The Role of the Judges in Israel
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Judges Role in Israel
Purpose of Judges is to show how Israelites repeatedly turned from God to the idolatry of their neighbors. This led to oppression by their enemies, until Gods people returned to him and prayed for deliverance. God then provided leaders who threw out the oppressors. During this time the judges ruled. The book of Judges has three main sections: The cause of the decline, the events of the judges, and the consequences of straying from God.
The causes of the decline began to take place after the death of Joshua. Not all the Canaanites were driven out during the conquest. Each Israelites tribe separated from those who remained, in order to protect Gods people from spiritual and moral corruption. Some tribes failed to do so because of their lack of faith. Others directly disobeyed and when Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor (Joshua 1:28, LASB, pg. 378).
A judge is an individual who govern and rules the Israelites tribes. These gifted individuals exercised military powers during their time in office. God calls individuals from every walk of life and equipped them to serve as judges. These are the judges he called.
Othniel, Israels first judge. God called Othniel to judge the people and save them from the Aramites who were oppressing them (Merrill, 1991, Pg. 164). Othniel obeyed God he got the victory in battle. The Israelites conquer the Aramites and Othniel rested for 40 years (Judges and Ruth, 2004, pg.10)
Ehud assassinates Eglon by means of a clever ruse, afterward saved the Israelites from the Moabite. Afterward Israel rested for 80 years.
Shamgar killed six hundred Philistines with an ox goad, thereby delivering Israel (Judges 3:31, LASB, pg., 383).
Deborah a prophetess and a local judge incited Barak to go with her into battle against Siseras hosts in the Jezreel Valley to defeat Jabin and Sisera. God cause the storm to fill the River to overflowing causing the Canaanites to be stuck in the mud, having to flee by foot (Martin, James, D. (1975) (pg. 32).
Gideons won the victory with three hundred men against a much larger army. Gideon was deeply aware of his weakness (Martin, James, D. (1975), (pg., 32).Whats more fascinating is that even though Gibeon was deeply aware of his weakness, and sought constant reassurance, he obeyed god before he was reassurance. A weak person willing to obey God ill will be the strongest in the ened (Judges 6-7).
Tola becomes judge after Israels death. He served as judges for twenty three
Years (Matthew, V. H. (2004), (pg. 18)
Jair succeeds Tola, and his thirty sons assisted him for twenty two years (Matthew, Victor, H (2004), Pg.18).
Jephthah; When the