Chapter 5: The Land Mrs. Kenny Religion

What’s in Chapter 5? In chapter 4 we covered… – Leviticus – Numbers – Deuteronomy In this chapter, we are covering… – Joshua – Judges – Ruth

Overview of What’s Coming 1.Joshua conquers PL 2.Tribes get their own areas 3.People assimilate with Canaanites, becomes a problem as they fall away from God 4.God raises up temporary judges to help bring people back to their faith 5.Finally, need a king 6.3 great kings, then kingdom splits in two 7.North falls to Assyrians, South falls to Babylon 8.Babylonian Exile happens (for 50 years) – when Priestly does a lot of writing 9.King Josiah and Deuteronomists find writing in Temple and make it into the Deut. History!

Torah/Pentateuch – Gen – Ex – Lev – Num – Deut Deuteronomic History Historical Books that are part of the Deuteronomic History: – Joshua – Judges – 1 & 2 Samuel – 1 & 2 Kings Prophetic Wisdom Parts of the Old Testament

Deuteronomic History Books that are part of the Deuteronomic History: Joshua Judges 1 & 2 Samuel 1 & 2 Kings This history served to help Israelites: Reflect and transform their lives Fill hearts with hope Ready them to return to homeland (Self-examination)

Joshua – strong, courageous, careful, honest, unshaken by failure, a keeper of treaties, an upholder of the Law – His heart was on fire with love for God – By obeying God, brought Israel into PL – His name means "Jehovah is Salvation," which is the Hebrew counterpart of the New Testament name Jesus.

Why “the ban” didn’t Happen 100% Arch. Evidence doesn’t match story – Canaanites weren’t all driven out Isr. + Canaanites somewhat assimilated Before kingdom was set up, cultures mixed together The biblical material beginning with King David (c BCE) is more historically accurate material

Joshua 24 chapters describes the long anticipated crossing over the Jordan River and taking of the Promised Land. End: the land is divided and Joshua himself will challenge and charge the people. Themes: – salvation and judgment – glory of the one and only holy God

The Book of Joshua 3 Sections: 1.Preparing Conquering Dividing 13-24

Joshua Ch 3-4: Joshua leads them to cross the Jordan River and enter Canaan from the east Ark of the covenant = remains a visible symbol for presence of Yahweh – Religious – Military

Rahab Rahab (Josh 2:1-24) Canaanite “Prostitute” of Jericho Model believer Her faith in Yahweh leads her to side with spies against her own people Helps deceive king of Jericho who tries to apprehend spies Legitimate acceptance of her family to Israel

Joshua 5 & 6 God told Joshua to march around the city walls with his army once a day for 6 days While they marched, 7 priests carried shofars in front of the ark of the covenant On the 7 th day, they marched around the city walls 7 times and the priests blew on the trumpets When the people heard the loud blast of the horns they shouted very loudly Then the walls of Jericho came falling down!

The Ban (Josh 6:16-21) “Holy war” Extermination of indigenous (original/local) populations: “Men, women, young and old” (Josh 6:21) An order to destroy everything in a conquered town and to take nothing for one’s own To be applied to all cities in the land of Canaan Jews: totally and exclusively devote themselves to God – Warning to Jews: never have anything to do with other religions, child sacrifice, fertility rites involving temple prostitutes, etc. – Helps avoid the risk of apostasy Apostasy = the renunciation of a religious or political belief or allegiance

Joshua 23:6-8 “Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. 8 But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day.”

Joshua’s Farewell (24:1-33) Joshua begs ppl not to forget the one God who has done so much for them He warns them of consequences if they forget Israelites renew their Covenant in Shechem Joshua’s work is complete He dies (110 yrs old) and is buried in his tribal land (Ephraim) Joseph’s bones buried back in Jacob’s land

The Book/Story of Joshua: What should we learn from this? Be strong and courageous God is glorious God will save us if we believe in Him with our whole hearts and follow His laws

Judges: Saving Israel from Itself Judges = 7 th book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.

12 Judges JUDGE TRIBEIDENTIFICATION ENEMY NATION OPPRESSION (YEARS) REST (YEA RS) PERIOD (B.C.) REFERENCE (JUDGES) Othniel Judahnephew of Caleb Mesopotami a :9-11 Ehud Benjamin left-handed an assassin Moab :15-30 Shamgar Nephtaliused ox goadPhilistia :31 Deborah & Barak Ephraim only woman judge Canaan :4-5:31 Gideon Manasseh of an obscure family sought a sign Midian :11-8:35 Tola Issachar-Amalek :1-2 Jair Gilead30 sons, 30 citiesAmalek :3-5 Jephthah Gileadmade rash vowAmmon :1-12:7 Ibzan Bethlehem 30 sons, 30 daughters Ammon :8-10 Elon Zebulun-Ammon :11-12 Abdon Ephraim-Ammon :13-15 Samson Dan Nazirite from birth, strongest man Philistia :2-16:31

Biblical Judges tribal leaders whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as champions for the Israelites from destruction and oppression by foreign rulers models of wise and faithful behavior required of them called by God to deliver people despite their weaknesses

Pattern of Stories in Judges The stories follow a consistent pattern: 1.the people are unfaithful to Yahweh (fall into sin and worship false idols) 2. God delivers them into the hands of their enemies; 3. the people repent and entreat Yahweh for mercy, which he sends in the form of a leader or champion (a "judge"); 4. the judge delivers the Israelites from oppression and they prosper. Soon they fall again into unfaithfulness and the cycle is repeated.

In other words, the 4-fold pattern in Judges is…. 1.Sin 2.Disaster 3.Repentance 4.Deliverance!

Periods of Peace Israel has a certain period of peace after each judge…

6 Major Judges 1.Othniel (3:7-11) 2.Ehud (3:12-31) 3.Deborah (4-5) 4.Gideon (6-8) 5.Jephthah (10-12) 6.Samson (13-16)

Othniel (3:7-11) First judge Enemy = Aram Israel has 40 years peace until the death of Othniel The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, [a] to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the LORD came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge [b] and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.ab

Ehud Tribe of Benjamin Oppressed by Moabites Left-handed judge Eglon, king of Moab – Very fat man – Goes to give him a “tribute” (gift) – kills him with double-edged dagger – gets lost in his fat

Deborah Only woman Military leader AND magistrate Enemy = Canaan – King – Jabin – Sisera – his commander Barak = Israelite commander Jael =Sisera’s friend’s wife – drives tent spike through Sisera’s head

Deborah Question: How would Deborah and Jael have given the exiled Jews a sense of hope? Answer: It nurtured their hope that they too, with God fighting for them, would one day overcome their oppressors.

Gideon (Judges 6-8) Son of Joash Destroys altar to Baal, people are angry and want to kill him Ppl name him Jerubaal (“may Baal take action against him”) Gideon asks for a sign from God – dew around sheepskin Enemy = Midianites

Question: Why does God tell Gideon to reduce the size of his forces? Answer: God points out that with a large army, the Israelites would probably credit any victory to their own might, not to God’s power.

Just for fun…

Jephthah (10-12): Oppression of Philistines and Ammonites a judge over Israel for a period of six years (Judges 12:7). He lived in Gilead and was a member of the tribe of Manasseh. Jephthah lead the Israelites in battle against Ammon As the result of a rash vow, sacrificing his daughter after defeating the Ammonites

Samson (Judges 13-16) The Bible’s version of “The Incredible Hulk!” Nazirite (can’t drink or cut his hair) Enemy = Philistines Falls in love with Delilah, paid by Philistines to help destroy him

Samson Samson eventually reveals his strength is in his hair Her servant cuts off his 7 locks of hair Philistines beat, blind and enslave him He is weak until his hair grows back

Samson At Philistine temple, sacrificing to their god Dagon Standing at temple, Samson knocks pillars out with his own arms sacrifices himself to defeat Israel’s oppressors

Samson Question: Describe Samson’s character. Why was such a character included among the judges? Answer: Samson is a violent man with an uncontrolled passion for women. He is physically strong but morally weak. Samson was included among the judges for several possible reasons: – Perhaps the Deuteronomists’ purpose was to marvel at the kind of people God can make use of. – Perhaps Samson also reminded the exiles how their blessed nation had also become so deluded and morally weak, bringing ruin upon itself.

Major & Minor Judges There are also brief glosses on "minor" judges… Some scholars have inferred that the minor judges were actual adjudicators, whereas the major judges were military-style leaders and didn't actually make legal judgments. The only time a major judge is said to have made legal judgments was Deborah (4:4). There are 6 minor judges and 6 major judges = 12, the same number as there are tribes of Israel!