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When The Judges Ruled Israel Biblical Studies From Judges & Ruth

Previous Warnings Before his death, Moses warned about the failure of driving out the Canaanites Num 33:50-56 Before his death, Joshua sounded a similar warning Josh 23:1-13 This set the tone for this entire time period

Initial Inquiring Judg 1:1-2 A “positive” occurrence Following Joshua’s death, Israel inquired of the Lord re: who should go up first A desire to know God’s will before acting This would have involved the high priest Ex 28:30 Num 27:21 Judg 20:28

Initial Inquiring Judg 1:1-2 When Israel stood poised to take Canaan some 40 years earlier, what was the level of her faith? Num 13:27-33 The same God who was with them then will lead them now in the same work Noted by Joshua Josh 23:3-5

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Israel’s inquiry re: who should go up first revealed Judah was to go vv. 1-2 Judah requested Simeon to help, and in turn Judah would assist Simeon in taking their territory vv. 3, 17-18

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Attack on Adoni-bezek vv. 4-7 Adoni-bezek fled the loss at Bezek He was captured…his thumbs & big toes were cut off He accepted this punishment as just because of his own cruelty shown toward others A Biblical principle Psa 7:14-16 Mt 7:2, 12

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Attack on Jerusalem (Jebus) v. 8 They captured the city and set it on fire However, it was not totally secured, for the Benjamites did not drive out the city’s inhabitants v. 21 Not fully subjugated until the days of David’s kingdom 1 Chron 11:4-9

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Caleb’s offer vv. 12-15 He would give his daughter as a wife to the one who would capture Debir Othniel accepted the “challenge” He was Caleb’s nephew and would be the first “judge” God would raise up Num 13:6 1 Chron 4:13

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 The Kenites v. 16 They left the “city of palms” (Jericho) and moved SE to the lowlands E of the Dead Sea They had earlier come to live with the Israelites Num 10:29

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Judah’s failure v. 19 Judah failed the further West they went toward the Mediterranean Sea…they had to overcome the Canaanites’ iron chariots Was God no longer with them? The problem seemed to be a lack of faith to do as God had commanded Josh 17:17-18

Judah & Simeon Judg 1:1-21 Keeping the promise to Caleb v. 20 He was given Hebron…this fulfilled Moses’ earlier promise Josh 14:6-12 He drove out the Anakim (giants) Remember – he had a “different spirit” Num 14:24

South Judg. 1:1-21 Zephath

North Judg. 1:22-36

Failures In The North Judg 1:22-36 These efforts to conquer the more northern territories were not as successful than the attacks orchestrated in the south Yes, Israel took possession of the land Yes, Israel forced the inhabitants into forced labor vv. 28, 30, 33, 35

Failures In The North Judg 1:22-36 But remember the earlier commands through Moses & Joshua Num 33:50-56 Josh 23:1-13 Israel succeeded physically Israel failed where it counted most… spiritually

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