The Lord raised up judges, who saved them. (Judges 2:16) Here in the opening chapters of Judges the writer sets the stage not only for the rest of the book, but for hundreds of years of Israel chasing after foreign gods. Their's was a roller coaster ride of faith and faithlessness. Every time God raised up a judge to lead and deliver them, Israel would follow his (or her) example of faithfulness as long as he was alive, but once he died, the nation would forget his faithfulness and forget Yahweh too.
Judges three introduces three judges. We've already met the first. Othniel is Caleb's nephew, who captures Kiriath Sepher on his behalf to win his daughter in marriage (gotta love an action romance story - probably had explosions... maybe not).
Then we meet Ehud, the left-handed judge. This is a paradox - the right hand was the hand of honor; being left-handed was a euphemism for being dishonest, or at the very least crafty. To that regard, Ehud lived up to his rep; he used subterfuge to assassinate Moab's king and free Israel from Moabite oppression.
The ongoing pattern for this book is Israel rejects God; God hands them over to be punished by an enemy; they cry out to God for relief; God raises up a judge, who delivers them, and then leads them until his death, at which time Israel once again rejects God.
Ever cry out to God to get you out of trouble? Who hasn't?
You've got that right. Who hasn't? Sometimes I wonder if God purposely allows us to be so overwhelmed by trouble on occasion that we have no one else to cry out to.
ReplyDeleteSerious yo-yo backsliding going on here, how incredibly frustrating human history has been for God, I'm so glad he's patient. I have no recollection whatsoever of reading that bit about the angel of the Lord letting them know they messed up when they didn't take out the altars to false gods... interesting.
ReplyDeleteEw. The fat closed up right over the handle. Ew ew ew. Well and cleverly carried out for an assassination, though, you have to admit.