WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 Ethan: Welcome to Immerse: the daily bible reading experience. 00:00:03.257 --> 00:00:04.737 Day 100 and 73 00:00:07.017 --> 00:00:08.547 immersed in Judges. 00:00:10.617 --> 00:00:15.447 The book of judges describes the period in Israel's history between its 00:00:15.447 --> 00:00:20.307 conquest of the promised land and the anointing of the nation's first king. 00:00:21.327 --> 00:00:25.047 With each new generation, one question keeps appearing. 00:00:26.037 --> 00:00:30.567 Will Israel remain committed to its covenant relationship with God? 00:00:31.737 --> 00:00:37.107 In answering this crucial question, the Book of Judges expresses two themes. 00:00:37.827 --> 00:00:42.357 It shows that Israel has a recurring problem with idolatry and turning 00:00:42.357 --> 00:00:46.827 away from God, and it makes the case that the nation would benefit 00:00:46.827 --> 00:00:52.467 from having a single strong leader, particularly one from the tribe of Judah. 00:00:53.892 --> 00:00:57.912 The status of God's covenant bond with his people is a central 00:00:57.912 --> 00:00:59.592 concern throughout the Bible. 00:01:00.372 --> 00:01:05.442 At this point in the story, the Book of Judges seems to suggest that Israel 00:01:05.447 --> 00:01:10.632 could be led into more faithful covenant keeping by a strong and worthy king. 00:01:12.072 --> 00:01:16.182 The three major sections in the book's literary structure help to 00:01:16.182 --> 00:01:18.372 make a case for a monarchy in Israel. 00:01:19.482 --> 00:01:23.412 The brief opening part of the book centers on the question of Israel's 00:01:23.412 --> 00:01:26.052 loyalty to God and to the covenant. 00:01:26.112 --> 00:01:31.062 After Joshua's death, will the people follow God's instructions? 00:01:31.842 --> 00:01:37.512 Will they take full possession of the land in a pattern that repeats throughout the 00:01:37.512 --> 00:01:43.542 book, Israel falls short of God's plan and then suffers the inevitable consequences. 00:01:44.982 --> 00:01:49.092 The second and largest part of the book tells the story of 12 00:01:49.092 --> 00:01:54.762 judges or rescuers chosen by God to rescue Israel from its enemies. 00:01:56.352 --> 00:02:00.672 The number matches the number of Israel's tribes and seems designed to 00:02:00.672 --> 00:02:05.982 show that the nation will remain in disunity and confusion if it relies 00:02:05.982 --> 00:02:10.122 on temporary leaders who only arise to deal with an immediate crisis. 00:02:11.352 --> 00:02:14.532 There is a pronounced pattern in the accounts of the judges. 00:02:15.012 --> 00:02:19.572 A dismal cycle in which Israel fails to keep its covenant with God 00:02:20.112 --> 00:02:25.572 falls under God's judgment and cries out in distress, after which God 00:02:25.572 --> 00:02:27.882 raises up a rescuer to save them. 00:02:28.242 --> 00:02:31.812 The cycle repeats again and again. 00:02:32.262 --> 00:02:37.752 Showing that Israel's present status as a tribal confederation is not helping it 00:02:37.782 --> 00:02:40.272 fulfill its covenant calling in the world. 00:02:41.202 --> 00:02:45.732 The people continually forget their identity as God's chosen people 00:02:46.062 --> 00:02:50.202 and fail to demonstrate through their lives that God is their king. 00:02:51.732 --> 00:02:55.692 The individual stories of Israel's judges are interesting in their own 00:02:55.692 --> 00:03:02.382 right in the accounts of leaders like Gideon, Deborah, Samson, and others. 00:03:02.952 --> 00:03:07.272 We read stories of doubt, military cunning, decisive 00:03:07.272 --> 00:03:09.492 action, and God's sovereignty. 00:03:10.092 --> 00:03:14.472 As he works for his people in spite of their compromises and moral failures. 00:03:15.462 --> 00:03:21.132 But it has become clear that Israel needs a new kind of leader to unify the tribes 00:03:21.132 --> 00:03:23.622 in faithful covenant obedience to God. 00:03:24.552 --> 00:03:29.952 The third and final section of Judges focuses on two stories of unimaginable 00:03:29.952 --> 00:03:36.432 moral failure and disaster demonstrating the desperate need for change in Israel. 00:03:37.287 --> 00:03:42.177 It is noted at both the beginning and end of these stories that in 00:03:42.177 --> 00:03:44.667 those days, Israel had no king. 00:03:45.177 --> 00:03:48.747 All the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. 00:03:50.037 --> 00:03:55.467 Thus, the overall argument of the Book of Judges proposes that the nation needs not 00:03:55.497 --> 00:04:01.767 merely individuals, but an institution, the kingship, to protect it and help 00:04:01.767 --> 00:04:03.657 it to remain faithful to the Lord. 00:04:04.032 --> 00:04:10.002 Specifically the book has David's royal line in mind at both the 00:04:10.002 --> 00:04:12.132 beginning and the end of Judges. 00:04:12.342 --> 00:04:16.242 The Israelites ask God, which tribe should lead them into battle. 00:04:17.412 --> 00:04:20.502 God answers, Judah is to go first. 00:04:20.852 --> 00:04:25.902 The placement of these episodes is designed to confirm that God's choice 00:04:25.902 --> 00:04:30.372 to rule over Israel is the line of David from the tribe of Judah. 00:04:30.882 --> 00:04:37.542 In contrast, the tribe of Israel's first king Saul, the tribe of Benjamin, is 00:04:37.542 --> 00:04:39.762 frequently shown in a negative light. 00:04:40.722 --> 00:04:44.982 Israel is to have a king, but not just any king. 00:04:45.762 --> 00:04:51.042 Since Israel has rejected the Lord as king, an adequate human king 00:04:51.042 --> 00:04:54.882 will have to lead the people to faithfully worship and honor God. 00:04:55.947 --> 00:04:59.787 This brings the story of Israel to the point where God is ready 00:04:59.787 --> 00:05:01.497 to make his fourth covenant. 00:05:01.917 --> 00:05:07.407 Establishing David as King of Israel and founder of a Royal dynasty, 00:05:13.887 --> 00:05:15.147 the Book of Judges. 00:05:17.217 --> 00:05:21.957 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites, ask the Lord, which tribe should 00:05:21.957 --> 00:05:23.787 go first to attack the Canaanites. 00:05:24.687 --> 00:05:29.367 The Lord answered Judah, for I have given them victory over the land. 00:05:30.777 --> 00:05:35.067 The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, join with 00:05:35.072 --> 00:05:38.607 us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. 00:05:39.267 --> 00:05:41.667 Then we will help you conquer your territory. 00:05:42.507 --> 00:05:44.427 So the men of Simeon went with Judah. 00:05:45.657 --> 00:05:49.947 When the Man of Judah attacked the Lord, gave them victory over the Canaanites 00:05:49.947 --> 00:05:54.777 and parasites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bza. 00:05:55.647 --> 00:06:00.867 While at bza, they encountered King Adonai Bza and fought against him, and the 00:06:00.867 --> 00:06:02.787 Canaanites and parasites were defeated. 00:06:03.727 --> 00:06:08.157 Adonai Bza escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and 00:06:08.157 --> 00:06:10.047 cut off his thumbs and big toes. 00:06:11.922 --> 00:06:16.692 Said, I once had 70 kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off 00:06:17.202 --> 00:06:19.122 eating scraps from under my table. 00:06:19.722 --> 00:06:22.422 Now, God has paid me back for what I did to them. 00:06:23.352 --> 00:06:26.052 They took him to Jerusalem and he died there. 00:06:27.162 --> 00:06:31.182 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its 00:06:31.182 --> 00:06:33.012 people and setting the city on fire. 00:06:33.822 --> 00:06:36.612 Then they went down to fight the Canaanites living in the Hill country, 00:06:37.242 --> 00:06:39.342 the Negev and the Western foothills. 00:06:40.407 --> 00:06:46.317 Judah marched against the Canaanites and Hebron, formerly called Eth aba, defeating 00:06:46.317 --> 00:06:50.097 the forces of Isha, a Hyman and Alai. 00:06:51.087 --> 00:06:53.637 From there, they went to fight against the people living in the town 00:06:53.642 --> 00:06:56.307 of Deber, formerly called Eth Ser. 00:06:57.597 --> 00:07:01.917 Caleb said, I will give my daughter Axa in marriage to the one who 00:07:01.917 --> 00:07:03.777 attacks and captures Eth ser. 00:07:05.097 --> 00:07:09.747 Aneal, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Ken was the one who conquered it. 00:07:10.437 --> 00:07:12.567 So Axa became ath Neil's wife. 00:07:13.587 --> 00:07:17.697 When Axa married Ath Neil, she urged him to ask her father for a field. 00:07:18.297 --> 00:07:22.317 As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, what's the matter? 00:07:22.947 --> 00:07:25.557 She said, let me have another gift. 00:07:26.127 --> 00:07:28.287 You have already given me land and the negative. 00:07:28.827 --> 00:07:31.047 Now please give me springs of water too. 00:07:32.412 --> 00:07:37.182 So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs when the tribe of Judah 00:07:37.182 --> 00:07:39.372 left Jericho, the city of Palms. 00:07:39.822 --> 00:07:43.332 The Ken Knights, who were descendants of Moses' father-in-law, traveled with 00:07:43.337 --> 00:07:44.952 them into the wilderness of Judah. 00:07:45.912 --> 00:07:49.632 They settled among the people there near the town of Arad in the Nev. 00:07:50.952 --> 00:07:55.182 Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zfa, 00:07:55.872 --> 00:07:57.792 and they completely destroyed the town. 00:07:58.632 --> 00:08:00.192 So the town was named Horman. 00:08:01.167 --> 00:08:06.747 In addition, Judah captured the towns of Gaza, Ash, Kalan, and Akron, along 00:08:06.747 --> 00:08:08.307 with their surrounding territories. 00:08:09.747 --> 00:08:13.257 The Lord was with the people of Judah and they took possession of the hill 00:08:13.257 --> 00:08:17.127 country, but they failed to drive out the people living in the plains 00:08:17.127 --> 00:08:19.887 who had iron chariots, the town of. 00:08:19.887 --> 00:08:24.417 He was given to Caleb as Moses had promised, and Caleb drove out. 00:08:24.417 --> 00:08:28.017 The people living there who were descendants of the three sons of Anac. 00:08:29.262 --> 00:08:33.252 The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites 00:08:33.522 --> 00:08:34.752 who were living in Jerusalem. 00:08:35.562 --> 00:08:39.672 So to this day, the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people 00:08:39.672 --> 00:08:44.142 of Benjamin, the descendants of Joseph attacked the town of 00:08:44.142 --> 00:08:46.332 Bethel, and the Lord was with them. 00:08:47.172 --> 00:08:50.712 They sent man to scout out Bethel, formerly known as Luz. 00:08:51.702 --> 00:08:55.902 They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, show us a way into 00:08:55.902 --> 00:08:58.062 the town and we will have mercy on you. 00:08:58.992 --> 00:09:02.472 So he showed them a way in and they killed everyone in the town 00:09:02.472 --> 00:09:04.122 except that man and his family. 00:09:05.172 --> 00:09:08.922 Later, the man moved to the land of the Hitite, where he built a town. 00:09:09.792 --> 00:09:12.102 He named it Luz, which is its name. 00:09:12.102 --> 00:09:16.902 To this day, the Tribe of Manasses failed to drive out the people 00:09:16.902 --> 00:09:23.712 living in Beth, Shan, AK Door, IUM, Meto, and all their surrounding 00:09:23.712 --> 00:09:27.462 settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. 00:09:28.602 --> 00:09:31.722 When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work 00:09:31.722 --> 00:09:36.012 as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land. 00:09:37.182 --> 00:09:41.922 The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in geezer, so 00:09:41.927 --> 00:09:43.632 the Canaanites continued to live there. 00:09:43.637 --> 00:09:49.932 Among them, the tribe of Zein failed to drive out the residents of Kiran and Neal, 00:09:50.982 --> 00:09:55.122 so the Canaanites continued to live among them, but the Canaanites were forced to 00:09:55.122 --> 00:09:56.952 work as slaves for the people of Zein. 00:09:58.407 --> 00:10:02.997 The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residence of Echo Seiden, 00:10:03.477 --> 00:10:07.527 aab, ax, ib, PEBA, aic, and Reha. 00:10:08.577 --> 00:10:12.057 Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites who controlled the 00:10:12.057 --> 00:10:14.367 land for they failed to drive them out. 00:10:15.447 --> 00:10:18.627 Likewise, the tribe of Naftali failed to drive out the residence 00:10:18.627 --> 00:10:20.727 of Beth Mish and Beth Anat. 00:10:21.447 --> 00:10:24.537 Instead, they moved in among the Canaanites who controlled the land. 00:10:25.332 --> 00:10:29.502 Nevertheless, the people of Beth Mish and Beth a Nath were forced to work 00:10:29.502 --> 00:10:31.482 as slaves for the people of Naftaly. 00:10:32.622 --> 00:10:36.312 As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into 00:10:36.317 --> 00:10:39.762 the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. 00:10:40.662 --> 00:10:45.402 The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Ez, Alan and Shea 00:10:45.402 --> 00:10:50.052 Alba, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced 00:10:50.052 --> 00:10:51.642 the Amorites to work as slaves. 00:10:52.737 --> 00:10:56.157 The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass to Sila 00:10:56.517 --> 00:10:58.227 and continued upward from there. 00:10:59.487 --> 00:11:05.697 The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bohi and said to the Israelites, I 00:11:05.697 --> 00:11:10.047 brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors. 00:11:10.737 --> 00:11:14.907 And I said, I would never break my covenant with you for your part. 00:11:15.477 --> 00:11:18.507 You are not to make any covenants with the people living in this land. 00:11:19.272 --> 00:11:25.092 Instead, you were to destroy their altars, but you disobeyed my command. 00:11:26.022 --> 00:11:27.102 Why did you do this? 00:11:28.092 --> 00:11:31.572 So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living 00:11:31.572 --> 00:11:36.402 in your land, they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will 00:11:36.402 --> 00:11:38.262 be a constant temptation to you. 00:11:38.622 --> 00:11:42.222 When the angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the 00:11:42.222 --> 00:11:45.192 Israelites, the people wept loudly. 00:11:46.107 --> 00:11:50.517 They called the place Boem, which means weeping, and they offered 00:11:50.517 --> 00:11:52.437 sacrifices there to the Lord. 00:11:54.987 --> 00:11:59.187 After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession 00:11:59.187 --> 00:12:03.447 of the land allotted to them, and the Israelites served the Lord throughout the 00:12:03.507 --> 00:12:08.697 lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him, those who had seen all the 00:12:08.697 --> 00:12:10.977 great things the Lord had done for Israel. 00:12:12.192 --> 00:12:13.512 Joshua son of none. 00:12:13.872 --> 00:12:17.802 The servant of the Lord died at the age of 110. 00:12:18.822 --> 00:12:19.992 They buried him in the land. 00:12:19.992 --> 00:12:25.422 He had been allocated at Tim Nth SRA in the hill country of Eum north of Mount 00:12:25.422 --> 00:12:32.022 gay Ash after that generation died, another generation grew up who did not 00:12:32.022 --> 00:12:36.492 acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 00:12:37.872 --> 00:12:42.222 The Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight and serve the images of Baal. 00:12:43.602 --> 00:12:47.412 They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors who 00:12:47.412 --> 00:12:48.492 had brought them out of Egypt. 00:12:49.512 --> 00:12:53.742 They went after other gods worshiping the gods of the people around 00:12:53.742 --> 00:12:56.652 them, and they angered the Lord. 00:12:57.372 --> 00:13:00.312 They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of eth. 00:13:01.977 --> 00:13:04.647 This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel. 00:13:05.067 --> 00:13:08.337 So he handed them over to Raiders who stole their possessions. 00:13:09.297 --> 00:13:12.537 He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were 00:13:12.537 --> 00:13:14.367 no longer able to resist them. 00:13:15.657 --> 00:13:20.727 Every time Israel went out to battle the Lord fought against them, causing them 00:13:20.727 --> 00:13:26.007 to be defeated, just as he had warned, and the people were in great distress. 00:13:27.747 --> 00:13:32.127 Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. 00:13:33.207 --> 00:13:37.227 Yet Israel did not listen to the judges, but prostituted themselves 00:13:37.227 --> 00:13:42.567 by worshiping other gods how quickly they turned away from the path of 00:13:42.572 --> 00:13:46.827 their ancestors who had walked in obedience to the Lord's commands. 00:13:48.297 --> 00:13:52.557 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge 00:13:52.857 --> 00:13:56.127 and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge's lifetime. 00:13:57.147 --> 00:14:02.097 For the Lord took pity on his people who were burdened by oppression and suffering. 00:14:03.147 --> 00:14:06.507 But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt 00:14:06.507 --> 00:14:10.167 ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. 00:14:10.887 --> 00:14:16.077 They went after other gods serving and worshiping them, and they refused to give 00:14:16.077 --> 00:14:19.197 up their evil practices and stubborn ways. 00:14:20.487 --> 00:14:24.177 So the Lord burned with anger against Israel, he said. 00:14:25.497 --> 00:14:29.487 Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their 00:14:29.487 --> 00:14:32.547 ancestors and have ignored my commands. 00:14:33.207 --> 00:14:37.527 I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left Unconquered when he died. 00:14:38.607 --> 00:14:42.777 I did this to test Israel to see whether or not they would follow the ways 00:14:42.777 --> 00:14:44.547 of the Lord as their ancestors did. 00:14:45.477 --> 00:14:48.057 That is why the Lord left those nations in place. 00:14:48.747 --> 00:14:52.647 He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all. 00:14:54.492 --> 00:14:57.612 These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test Those 00:14:57.612 --> 00:15:02.262 Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan, he did this to teach 00:15:02.262 --> 00:15:06.612 warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. 00:15:07.602 --> 00:15:12.642 These are the nations, the Philistines, those living under the five Philistine 00:15:12.642 --> 00:15:17.712 rulers, all the Canaanites, the Ians, and the hives, living in 00:15:17.712 --> 00:15:21.402 the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal, Herman to Libo Hamath. 00:15:22.542 --> 00:15:26.862 These people were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would 00:15:26.862 --> 00:15:30.492 obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses. 00:15:32.082 --> 00:15:36.612 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hitite, Amorites, 00:15:36.912 --> 00:15:41.532 parasites, Paes, and Jebusites, and they intermarried with them. 00:15:42.342 --> 00:15:46.542 Israelites sons married their daughters and Israelite daughters 00:15:46.572 --> 00:15:48.192 were given in marriage to their sons. 00:15:49.317 --> 00:15:51.927 And the Israelites served their gods. 00:15:53.667 --> 00:15:56.547 This concludes today's immerse reading experience. 00:15:56.667 --> 00:15:57.897 Thank you for joining us.