Milo

FEBRUARY 25

Reading 56

RESULTS OF APOSTASY Judges 17–21

“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Jdg. 21:25).History books seldom provide as much insight into a period as do stories of men and women who lived in it. In three brief slices of life, the author of Judges shows us how dark the era really was.

Background

The material in these last chapters of Judges is undated. It is not associated with any specific judge. It is instead “slice of life” material: cross sections taken from the period to reveal the religious, personal, and social consequences of Israel’s failure to serve God. These stories illustrate the price ordinary people paid for the apostasy of the nation.

Overview

An Ephraimite named Micah used stolen silver to make an idol, and recruited a Levite to serve as family priest (17:1–13). The Levite and idol were taken by Danites seeking land. They set up a northern worship center which competed with the tabernacle during this era (18:1–31). When men of one Benjamite town gang raped and killed a Levite’s concubine, civil war broke out between the other tribes, nearly wiping out Benjamin (19:1–21:25).

Understanding the Text

“Now I know that the Lord will be good to me” Jdg. 17:1–13. The simple story of Micah and his idol portrays the religious consequences of the period. The clearest and most important of God’s requirements had been distorted or lost. Under God’s Law (1) making idols was forbidden, (2) Aaron’s descendants only were to serve as priests, (3) sacrifices were to be made only at the tabernacle, (4) and blessing was an outcome of obedience rather than ritual observance. Yet Micah violated each of these basic religious principles—and was convinced that his actions merited God’s favor! Perhaps even more revealing, Micah was able to find a Levite willing to serve as family priest. This despite the fact that Levites were commissioned by God to teach His Law in Israel. This story is told first for a very simple reason. Loss of knowledge of God is the underlying cause of the crumbling of the whole society. “They named it Dan” Jdg. 18:1–31. The story continues as a group of Danites seeking resettlement passed by Micah’s home. This group had abandoned the land allotted to the tribe under pressure from foreign powers. The Danites offered Micah’s Levite a post as priest to the whole tribe. He gladly accepted, and the Danites took him and Micah’s idols with them. Moving north, the Danites attacked a “peaceful and unsuspecting” city and established themselves there. This story is significant. Dan became an important worship site, and after Solomon’s kingdom was divided in 931B.C, Dan was sanctified as an official worship center by the apostate Jeroboam I. Dan’s origin as a worship center is thus traced back to the theft of an idol, and the service of an unqualified priest. It maintained this character throughout its history. When we build for the future, we need to lay a firm foundation of integrity. “Such a thing has never been seen or done” Jdg. 19:1–30. The story of the rape and murder of a Levite’s concubine by Benjamites is intended to give insight into the moral situation in Israel. Not a single actor in this story, and certainly not the Levite, is displayed as a righteous person. “We’ll go up against it as the lot directs” Jdg. 20:1–48. When the tribe of Benjamin refused to surrender the men who had raped and murdered the Levite’s concubine, civil war broke out. Only some 600 men of Benjamin survived. Under the Law, the tribe of Benjamin was responsible to turn the evildoers over for punishment. The Benjamites chose instead to protect them. This final story sums up the author’s analysis of the period. He began with religious decline, moved to moral failure, and now shows the impact of rejecting God on the society as a whole. “The Israelites grieved for their brothers” Jdg. 21:1–25. To preserve the tribe of Benjamin, the other tribes provided wives, by killing the men from a city which failed to respond to the call to war, and by inventing a religious fiction. The tribes had taken an oath not to “give” wives to any Benjamite. So they decided to permit the men of Benjamin who needed wives to catch and carry off marriageable girls who participated in an annual religious festival. Here we see Israel’s tendency to bend rules. There is no suggestion in the text that the people appealed to God for guidance. Instead they relied on the kind of sophistry which passed over intent to emphasize the letter of the Law. Just this kind of thing was later criticized by Jesus when He condemned many of the Pharisees (cf. Mark 7:9–13).

DEVOTIONAL

Moral Integrity (Jdg. 19)

Someone suggested that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Jesus made the point by insisting that we should ignore the speck in another’s eye until we’ve dealt with the beam in our own. There’s something of this flavor in the story of the Levite’s concubine. The Levite was unwilling to stay the night in an alien (Canaanite) city. But when he stopped at a Benjamite city, the men of the town refused the couple hospitality (v. 18). Later they attempted to make him the victim of homosexual rape (v. 22). Instead the Levite pushed his concubine, a secondary wife, out the door. The Benjamites abused her all night and she died in the morning. Filled with moral outrage, the Levite cut up her body and sent pieces throughout the other tribes as a call to vengeance. The irony, of course, lies in the fact that the Levite himself showed no concern for his concubine, either when he thrust her outside rather than defend her, or the next morning when he coldly addressed her dead body, saying, “Get up; let’s go.” The story is ironic because Levites in Israel were supposed to serve God. They were, with the priests, the established guardians of the Law and of morality. When a guardian loses all moral sensibility, and abandons others or treats them as objects, society is truly lost. The failure of the Levite is a warning to us. Yes, we do need to stand against injustice and sins in our society. We are to be stone throwers. And even “mote inspectors.” But we can do this only from a position of personal moral integrity.

Personal Application

Our lives even more than our words must witness to righteousness.

Quotable

“We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since He Himself cursed the fig tree when He found no fruit but only leaves. It is useless for a man to flaunt his knowledge of the law if he undermines its teachings by his actions.”—Anthony of Padua

FEBRUARY 24

Reading 55

SAMSON

Judges 13–16

“Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines” (Jdg. 15:20).This text does not conclude, “and the land had rest.” Samson, for all his physical strength, lacked the inner strength needed to put his people ahead of his own raging desires.

Definition of Key Terms

Philistines. Great numbers of these people settled on Palestine’s coastal plains about 1200B.C after an unsuccessful invasion of Egypt. Gradually they penetrated the hill country occupied by Israel, and intermingled with the Israelites. Israel was unable to resist the encroachment, in part because the Philistines had the secret of smelting iron and had weapons superior to anything Israel possessed. Samson conducted one-man war against the Philistines, but never marshalled his people to resist the invaders. The Philistines remained a dangerous enemy through the judgeship of Samuel and the reign of Saul, until crushed by David about a hundred years after the time of Samson.

Overview

Samson’s birth was announced by the Angel of the Lord (13:1–24). He insisted on marrying a Philistine, but was deceived and humiliated at the wedding (14:1–15). Revenge escalated into open hostilities in which Samson personally killed a thousand men (15:1–20). But his passion for Delilah led Samson to reveal the secret of his strength (16:1–17). He was captured, blinded, and forced to grind grain for his enemy (vv. 16–22). Samson’s strength returned and he died destroying a Philistine temple, killing thousands of his enemies (vv. 23–31).

Understanding the Text

“Teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born” Jdg. 13:1–25. Samson is one of the few in Scripture whose birth was preannounced to his parents. He shares this honor with Isaac, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Samson’s parents were godly Israelites who believed the prediction and asked God to show them how to bring up their son. This prayer was answered: Samson was to be brought up as a Nazarite—a person set completely apart to God (see Num. 6:1–8). Nazarites drank no wine, did not cut their hair, and were to follow certain other requirements. It is striking that in this and other tales of the judges the author does not editorialize. He simply tells his story, without moralizing or comment. Yet the stories speak for themselves, particularly in Samson’s case. Unlike Jephthah, Samson had loving and godly parents. Even as a teenager “the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him” (Jdg. 13:25). Samson’s many flaws can hardly be traced either to his parents or to God. What a comfort to godly Christian parents whose children have not chosen to follow Jesus. Every tormented mom or dad, who looks back and wonders, “What did I do?” or “What did I fail to do?” can find comfort in the story of Samson. There was no failure on the part of Samson’s parents. The flaws that later destroyed Samson were in Samson himself. “Get her for me” Jdg. 14:1–20. Samson’s desire for a Philistine woman indicates his weakness. God’s Law forbad intermarriage with pagan peoples (Deut. 7:3). Yet Samson was ruled by his desires. His passion for a woman, based merely on her looks, seemed more important to him than God’s expressed will. So, despite his objections, Samson’s father arranged for the marriage. The comment that “this was from the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines” is likely a gloss, or comment by a later editor. But the point is well taken. God is able to turn even our weaknesses to His purposes. A confrontation was stimulated when Samson posed a riddle that the Philistines he challenged could answer only by threatening his bride. Samson’s comment that he had not even explained it to his father or mother (Jdg. 14:16) is interesting. As a Nazarite he was not supposed to touch a dead body. Yet he had taken honey from the body of a lion that he killed. The incident is another indication of his parents’ godly character, and Samson’s own flaws. “I have a right to get even” Jdg. 15:1–20. When Samson learned that his father-in-law had given his bride to someone else, he captured a number of jackals (not foxes) and set them loose in Philistine grain fields with firebrands attached to their tails. Escalation followed. The Philistines burned Samson’s bride and her father to death, and then demanded that the Israelites turn Samson over to them to be executed. The Israelites bound Samson, but after he was turned over Samson broke his bonds and, using the fresh jawbone of a donkey, “struck down a thousand men.” The text sheds light on several aspects of the period and the Samson story. First, the casual brutality of the Philistines is seen in their burning of Samson’s bride and her father (v. 6). Second, the subservient attitude of the Israelites is shown in their failure to support Samson and in their fear of the Philistines, who “are rulers over us” (v. 11). Most revealing of all are Samson’s references to his “right to get even” and to do to the Philistines “what they did to me” (vv. 3, 11). This is the same kind of thinking that characterized the Philistines (v. 10). Samson gave no thought to the oppression experienced by the people he led. His vendetta with the Philistines was personal. Samson hated the Philistines not for what they had done to his people but for what they had done to him personally. God used Samson’s selfishness to “begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines” (13:5). But Samson himself is revealed to be a shallow person, without the spiritual depth or concern for others that marks the truly godly. Approaches to the gates of ancient cities were carefully constructed to prevent access. The gates themselves were massive, usually reinforced with metal. Samson not only tore off the gates of Gaza, which weighed many hundreds of pounds, but carried them to the “top of the hill that faces Hebron,” 38 miles away! “Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver” Jdg. 16:1–21. The combined payment of almost 150 pounds of silver was a vast sum for that day. Delilah was as eager to have the money as Samson was to have her! Neither of the major figures in this story merits admiration. Each shows very human weaknesses against which you and I must guard. “He killed many more when he died” Jdg. 16:23–31. Samson’s last prayer suggests he had learned little during his lifetime, for his concern is still with revenge, this time “for my two eyes” (v. 28). The temple to which Samson was brought probably was built on a plan common to such structures of that era. If so, most of the Philistines were gathered on the roof, which was supported by a number of pillars. The crowd, pressing forward to see the captive hero, would have made the whole structure unstable, so that when Samson pushed against the pillars, the temple collapsed. More died with Samson in that fall than Samson had killed during his lifetime. What a difference between this epitaph and that of other judges, which commonly read, “And the land had peace.” Samson brought death to Israel’s enemies. But this morally weak strongman failed to make peace for his own people or for himself.

DEVOTIONAL

Now, or Never? (Jdg. 16)

The story of Samson and Delilah is one of the best known in Scripture. Samson’s passion for Delilah is legendary, as is her betrayal of him for money. Yet as we read the story, we’re reminded more of children than adults. Samson and Delilah each desperately wanted what he or she desired . . . now. Reading the story we’re amazed that Samson kept going back to Delilah when what she said and did so clearly showed her intent to betray. But Samson’s passion was so dominating that he cared nothing for the future. His only concern was that his desire be satisfied now. We wonder at Samson’s blindness. It’s so much easier to see a fault in someone else than in ourselves. How often have we made choices because we want something now, without considering the future? How often have our choices been made simply on the basis of our will, without pausing to consider God’s? Samson reminds us that we grown-ups can’t afford to adopt a child’s perspective on life, and let ourselves be controlled by our passions and desires.

Personal Application

In the choice between now and never, never is often best.

Quotable

“Inordinate love of the flesh is cruelty, because under the appearance of pleasing the body we kill the soul.”—Bernard of Clairvaux

FEBRUARY 23

Reading 54

ABIMELECH AND JEPHTHAH Judges 9–12

“Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And He could bear Israel’s misery no longer” (Jdg. 10:16).Two disadvantaged young men remind us that environment determines no one’s future. What counts are the choices each individual makes in life.

Overview

Abimelech, son of Gideon and a Canaanite woman of Shechem, killed his 70 brothers and set himself up as a petty king with the aid of his mother’s people (9:1–21). Within three years the Shechemites rebelled, and Abimelech was killed (vv. 22–57). Jephthah (JEFF-thah), son of an Israelite father and a prostitute, was rejected by his family and clan, but was called back when the tribe was threatened by the Ammonites (11:1–12). When negotiation failed (vv. 13–28), Jephthah led Israel to victory (vv. 29–33). But the victory was won at great cost to Jephthah’s daughter (vv. 34–40), and led to intertribal warfare (12:1–7).

Understanding the Text

“His mother’s clan” Jdg. 9:1–6. Identification of the Shechemites as “men of Hamor” (v. 28) and their worship of Baal-Berith indicate the population of this city was primarily Canaanite. Abimelech enlisted their aid by (1) reminding them he was their own flesh and blood, (2) by implying Gideon’s 70 sons intended to rule over them, and (3) by implying a threat to their religion by using the name Jerub-Baal, “Baal fighter.” The citizens of Shechem financed the ritual murder of Gideon’s other sons with money from their temple treasury. The story reveals the character of Abimelech. He was ambitious, manipulative, without conscience or scruples, quick to use religion, but with no personal faith or religious commitment. Abimelech, child of an Israelite and a Canaanite, rejected the Lord and chose the ways of his pagan forebearers. “One day the trees went out to anoint a king”Jdg. 9:7–21. Gideon’s youngest son, Jotham, escaped when his brothers were slaughtered. His parable about trees was pointed. Those trees which were beneficial to men refused the title. Only the thistle, which was useless, wanted the crown. But the thornbush was not only useless, it was dangerous, for its dry branches were quick to catch and spread fires. Jotham warned the citizens of Shechem. If they had not “acted honorably and in good faith” in making Abimelech king, “let fire come from Abimelech and consume you . . . and let fire come out from you . . . and consume Abimelech!” Anyone who fails to act honorably and in good faith spreads around his own feet the fuel that will burst into flame and destroy him. “God repaid the wickedness that Abimelech had done” Jdg. 9:22–57. Abimelech’s petty kingdom did not encompass all Israel. From the cities named, he appears to have ruled only in western Manasseh. Within three years this small kingdom fell apart, as the citizens of Shechem, near important trade routes, turned to banditry and thus defrauded Abimelech of taxes he might have collected from merchants and travelers (v. 25). Abimelech attacked and destroyed Shechem. He himself was killed attacking another rebellious city. Abimelech and his coconspirators in Shechem had destroyed each other, just as Jotham predicted. Jotham’s prediction required no supernatural source. Evil acts always have evil consequences for the perpetrators. Abimelech and Jephthah. The story of Abimelech prepares us for the story of Jephthah. Each of these young men had a mixed parentage. Each may have been rejected by his brothers. But here the similarity ends. While Abimelech rejected the Lord, Jephthah trusted Him completely. While Abimelech murdered his brothers, Jephthah saved his family and tribe. The origins of each of these men may well have caused them pain. Each may have experienced unfair treatment. Yet it was the decision each made to reject or to seek personal relationship with God that was the determining factor in his life. “He led Israel twenty-three years” Jdg. 10:1–5; 12:8–15. These chapters briefly note five judges who ruled for various periods of time. The rule of many of the judges overlapped, as most had influence over only a few of the tribes and part of the land. “Because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served Him” Jdg. 10:6–18. The depth of the apostasy preceding Jephthah is suggested by (1) the list of five nations whose gods Israel served along with the Canaanite Baals and Ashtoreths, (2) severe oppression from both the western Philistines and eastern Ammonites, and (3) God’s expressed unwillingness to save His people though they repented (vv. 11–13). All this displays not only Israel’s sin but also God’s compassion. Even though the punishment was deserved, God “could bear Israel’s misery no longer” (v. 16). How comforting to remember when we fall that the Lord “does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). “Jephthah . . . as a mighty warrior” Jdg. 11:1–11. After the death of his father Jephthah, the son of a prostitute, was driven away by his half brothers with the support of the elders of Gilead. As David would when forced to flee from Saul, Jephthah gathered a small force of adventurers who were in debt or otherwise outcasts. They quickly gained a military reputation. When asked to return and lead Israel’s army, Jephthah negotiated with the elders and was promised the position of “head and commander”; that is, chief in peace as well as war. Prejudice drove Jephthah from Gilead. Need brought him back. It’s easy to forget another’s past when we need their help. How much better to treat everyone graciously in the first place. “Jephthah sent messengers” Jdg. 11:12–28. Jephthah pointed out that the Ammonites had no claim on the land they planned to take, for it was Israel’s by right of conquest and by right of 300 years of occupation. This message is revealing. First, it shows that Jephthah, despite his rejection by the Israelites, had a deep faith in Israel’s God. Second, it shows the Israelites had a clear memory of what God had done to bring His people into the land. The faith of this outcast in Israel’s God surely shamed those of “pure blood,” who knew as much as Jephthah about God, but who had rejected Him in favor of idols. Let’s remember that the only basis you or I have for pride is that we actively love and serve God. Lineage, wealth, or social position are meaningless. “Jephthah made a vow to the Lord” Jdg. 11:29–40. Making a promise to do something special for God should He provide victory was not at all unusual in Israel. Jephthah, whom the text specifies was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, made such a vow before his war with the Ammonites. As Israelite houses of this era made room for animals as well as people, Jephthah undoubtedly had an animal sacrifice in mind when he made his vow. “The men of Ephraim . . . crossed over” Jdg. 12:1–7. On word of Jephthah’s victory, Israelites west of the Jordan crossed over in force and threatened him. Their complaint that they had not been invited to fight was a lie (v. 3), and likely a disguised demand that they share in the spoil of victory. The threat to “burn down your house over your head” was simple blackmail. Jephthah responded by calling out his forces and crushing the invaders.

DEVOTIONAL

The Rest of the Story (Jdg. 11:29–40)

The story of Jephthah’s vow is a favorite of those who enjoy debate. One side insists that Jephthah actually killed his daughter as a blood sacrifice. The other argues that he did not. As is often true with difficult Bible passages, the debate obscures the rest of the story—and its point. But did Jephthah actually sacrifice his daughter? Not at all. The law of vows (Lev. 27:1–8) permitted substitution. What Jephthah did was commit his daughter to lifelong celibate service at the tabernacle, as in Exodus 38:8; 1 Samuel 2:22. This is supported by the fact that (1) the text emphasizes her perpetual virginity, not her death (Jdg. 11:37–39), (2) child sacrifice was condemned in the Law (Lev. 18:21; 20:2–5), (3) no priest would officiate at a human sacrifice, and (4) Jephthah’s letter to the Ammonites shows he knew the Law, for it was the source of the history he quoted. But what about the rest of the story? It’s told in the simple words of the young teenage daughter. “My father, you have given your word to the Lord. Do to me just as you promised.” God had been faithful in giving Israel the victory. The little family of Jephthah and his only child, a daughter, must be just as faithful to Him, whatever the cost.

Personal Application

True faith is better expressed by quiet commitment than by erudite debate.

Quotable

“We should not attach much value to what we have given God, since we shall receive for the little we have bestowed upon Him much more in this life and in the next.”—Theresa of Avila

FEBRUARY 22

Reading 53

GIDEON

Judges 6–8

“Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Jdg. 6:14)The hesitant hero of this story did ask God for reassuring signs. And God did graciously reassure him. Gideon’s experience teaches an important lesson about “putting out the fleece.” But not, perhaps, the lesson we expect.

Definition of Key Terms

Angel of the Lord. Many believe the Old Testament Angel of the Lord is a theophany, an appearance of God in human form. It is important to distinguish between such Old Testament appearances and the Incarnation. In Jesus Christ, God the Son took on human nature and became a true human being. The Angel of the Lord simply looked like a human being.

Overview

Israel’s southeastern tribes were severely oppressed by the Midianites when the Angel of the Lord commissioned Gideon to deliver them (6:1–16). Gideon obeyed God and tore down a local altar to Baal (vv. 17–35), but asked for miraculous signs to confirm God’s commitment to keep His promise (vv. 36–40). Gideon’s army was reduced to 300 men (7:1–8). After further confirmation (vv. 9–14), Gideon attacked and routed the Midianites (vv. 15–25). Gideon’s humility avoided intertribal war (8:1–5), but he decisively punished Israelite towns that refused aid when he was pursuing the Midianite kings (vv. 6–21). Later Gideon made a gold ephod which became an idol to Israel (vv. 22–35).

Understanding the Text

“The power of Midian was so oppressive” Jdg. 6:1–6. The Midianites were a nomadic people who periodically invaded Israel to steal the harvest. These southwestern people led a coalition of Midianites and other races of the Syrian desert. When Israel originally conquered them, they had relied on donkeys for transportation (Num. 31:32–34). Here they are described riding camels, perhaps the first large-scale military use of these animals in history. The Midianites penetrated deeply into southern and central Israel, stealing or ruining crops and forcing the Israelites to hide in caves. “You have not listened to Me” Jdg. 6:7–10. An unnamed prophet reminded the Israelites that God had been faithful in His commitment to them. The disaster came because the Israelites were not faithful to the Lord. It’s foolish to blame God for the evil consequences of our own sins. Even so, God heard Israel’s prayers (v. 6) and determined to save His disobedient people once again. How good to realize when we have sinned that God will hear us if we turn to Him. “Where are all His wonders?” Jdg. 6:11–14 When the Angel of the Lord appeared, Gideon was threshing grain in a winepress. The normal place for threshing was a windy hilltop, where the breeze would separate wheat and chaff. Gideon used a winepress, usually a walled area at the bottom of a hill, to thresh. The act illustrates how fearful the Israelites were that they might be seen by the Midianites and their crop stolen. It’s no wonder that Gideon, forced to look fearfully in every direction as he surreptitiously threshed his grain, responded with sarcasm when the angel told him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” If Gideon was a mighty warrior, why was he hiding in a winepress? If God was really with Israel, where were the miracles of deliverance He performed for the fathers? All too often our circumstances rob us of a sense of God’s presence too. Yet often, as in Gideon’s case, when we feel most deserted, or even most cynical, God has already begun to act. God told Gideon, “Go in the strength you have.” Each of us is to act in the strength we have, relying on the fact that God is truly with us even if we do not sense His presence. “Gideon . . . did as the Lord told him” Jdg. 6:15–29. Gideon’s “offering” was the kind of gift normally given to a visitor, not a sacrifice such as would be made to God. When fire flared from a rock and burned up the food Gideon brought, he realized that his guest was the Angel of the Lord. Though Gideon was perhaps too aware of his weakness (v. 15), he obeyed God’s command and destroyed the local altar of Baal and the associated Asherah pole. This might well have taken Gideon’s 10 men all night! One Baal altar found at Megiddo was 4–1/2 feet high and 26 feet across, made of bricks cemented in mud! Gideon’s fear of the men of the town was a result of his accurate assessment of the situation. If he had acted in the daytime, the townspeople would surely have stopped him. God did not command Gideon to tear down the altar by daylight. Gideon’s choice suggests wisdom, not cowardice. It’s not necessary to advertise our obedience. It’s enough to obey. “They called Gideon ‘Jerub-Baal’ ” Jdg. 6:30–35. The furious citizens were put off by the ridicule of Gideon’s father, apparently an influential man. The name, when first given to Gideon, suggested Baal was at war with Gideon. Later, after the victory over Midian, the emphasis subtly shifts, and “Jerub-Baal” is used proudly in the sense of “Baal fighter.” “If You will save Israel . . . as You have promised” Jdg. 6:33–40. Gideon acted boldly and sent messengers to several tribes to recruit an army. His public actions were bold, but Gideon still experienced private doubts and fears. Gideon’s prayers about the fleece were not an effort to determine what God’s will was. Gideon knew that. The requests were made for Gideon’s own personal encouragement, and were made only after Gideon had already demonstrated his willingness to obey God. “You have too many men” Jdg. 7:1–8. Gideon needed that reassurance. In a series of steps God reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 to a mere 300. The reason is instructive. Victory won by 300 over thousands would make God’s role clear. Sometimes we are asked to undertake great tasks with few resources, that the glory might belong to God. “If you are afraid to attack” Jdg. 7:9–15. Gideon was given one last encouragement by the Lord, in the form of a dream reported by a Midianite as Gideon lay hidden near the enemy camp. The specification of “barley bread” is significant. Barley was the grain used by the poor to make bread. It symbolized downtrodden Israel. In the ancient world, dreams were viewed as a channel by which the gods communicated with men. In this case, God did give the dream and its interpretation. God is not limited in the means He uses to communicate with us—or in the instruments He chooses. “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” Jdg. 7:16–25 Gideon’s primary weapon in the battle was terror. The sudden appearance of flaming torches on the hillside, accompanied by a cacaphony of loud, harsh notes blown on 300 rams’-horn trumpets, threw the Midianite camp into such turmoil that in the confusion the enemy soldiers struck out at each other. The Midianite army fled, and the Israelites appeared and took up pursuit. It’s easy to join the fight when our side is obviously winning. It’s harder to be 1 of 300 who take that first stand against an enemy. Yet without the first, bold 300, there could be no victories at all. Let’s remember this when you or I are challenged to take a stand on any moral issue in our church or society. “Their resentment . . . subsided” Jdg. 8:1–3. Gideon’s original call for volunteers had not gone to the tribe of Ephraim. Now this group, which did pursue the fleeing Midianites, criticized Gideon. Gideon did not try to explain. He did not take offense. Instead he very wisely gave the Ephraimites credit for what they had accomplished, and suggested humbly that they had done more than he himself had. Let people who want credit have it. Those who most deserve credit, like Gideon, seldom find it important. “The officials of Succoth” Jdg. 8:4–17. The attitude of the officials of Succoth and Peniel, who not only refused to aid Gideon but even ridiculed him, called for repayment. These Israelites refused to join in the battle, and displayed contempt for the God who had called Gideon to lead Israel in a holy way. “During Gideon’s lifetime, the land enjoyed peace” Jdg. 8:22–35. Gideon, still carrying the name “Baal-fighter,” kept Israel from worshiping Baal during his lifetime. But Gideon showed two signs of weakness. One, he made a gold ephod (like a vest, worn by Israel’s high priest), which in time was worshiped as an idol. Two, though Gideon overtly refused an offer of kingship, he later named one of his children Abimelech. The Hebrew means “My father is king!” Later this son took his name too much to heart. After Gideon died, Abimelech killed all of his brothers, and for a time served as a petty king ruling over a tiny part of the land of Israel.

DEVOTIONAL

Put Out Your Fleece? (Jdg. 6:25–7:21)

How can you know the will of God for your life? Well, one way is not by “putting out the fleece.” That act by Gideon has another meaning entirely. Gideon sought reassurance, not knowledge of God’s will. God graciously answered Gideon’s prayer, because Gideon had already demonstrated his readiness to obey. There’s a pattern in these chapters that is very important. A fearful Gideon obeys God and tears down Baal’s altar (6:25–32). A Spirit-filled Gideon summons the Israelites to battle (6:33–35). A very human Gideon asks God for reassurance, and is given it when he puts out the fleece (6:36–40). An obedient Gideon sends home nearly all of the Israelite army (7:1–7). A fearful and very human Gideon is reassured by the dream God gives a Midianite soldier (7:8–15). A now-confident Gideon leads the attack on Midian. Note that reassurance was given after Gideon had obeyed a command of the Lord, not before. Sometimes we mistakenly put out our fleece, or beg God for some sign, before we obey Him. Then we wait, miserable, when no sign is given. What the experience of Gideon tells us is that obedience precedes reassurance. God may graciously give us a sign of His presence. But such signs are given to those who have already demonstrated faith by beginning to do His will.

Personal Application

If you know what God’s will is for you, don’t wait for a sign before you obey.

Quotable

“The will of God is not always clear, especially with regard to the intricacies of daily conduct in our baffling world. But often the will of God is clear, and its main directions are always clear. A man ought not to expect light on God’s will in life’s intricacies of conduct if he is unwilling to follow a clear will in life’s simplicities.”—George A. Buttrick

FEBRUARY 21

Reading 52

DEBORAH

Judges 4–5

“So may all your enemies perish, O Lord! But may they who love You be like the sun when it rises in its strength” (Jdg. 5:31).Women were not generally leaders in patriarchal Israel. But her sex did not disqualify Deborah, whose spiritual gifts were acknowledged by God’s people.

Overview

Deborah, the prophetess—leader of Israel, told a hesitant Barak to raise an army (4:1–11). The Israelite victory (vv. 12–24) is celebrated in one of the most beautiful of ancient poems, Deborah’s song (5:1–31).

Understanding the Text

Deborah.

Deborah is identified as a prophetess. God used her as His spokesman, communicating special messages to His people. The text also says she was “leading [judging] Israel at that time.” This was very unusual in a society that emphasized male leadership and female subordination. The text also says that Deborah served as a sort of supreme court and settled disputes that could not be decided locally. Any one of these roles would set off any individual as special, male or female. Possession of all three roles indicates that Deborah was a truly unusual woman, with great personal and spiritual gifts. Deborah reminds us that society’s stereotypes need not hold for God’s people. God’s choice of Deborah shows that He is free to work through any human being. That choice reminds us that a person’s sex does not automatically qualify or disqualify him or her for significant ministry. Barak. Barak himself is a fascinating study. Barak was hesitant and fearful, unwilling to face the enemy unless Deborah accompanied his army (4:8). This was despite the fact that Deborah had promised Barak victory in God’s name. Dependence on God is desirable. Dependence on human beings, even those who may represent God, is not. Barak’s mistake was to trust God to act only through Deborah, rather than trust God directly. We can appreciate and honor our spiritual leaders; but we must not exalt them to the extent that Barak exalted Deborah. “Jabin, a king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor” Jdg. 4:1–11. Hazor had been destroyed by Joshua. But the strategic site was rebuilt, and a new Jabin (probably a dynastic name) controlled the lowlands and “cruelly oppressed” Israel. That oppression is described in 5:6–10. The Israelites feared to travel by roads, abandoned many villages, and lacked weapons. On the other hand, the Canaanites, under their skilled commander, Sisera, had 900 iron chariots. A look at a map shows that the oppression affected only the northernmost of Israel’s tribes, notably Naphtali and Zebulun. Deborah’s location in Ephraim’s highlands suggests that she was not directly affected. We don’t need to be directly affected by suffering to become involved. Paul says of the body of Christ, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). “Sisera gathered together his nine hundred iron chariots and all the men . . . to the Kishon River” Jdg. 4:11–16. In the dry season the Esdraelon Valley through which the Kishon trickled was ideal for chariot warfare: flat and hard, with room to maneuver. However, when wet, the valley turned to muck, making chariots a liability. While Judges 4:15 simply says that “the Lord routed Sisera” and that “Sisera abandoned his chariot and fled on foot,” Deborah’s song explains. She describes how “the heavens poured, the clouds poured down water” (5:4). Baal, worshiped by the Canaanites, was originally a god of thunder and thunderstorms. Here the Lord turns the storm against the worshipers of the storm god and uses rain to neutralize their military advantage! The victory over the Canaanites was a divine judgment on the religion of the Canaanites as well as on their treatment of God’s people. “Please give me some water” Jdg. 4:17–23. Sisera’s request for water may suggest more than thirst. Among nomadic peoples even the most deadly of enemies who was given food or drink came under the protection of his host. In the absence of her husband, Jael acted as hostess. She gave Sisera the drink he requested and hid him in her tent. She then violated custom and with a single blow drove a sharpened tent peg through his forehead. We shouldn’t be surprised at Jael’s strength. Among nomadic Middle Eastern people women pitch the tents, so the tent peg and mallet would have been familiar tools. Despite her violation of hospitality, Deborah blessed Jael. Unlike others, Jael came forward “to help the Lord, to help the Lord against the mighty” (5:23). There are times when Christians too need to step forward, even when an act of conscience goes against community standards. Civil disobedience during the ’60s—the civil rights movement—was one such time. I suspect that picketing abortion clinics in the ’90s is another time when Christians need to be willing to come forward to “help the Lord against the mighty.” “Through the window” Jdg. 5:28–31. The imagery and irony of this brief passage has led to its recognition as perhaps the most brilliant of all ancient poems. “They destroyed him” Jdg. 4:24. The victory over Sisera’s army drained the strength of the Canaanites. The war wasn’t over. But that battle was the turning point. The text says that after the battle the Israelites grew stronger, and finally they destroyed the Canaanite king and his kingdom. Judges 5:31 adds, “Then the land had peace for forty years.” Some Christians believe that turning to Jesus solves all problems automatically. I’ve known one or two alcoholics who claimed that after their conversions they never wanted to touch another drop. But I’ve known many more who report that they have to struggle daily against the urge to take just one drink. The victory over Sisera reminds us that we do have to battle the things in life that oppress us. We have to take a stand and claim the victory. But the first battle in which the enemy suffers a crushing defeat may well be a prelude to years of struggle. We, like the Israelites, need to grow stronger and stronger, and to recognize that it may take a long time to “destroy him.”

DEVOTIONAL

Staying by the Campfire (Jdg. 5)

Deborah’s song is a victory shout. It vibrates with excitement and praise. It overflows with joy and enthusiasm. And no wonder. The battle with Sisera was the turning point for a whole generation. Twenty years of oppression were transformed into 40 years of peace. Deborah and Barak led an army of men whose proudest claim in years to come would be, “I was there, at the river Kishon.” No wonder the victory poem is so electric, so vibrant and filled with joy. Except for a few verses in the middle. Verses that describe the tribes who failed to answer the call to battle the Canaanites. The men of Ephraim came. The tribes of Zebulun and Issachar were there. But where was Reuben? Where were Gilead and Dan and Asher when “the people of Zebulun risked their very lives”? “In the districts of Reuben,” Deborah says, “there was much searching of heart. Why did you stay among the campfires to hear the whistling for the flocks?” (vv. 16–18) Why, when opportunity came to make history, did these people stay home, absorbed in the ordinary tasks of daily life? Sitting around the campfire. Caring for the sheep. As though nothing special were happening just over the mountain, where their brothers risked their very lives. There’s really no answer to that question. Was it a lack of vision? A failure to see the opportunity? Was it a lack of caring, a failure to be moved by the suffering of others? Whatever the reason, these members of God’s household failed to sense that the critical moment had arrived. They failed to act. And God won the victory without them. And what a lesson for us today. God will win His victories with whoever volunteers. But how sad it would be for us if we were to stay by our campfire while history was made.

Personal Application

What opportunity is too great for you to miss today?

Quotable

“We will lie down for such a long time after death that it is worthwhile to keep standing while we are alive. Let us work now; one day we shall rest.”—Agostina Pietrantoni