The Concept of Judges Forestalling Threats to Israel
Meaning
After the death of Joshua, Israel entered an age known as the period of the judges. As Israel fell into idolatry and sin, God would chastise and discipline the nation by judging them with the surrounding pagan people groups. As the oppression and bondage increased Israel would cry out to God and He would raise up a godly person, who called the hearts of the people back to God, and gave Israel victory over their enemies. These people later were collectively referred to as the judges, because through them God carried out judgment on the nation of Israel as well as judgment on the surrounding people groups who were the enemies of God and Israel.
During the period of the judges, Israel was a loosely organized confederacy, without king or central government. Moreover, the political personification of Israel’s enemies during this period were small powers from the immediate locale. These small powers consisted of the people groups and city-states which surrounded Israel in Canaan. These were the same people groups, Israel failed to remove from the land and as a result, they became a threat to Israel’s destiny. These small powers attacked Israel and subjugated them to bondage for brief periods, until they were defeated by rallies led by the judges.
Some of the most prominent judges included Othniel, who delivered Israel from Mesopotamian oppression. Ehud, the left handed judge who delivered Israel from Moabite attack. He used a hidden dagger and approached King Eglon, pretending to have an important message, he then killed him with the dagger. There was Debra, who won victory over the Canaanites, she killed Sisera an enemy leader with a tent spike after he fell asleep. Then we read about Gideon, who defeated the Midianites by waging psychological warfare with trumpets and lamps. And the last two notable judges were Jephthah, who defeated the Ammonites. However, in the process, he made a rash vow, that negatively affected his daughter. And then there was Samson, known for his great strength from God, who defeated the Philistines.
“So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash. When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.” (Judges 2:7-12)
“And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.” (Judges 2:14)
“When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim. So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.” (Judges 3:9-11)
“But when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. By him the children of Israel sent tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Ehud made himself a dagger (it was double-edged and a cubit in length) and fastened it under his clothes on his right thigh. So he brought the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. (Now Eglon was a very fat man.) …Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the dagger from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. Even the hilt went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the dagger out of his belly; and his entrails came out. Then Ehud went out through the porch and shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.” (Judges 3:15-23)