Category Archives: Judges

The Thief Comes …

Posted on May 1, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

When we left Judges chapter 9 we saw the false judge Abimelech (the concubine son of Gideon or Jerubbaal) ruled (not judged, but ruled) over Israel for three years. God allowed Abimelech to slaughter all but one of the other sons of Gideon (Jotham) to set up his kingdom. After three years, everything fell apart. The men of Shechem who conspired with Abimelech to do evil were utterly destroyed, and Abimelech himself died when a woman dropped a millstone on his head (Judges 9:53; 2 Samuel 11:21). This reminded me of what Jesus said:

Mark 9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.

Something interesting happens between chapters 9 and 10. The general pattern of the Book of Judges that we have seen so far is…

Israel rebels against God
God disciplines Israel with an unbelieving nation
Israel repents
God raises up a Judge to restore Israel

Failure To Repent And Pursuit Of Sin
Brings Hardening Of The Conscience

This pattern is disrupted in chapter 10. As we enter this chapter 10, we see two judges in the first FIVE verses of chapter 10:… Continue reading →

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Your Sin Will Find You Out, Abimelech

Posted on April 24, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Judges 9:1-3 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh. 3 And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

The great Prophet Moses warned us all a long time ago:

Numbers 32:23 … be sure your sin will find you out.

Sin is nothing to wink at. When Cain sinned against God by offering the wrong sacrifice, God told Cain:

Genesis 4:7 (ESV) … sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it

Because Cain would not rule over his sin by repenting, and doing as God said, he ended up murdering his brother Abel. The stepbrother of Jesus said:

James 1:14-15 (ESV) … each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

The Bible describes sin as if it is a living thing. And it is. The Apostle Paul spoke of sin inside his own life, saying “it is no longer I who do it, but IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT”. … Continue reading →

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The Enemy Within

Posted on April 4, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Turn with me in your Bibles to Judges chapter 8. When we ended last week, Gideon or Jerubbaal (Judges 7:1) at the direction of God led 300 men to utterly destroy the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the men of the east (other Canaanites). God only wanted 300 men with trumpets, clay jars, and lamps to come to the enemy. On smashing the clay pots and blowing their trumpets, the forces of Midian ended up killing one another with their own swords (Judges 7:22).

The Enemy Within

When you have a mountaintop experience with God, it doesn’t take long before the enemy will attack. The enemy doesn’t normally come at us from the outside, but the greatest enemy is the one who comes from the inside. When you serve God – Jesus said – “a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:36). It was prophesied that the Messiah – our Jesus – would be betrayed by “My close friend in whom I trusted, who ate My bread – he lifted up his heel against Me” (Psalm 41:9). Though Jesus chose Judas Iscariot to be an Apostle, and even gave him a trusted position as treasurer of the Apostles, Jesus did so knowing that Judas would betray Him with a kiss (John 13:18) for just 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave.

The worst evil comes at us not from the outside,
but from within the house!… Continue reading →

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God Works With a Few

Posted on March 28, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Last week we ended with Gideon being given a mission from God. He was to go to his father Joash’s Altar to Baal and, using a 7 year old bull, tear the altar down. Tearing it down he was then to kill the bullock, and offer a sacrifice to the God of Israel.

God’s Leaders Must Publicly Stand Up For God

Gideon’s action was a public profession of his faith in God. Those who claim to be children of God are to publicly stand up and affirm their faith in God, regardless as to what others think. Jesus said in

Luke 9:26 (ESV) For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Matthew 10:32-33 (ESV) So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Luke 12:8-9 (ESV) And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

I have often heard people say, “I have faith, but my faith is a private matter”. It cannot be a “private thing” if you’re saved. John MacArthur rightly said in reference to Luke 12:8 …

“If you have a very private, personal faith of your own, you’ll take it to hell. …… Continue reading →

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Jerubbaal, Mighty Man Of Valor

Posted on March 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

So far in Judges we have seen the judges, the Avengers of God:

Othniel, the nephew of Caleb (3:7-11) defeat Mesopotamia
Ehud defeat the fat Moabite King Eglon (3:12-30)
Shamgar defeat 600 Philistines (3:31), and
Deborah directing Barak as he defeats King Jabin of Canaan

We now come to the Judge Gideon. God spends more time discussing Gideon and Samson that He does any other judges. We will cover Gideon in at least two installments.

Before Gideon Comes, The Midianites
And A Prophet Comes

Judges 6:1-2 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

Gideon’s calling by God is very similar to His calling of the other Judges. The phrase:… Continue reading →

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God Uses Both Men And Women

Posted on March 15, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Last week we studied about Ehud, the left handed Judge who saved Israel from the fat king of Moab. We also talked about Shamgar, a man who’s name meant “sword”, but who had no sword. Shamgar killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad, what is a hardened pointy stick. The similarity between Ehud and Shamgar is that both Judges lived at the same time, and both killed the enemy with something pointy and sharp. The Book of Judges has been known as a bloody book, for it shows in graphic detail the horrifying effects of sin. One commentary notes:

“Altogether, roughly a quarter of a million people perish in Judges!”

Both Shamgar and Ehud were Judges at the same time. Shamgar’s death is not mentioned in Scripture, but as Ehud dies, Israel returns to their apostasy.

Judges 4:2-3 And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles. 3 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord: for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.

Israel began to worship the fertility gods of Canaan, and to move into sexual sin. Since they chose to walk away from God the Lord “gave them over” to what they wanted. The same language is used in the New Testament to describe how idolatry leads into destructive sexual sin. The Scripture says:… Continue reading →

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A Left Handed Assassin And A Man With A Pointy Stick

Posted on March 7, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Last week we looked at the first Judge of Israel, Othniel. Othniel was a representative of the Tribe of Judah, and a man who was filled with faith for the Lord. As we turn to Judges 3:12-13, we’re going to see that Israel was obedient to God as long as Othniel ruled. Once he died, we see there is no godly leadership. Without godly leadership, Israel once more drifts away from the Lord. We read:

Judges 3:12-13 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord. 13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

The Devil Destroys By Demolishing Divine Design

With all the weirdness and “wokeness” in America today – the Black Lives Matter movement, the Radical Left, the LGBTQ2S+ movements, the “Use My Preferred Pronoun” madness, the Radical Feminism and push for Abortion, the Transgender Modification of young children, and on and on – you might wonder what in the world is happening to our country. What is happening is that Satan has mounted an all out offensive against the Divine Design of Civilization. Satan is attacking the FAMILY…. Continue reading →

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Othniel And The Spirit of God

Posted on February 27, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

Every preacher of the Gospel has wrestled with this. The Prophet prayed:

Jeremiah 12:1-2 (ESV) “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts”

How is it possible that a pervert named Hugh Hefner entice and deceive young women, and build a Playboy Empire worth $412 million? How can God allow Pablo Escobar – the King of Cocaine – to amass over 33 billion dollars of wealth? How many people did his drugs enslave, how many lives ruined? How is it that actors like Alec Baldwin can kill an innocent person, and get only a slap on the wrist? That ancient preacher Job asked:

Job 21:7 “Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?”

God answers His people. The wicked have not escaped judgment, but a judgment day is coming. We who are mortal want this to come today. Our God tells us:

Psalm 37:1-7 (ESV) “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes”

There Are Two Reasons The Wicked Are Blessed

The Bible tells us that God allows the wicked to prosper for two reasons. The Apostle said:… Continue reading →

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The Cycle Of Judges

Posted on February 21, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

When I was growing up, very few parents bought their children their first car. When I wanted a car, dad told me to work for it, and that he would help. My granddaddy gave me a 1958 Rambler (wish I had it today) that I thought little of. It cost me nothing. It was old. Real old. Old As ME. So I really mistreated that car. But when I bought my first car, I spent part of every weekend washing, waxing, and polishing it both inside and out. The kids that received their cars gratis mistreated them, cared little for them. When you work for it, you care about it.

Joshua worked for God, and did as God said. But he expected each believer to do their part. It is a principle of Scripture that:

2 Thessalonians 3:10 … if a person will not work, that person shall not eat …

1 Thessalonians 5:18 … a worker deserves their wages …… Continue reading →

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From Gilgal To Bochim

Posted on February 13, 2023 by bibleteacherorg

An “angel of the Lord” came to Israel with a message direct from God. The Angel spoke from God just as our Bible speaks from God. What caused the Angel to come? Because Israel had gone “from Gilgal to Bochim”. You read this as a Gentile and think, “so what?”. You have to look at the places, and see what happened in the contexts. The Angel came “from Gilgal”. The Bible tells us that ..

Gilgal (also called Bethel) is the place where the second generation of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land.

It was at Gilgal that God had Israel cross into the Promised Land. The Priests were to go first, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, a holy box that contained manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the Ten Commandments on stone (Hebrews 9:4). As the Priests stepped into the Jordan, the Bible says:

Joshua 3:13 … when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.

God replicated what He did at the Red Sea with the first generation of Israel. While Moses (a Priest) held his rod over the water, the Red Sea parted and the people went through on dry land. As the second generation of Israel crossed the swollen Jordan River, the Priests step in carrying the Ark of the Covenant. As they step in the water, the water retreats, and stands up on both sides like it did with Moses 40 years before. Israel obeyed God, and started rolling forward.

Gilgal (the transliterated Hebrew word Gilgāl) means:
“a ROLLING WHEEL”.

Israel was on the move. Following God, they would be a juggernaut that nothing could stop! To help Israel remember this time, Joshua had every tribe pick set up a memorial stone at Gilgal (Joshua 4:19-20). When you follow God, you can do the impossible. The Scripture says:… Continue reading →

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