the Book of Judges: Israel forsakes the Lord for idolatry—God disciplines Israel by allowing them to suffer oppression by other nations—Israel cries out to God for deliverance—God raises up a judge to liberate them—Israel experiences peace and prosperity until the judge dies—Israel forsakes the Lord again. These cycles get progressively worse until the nation completely falls apart. This section concludes with the dreadful detail that the Israelites intermarried with the Canaanites and worshipped their gods (3:6), which was the ultimate expression of Israel abandoning the Lord and adopting Canaanite culture and religious practices.

            Do these cycles of sin sound familiar? Is this not the same pattern that we have experienced in our own lives? We get serious about serving God and following Jesus for a while but then we fall away because of spiritual laziness or by embracing some sin, we experience the pain of God’s discipline, we cry out to him in our distress, and then God rescues us!

            Have you ever sinned and then said, “I swear I will never do that again!”—just to turn around and do the same thing. And then we say, “O well, Jesus will forgive me!” Yes, Jesus does forgive us through his death on the cross, but how often do we abuse his grace by falling into cycles of sin? If you are wrapped up in some cycle of sin right now, repent before it completely overtakes you. There is forgiveness and redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ. If you have children or grand-children enveloped in cycles of sin, talk to them before it is too late!

            If you ever ask a cattle rancher about how cows wondering off and getting lost, he will most likely explain, “Well, the cow starts nibbling on a tuft of green grass, and when it finishes, it looks ahead to the next tuft of green grass and starts nibbling on that one, and then it nibbles on a tuft of grass right next to a hole in the fence. It then sees another tuft of green grass on the other side of the fence, so it nibbles on that one and then goes on to the next tuft. The next thing you know, the cow has nibbled itself into being lost.” (Mike Yaconelli, The Wittenburg Door)

            Sadly, this generation of Americans is in the process of nibbling their way to being lost. We keep moving from one tuft of activity to another, never noticing how far we have gone from home or how far away from the truth we have managed to end up. May we model our lives after the generation of Joshua instead of getting caught in the cycles of sin that led Israel to become a generation lost!

            Laura seemed to have a perfect life. Her husband Martin was handsome, charming, and exceedingly wealthy. A successful investment broker, he made enough money that she could enjoy the “trophy wife” lifestyle in their beautiful beachfront home on Cape Cod. When she looked into his enchanted eyes during their fairytale wedding, she thought that they would live happily ever after.

            But little did she know that the man of her dreams would become her worst nightmare. Soon after their wedding, Laura discovered that Martin was possessive, controlling, and abusive. His obsessive-compulsive personality kept her confined to the house and she would be interrogated just for going to the grocery store and she would be chastised if the house wasn’t perfectly clean at all times. He would become enraged when he opened a kitchen cupboard and didn’t find the cans neatly stacked with all the labels facing frontward.

            As Laura tolerated long and lonely days, she eventually befriended an attractive male neighbor. But when Martin came home early one day and saw her talking to him, he accused her of having an affair and physically pummeled her to teach her the lesson that she shouldn’t talk to strangers. As her life spiraled into a cycle of despair, Laura realized that she was “sleeping with the enemy!” Laura’s character was played brilliantly by Julia Roberts in this 1991 psychological thriller.

            The Book of Judges begins by telling another story about sleeping with the enemy. However, in this plotline, the protagonist has not moved in with an abusive husband, but God’s covenant people, the Israelites, have disobeyed him by settling down among the pagan Canaanites in the Promised Land.

            God had used Moses to deliver his people from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Then he used Moses’ assistant, Joshua, to begin the conquest to evict the Canaanites from their land. Under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites routed the Canaanite resistance and divided the territory among the original twelve tribes of Israel. The land rightfully belonged to them and Joshua promised that God would fight for them as long as they obeyed his commands. Contrary to common sense, their military success did not depend on the size or strength of their army, but on the depth of their faith in God.

            The conquest was more of a spiritual battle than a physical one. Joshua had warned the Israelites not to worship the gods of the Canaanites or form alliances with the pagan peoples remaining there. Failure in this regard would remove God’s supernatural enablement and they would be deprived of the peace and prosperity that the Lord wanted them to enjoy. Instead, they would settle for sleeping with the enemy.

            Unfortunately, as we journey through the Book of Judges, we are going to see cycles of sin that will lead to the disintegration of a whole society. We are going to witness a once righteous and godly nation become corrupted by the surrounding pagan culture which will ultimately degenerate into anarchy and civil war. We will observe a people who once honored God and his commands deteriorate into people who “do what is right in their own eyes.” And if we pay close attention to Israel, we will learn some important lessons for our own individual spiritual lives and the spiritual life of our nation today. And if we apply these lessons, they will help us to avoid the snares of sleeping with the enemy.

Israel’s Successes (1:1-18)

            As the Book of Judges begins, Joshua is dead. Like Moses before him, Joshua had crossed over the river of death, but this time, no successor had been appointed. This left Israel with a political crisis. The conquest still needed to be completed, but they did not have a leader to show them the way forward. In absence of a human commander, but eager to fulfill their divine mission, they sought guidance directly from the Lord, their heavenly commander-in-chief. They were all wondering which tribe should lead the charge against the Canaanites.

            In verse 2, the Lord reveals that Judah should go first and he promised to give them success. So, Judah invoked the assistance of the tribe of Simeon and they formed an alliance to fight their common enemy. The tribes of Judah and Simeon descended from a common father (Jacob) and mother (Leah) and were in close geographical position to each other. Therefore, it was natural for these two tribes to work together to accomplish their mutual goal.

            From there, the two tribes marched together against 10,000 Canaanites and Perizzites and won an overwhelming victory at the city of Bezek, not far from Jerusalem. During the siege, the Israelites captured Adoni-bezek (literally “the lord of Bezek) who was the governor of the city and cut off his thumbs and big toes. This form of punishment was meant to humiliate the victim and prevent him from ever taking up arms against God’s people again. This might seem like cruel or unusual punishment, but this was a normal expression of the Old Testament judicial principle “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” because this was exactly what Adoni-bezek had done to seventy other kings and forced them to scrounge for food like dogs. In a stroke of divine irony, he recognized that God was repaying him in the same manner he had treated others.

            Some of you may be surprised to encounter this gruesome torture in the Bible. So let me ask you, “How do you feel about this dramatic biblical scene?” I thought that you might be interested to know that the film critics Siskel and Ebert gave it two big thumbs up! No, I’m just kidding! But seriously, I wonder what Adoni-bezek did with all of those big toes? The Bible doesn’t tell us for certain, but I’d bet that he had to call for a “toe-truck!”  

            Anyway, after this, the tribe of Judah won battles in Jerusalem, the hill country, the Negeb dessert, the lowlands, and the city of Hebron. From there, they fought against the inhabitants of Debir, where Caleb, one of the original and courageous Israelite spies, offered his daughter Acsah’s hand in marriage to the man who could captures the city. For Caleb, this would ensure that the conquest would continue and it would secure a noble husband for his daughter. Caleb’s nephew Othneil responded to the challenge, took the city, and won the promised bride. Now arranged-marriage and marriage to such a close relative is uncouth in our modern culture, but both of these were common situations in this period of history. Caleb’s treatment of his daughter’s marriage and generosity of giving her the blessing of well-watered land is contrasted with the savage way women will be treated later in the book.

            Notice how the Book of Judges begins with a hint of hope. In the absence of a human leader, the people of Israel sought God’s guidance directly. They humbled themselves in prayer before the Lord and inquired as to who should lead the charge against the enemy. And when God answered their prayer, they simply obeyed his commands. This was not only a recipe for a successful conquest in the ancient world; it is a formula for a successful life today. Like the Israelites, when we “inquire of the Lord” by humbling ourselves, seeking his divine guidance in prayer, and trusting and obeying his commands, he will lead us to a victorious life. Conversely, if we forsake the Lord, adopt attitudes of arrogance and self-sufficiency, and insist upon living according to our own rules and ways, he will remove his hand of blessing and let us fight life’s battles on our own. How do you make your decisions? Do you inquire of the Lord or do you try to figure it out yourself?

            Also, notice how Judah enlisted the assistance of their brothers from the tribe of Simeon to carry out God’s mission. They recognized the immensity of their task, and they were not afraid to ask for help. Likewise, we all face situations in life when we need to enlist the help of others. Yes, we need to completely trust and rely on the Lord, but we also need to recognize and utilize the human resources that he has given us. God has not only given us biological families and friends, but he has also given us brothers and sisters in Christ (your church family) to help us overcome life’s challenges. Who has God placed in your life? Are you willing to ask for help?

Israel’s Failures (1:19-36)

            Well, Israel was doing pretty well. As long as they trusted in the Lord, they experienced success in everything, but that was all about to change. In verses 19-36, they take their eyes off the Lord and the hint of hope turns into a tale of tragedy. At the beginning of the chapter, Israel conquers their enemies, but by the end of the chapter, they end up sleeping with the enemy.

            In verse 19, the narrator tells us that “the Lord was with the men of Judah” as they conquered the hill country, but then surprises us by mentioning that they were unable to drive them out of the land because they had iron chariots. As they rest of the chapter unfolds, we discover that the real reason for their failure was not the iron chariots but it was their lack of faith and disobedience to the Lord.

            Verse 21 begins a litany of lament remembering Israel’s failures. The tribe of Benjamin did not conquer the Jebusites wound up cohabitating with them. In verses 22-26, the men of Joseph disobeyed God by cutting a deal with a pagan from Bethel, who showed them a secret way into the city. They conquered the city, but they compromised with the enemy to do it. In verses 27-28, the tribe of Mannassah did not drive out the Canaanites from their surrounding territories and instead pressed them into forced labor, which was a breach of God’s command. In verses 29-30, Ephraim settled with the Canaanites in Gezer. In verses 30-32, Zebulun did not overthrow the people of Kitron. In verses 31-32, the tribe of Asher lost ground with the Canaanites in their territory. In verse 33, Naphtali conceded to the Canaanites. And in verses 34-36, the tribes of Dan and Joseph failed miserably in their attempt to dislodge the Amorites.

            Wow! What a pitiful account of spiritual compromise, pragmatism, and half-hearted obedience to God! This story portrays a people who settled for doing what was easy and convenient rather than what is right. They didn’t trust God and therefore sacrificed the peace and prosperity that God promised them.

            How about you? Have you forfeited God’s promise of peace and prosperity by giving in to spiritual compromise, personal pragmatism, or half-hearted obedience to God? I hear these things all the time: “My boyfriend isn’t a Christian, but he’s a really nice guy.”—that’s spiritual compromise. “Even though we’re not married, we had to move in together to save money!”—that’s pragmatism. “I have to work most Sunday mornings so I can provide for my family!”—that’s half-hearted obedience to God. Like Israel, when we do these things, we give ground to the enemy.

            Have you settled for what is easy and convenient rather than what is right in God’s eyes? Are you sleeping with the enemy of your soul?

A Tearful Encounter (2:1-5)

            In spite of Israel’s disobedience and their failure to drive the Canaanites out of the land, God shows his faithfulness by sending a messenger to rebuke them. The angel of the Lord reminded them that God had delivered them from slavery in Egypt and promised their ancestors the land. Like a loving parent, he reprimanded them for disobeying the Lord by making treaties with the Canaanites and for not tearing down the altars where they worshiped. The angel also reminds them of God’s warning, “You want to shack up with the enemy? Go ahead! Step into the snare and be pierced by the thorns! Suffer the consequences.” In 2:2, the angel asks the penetrating question, “Why would you do such a thing?”

            When the Israelites heard the angels’ rebuke, their hearts were pierced and they wept aloud. They renamed that place Bokim, which means “weeping ones” to remind them of their tears and then they made sacrifices to the Lord there. These are all acts of genuine repentance.

            Do you hear their sobs of sorrow? Do you see the tears of regret running down their cheeks? Do you feel their remorse in your bones?   

            As we contemplate Israel’s failure and meditate upon the angel’s rebuke of their sin and disobedience, maybe the Holy Spirit is convicting us of some areas of sin and compromise in our own lives. Maybe you hear the angel’s words “Why would you do such a thing?” ringing in your ears! Maybe we have realized that we have been ensnared by idols and have been led away from the one true God who loves us!

            Just as the angel reminded the Israelites of God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt, as Christian’s today, our hearts should recall the fact that God has delivered us from our sins through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus Christ. If you have been sleeping with the enemy, stop it! Confess your sin to the Lord and turn away from it! Receive his forgiveness and experience the gift of his salvation!