Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures

"Then Israel did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals." (Judges 2:11)

Many of us have heard many of the stories from Judges. In fact, some of the most intriguing Old Testament stories come from this book. Sampson, Gideon, and Deborah all have amazing stories here. Additionally, for many years, readers have observed a recurring cycle of sin, oppression, call to God, and salvation. This cycle occurs over and over as Israel serves other Gods, is oppressed by her neighbors, calls to God, and receives salvation from a judge whom God sends.

Yet, it is also interesting that this cycle does not seem to be merely a circle. Rather, to me it seems like a spiral staircase. We've covered this ground before, and yet, it is not quite the same. In particular, there is a sense that, as Israel continues to serve their gods and Ba'als, the quality of their judges seems to worsen. Among the first few judges whom God sends are Ehud and Deborah. Both judges are moved by a strong conviction of commitment to God and boldly go to face the enemy. They live up to the charge to "be strong and courageous." These are people you want leading Israel.

However, then we come to Gideon. While Gideon demonstrates a good heart to serve God, he is also fearful. He doubts whether God will truly be with him and is a far cry from the leadership of Ehud and Deborah. After Gideon, the regression continues with the godless rule of Abimelek and the foolish oath of Jephthah. Finally, we come to Sampson. Although often regarded as a hero, the life of Sampson is really a tragedy. Although he was set up for greatness, Sampson chased after pagan women and prostitutes and only attacked the enemy when he needed personal revenge. In Sampson, the regression of the judges seems compete. Yet, as if this was not enough, the author ends the book with several stories (apparently out of order chronologically) about how everyone just did as they pleased without leadership and the horrific consequences that followed those actions.

So, why is there this regression? Perhaps the answer lies in the nature of idolatry. Idolatry is not a sin that ends with the worshiping of other gods. Idolatry leads to immorality, as Paul points out in Romans. Thus, the continuation of idolatry in Israel eventually consumed the whole community, including even the judges themselves. If uncleanness is a contagion within the community, then it was only a matter of time before the leaders of Israel fell to the same idolatry and immorality as the people. Perhaps there is also a sense in which this regression among the judges was a judgment from God. If the people continued to put in only half an effort in repenting, then God would being only putting in half an effort in saving. Or, one final possibility is that this literary feature is like Mark's gospel where the disciples seem to regress. Perhaps it is emphasizing the fallen-ness of humanity and our inability to fully follow God. In this sense, it emphasizes human sin and ensures that the focus remains on the faithfulness of God.

There are a lot things in the Old Testament I don’t understand.  I don’t understand why God commands the Israelites to slaughter whole groups of people, women and children included, and I don’t know why a woman who coldly hammers a tent peg through a man’s head is celebrated as a hero.

Occasionally there are stories I do understand though, and even in those I don’t I can sometimes pull out some meaningful truths from it.  Take for instance the story of Gideon.  In Chapter 6 Gideon has an incredible encounter with either a manifestation of the Lord Himself, or an Angel of the Lord, who tells Gideon that God will use him to defeat the Midianites.  Through an infamous test with fleeces, God miraculously confirms not once, but twice to Gideon that He will do this.

You would think that after all this Gideon would surge into battle with boldness and confidence bubbling over, knowing that the Lord is on his side.  Yet in Chapter 7, he has had his army culled down (by God) to only three hundred men; they look out on the Midianite army and the Bible says that the Midianite’s numbers were like “the sand on the seashore” (Judges 7:12).  I can only imagine how overwhelmed and desparate those 300 men must have felt on the brink of battle as they looked out into the valley and saw  thousands of enemy soldiers ready to crush them at the first sound of a trumpet blast.  Despite all that Gideon had witnessed God do, discouragement set in.

And it certainly does not stop with Gideon.  In the Gospels, Jesus’ disciples witness Him perform dozens of miracles, teach the multitudes, heal the lame, feed thousands with a few loafs of bread, and still we find them on a boat in the middle of a storm in Mark, and you can hear them practically scream at Jesus over the crashing waves that surround them “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 5:38)

And it really doesn’t stop with the disciples either, does it? I mean I’d like to think I’m different than Gideon or Peter, but I’m really not–you’re really not.  We can all think of times in our lives or our ministries when we knew we were exactly where God wanted us, doing exactly what God called us to do.  Still, when the waves set in, when the enemies begin to surround us, we become discouraged; suddenly we don’t believe we can handle it–that God can handle it.  We witness God work miracles in our lives and yet a few minutes later we have lost our trust in Him again.  “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” God, “allow me one more test…” (Judges 6:39).  God, are you sure you want me for “I am the least…” (Judges 6:15) are you sure that You can really handle this.

Thankfully for Gideon, and for us, God was/is patient and He knew exactly what Gideon needed.  When it looked like there was no hope for Gideon to complete God’s calling, God sent encouragement.  At perhaps the scariest point in Gideon’s life, God leads Gideon into the camp where he overhears a soldier talking about a prophetic dream he had; the soldiers says he is sure this dream means that “God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into [Gideon's] hands” (Judges 7:14).  The Scriptures then say that Gideon was encouraged–emboldened. ”He worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands,” and the Israelites would go onto defeat the Midianites that day.

I pray that when the circumstances seem overwhelming, when the task seems impossible, when our purpose feels hopeless, that God would send an encourager into your life like the one He sent to Gideon;  I also pray that we would be these kind of encouragers in other people’s lives. 

And finally I pray that we will learn what Jesus meant when He said “”What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke18:27)