Route 66: Judges - Everyone Did What Was Right in Their Own Eyes

Good evening, just for the sake of review and for those of us who are joining us for the first time, we are currently in the middle of a series called Route 66, or Book by Book, and what we're essentially doing is going through each book of the Bible in thematic themes.

Basically so just going, taking each book, doing an overview, talking about important themes.

Basically so, just going taking each book, doing an overview, talking about important themes, and each study so far hasn't been exhaustive, but the hope is that as we work through each book, that we would continue to remember that the Bible is one big book that tells one story.

So for this evening, I have the pleasure and the daunting task of leading us in the book of Judges.

So before we begin, please join me in a word of prayer.

Gracious Father, I thank you for an opportunity to teach your word.

Lord, you are strong and I am weak, and I'm asking, lord, god, that you would sustain me, give me power to teach clearly and faithfully, and may your people be edified this evening, all for your name's sake.

Amen.

If you have your Bible with you, please turn with me to the book of Judges.

We're going to be reading quite a bit today.

So keep your Bibles open and your fingers nimble.

But let's go to the very end of Judges, judges, chapter 21,.

Judges 21 · chapter mention

But let's go to the very end of Judges.

Judges, chapter 21, verse 25.

Judges 21:25

Judges, chapter 21, verse 25.

Judges 21:25

In those days, there was no king in Israel.

Everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

Tonight's overview of Judges will be this verse divided up into three headings Heading number one in those days.

Heading number two there was no king in Israel.

And heading number three everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

As we work through these headings, we will be addressing questions like when and where did the events of this book take place, in addition to who the people were or what the circumstances these people found themselves in.

Once we work through all of those questions, I'm going to show us an interesting parallel between their first few chapters of Genesis and the book of Judges.

And lastly, from there, I'll leave us with two points that will serve as important takeaways from the book of Judges.

Heading number one in those days.

The first three words of this verse are obviously referring to a particular time in Israel's history, and the right question to ask is where are we in Israel's storyline?

What did the events found in this book take place?

If you look with me to the opening words of chapter 1 of Judges, we'll find a big clue to our answer.

So let's look at verse 1 of chapter 1.

It reads After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the Lord who will be the first to fight for us against the Canaanites.

We're at a point in Israel's storyline where one of their most important leaders has passed away, and prior to this point, as a nation, the people of Israel have seen the Lord work on their behalf in tremendous and miraculous ways.

Here are a few examples.

While they were enslaved in Egypt for a little more than 400 years, the Lord raised up one of their own to be a deliverer for them.

That was Moses.

Before Israel's exodus from Egypt, many signs and wonders were done by God through the hands of Moses, so the people would know that the Lord God is a faithful, covenant-keeping God.

When all hope seemed lost, the Lord miraculously parted the Red Sea so that the people of Israel walked on dry ground and escaped the hands of the Egyptians.

Some would argue about two million people crossed the Red Sea.

While wandering in the wilderness for 40 years in search of the promised land, the Lord provided manna and quail for Israel, in addition to sustaining their clothes and sandals, so that their clothes and sandals did not wear out.

After the death of Moses, the Lord raised up Joshua, a faithful warrior leader who would help lead Israel into the promised land.

And through Joshua's leadership, israel conquered much of their enemy's territory.

And they had rest from their enemies, and that is why you read in the lifetime of Joshua that none of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed.

Everything was fulfilled.

So the point where we are in Israel's storyline started on a high note.

Even though one of their most important leaders had passed, the people of Israel had witnessed much of the Lord's power and favor.

But one more important thing to mention is that, even though the people of Israel were in a good place in the beginning of this book, joshua left the people of Israel with a warning before he died.

Turn with me to Joshua, chapter 23, and we're going to read verses 9 to 13.

Joshua 23 · chapter mention

Joshua 23, verses 9 to 13.

Joshua 23:9–13

Listen to this warning left for the people of Israel.

The Lord has driven out great and powerful nations before you.

No one is able to stand against you to this day.

One of you routed a thousand because the Lord, your God, was fighting for you, as he promised.

So diligently, watch yourselves, Love the Lord, your God.

If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of these nations among you, and if you intermarry or associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord, your God, will not continue to drive out these nations out.

And this warning we get a little more context for where the people of Israel were in the beginning of Judges.

Warning we get a little more context for where the people of Israel were in the beginning of Judges.

The people of Israel were within the borders of the promised land, canaan, and much land had been conquered, thanks to Joshua.

However, there were still pockets of land within the promised land that Israel's enemies still occupied.

So, though the people of Israel were in the promised land, their enemies were still among them, and this warning that Joshua gave was one to remind the people of Israel to watch themselves, to love the Lord and to not mingle with their enemies.

So in those days or in the beginning of those days, I should say, after the death of Joshua, things were looking pretty good for Israel.

There was some unfinished business, but Israel had a head start on things, thanks to Joshua.

In those days there was no king in Israel.

Everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

Heading number two there was no king in Israel.

Now, if you think about it, these words are actually a little scary.

When we think about the word king, we will naturally associate that word with authority, rule or leadership.

And if we were to imagine any place, group of people, business, church, school, etc.

Without any authority or some form of leadership, we know that a downfall is bound to happen.

No authority, no rule, no leadership implies lack of order, which leads to two things disorder and disaster.

And sadly, this is the turn we see in Israel shortly after the death of Joshua.

Look with me at Judges, chapter 2, and we will read from verse 6 to 19, but I'll start with verse 6.

Judges 2 · chapter mention

Previously, when joshua had sent the people away, the israelites had gone to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance.

The people worshiped the lord throughout joshua's lifetime and during the lifetime of the elders who outlived Joshua, they had seen all the Lord's great works he had done for Israel.

In those two verses we see godly leadership and godly order.

Godly leadership in Joshua because he was known as a God-fearing, faithful leader.

Godly order in the Israelites, because they not only listened to Joshua when he dismissed them, but because they also worshiped the Lord, the one who called them to covenant faithfulness.

Going on to verse 8.

Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age 110.

Here is what would be the beginning of the absence of godly leadership.

On to verse 9 and 10.

They buried him in the territory of his inheritance, the Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gash.

That whole generation was also gathered to their ancestors.

After them, another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel.

As you can see from verse 10, the godly leadership in Israel once thrived under is now gone.

And from that place where there was no more godly leadership, we start to see the disorder and the disaster that follows for the people of Israel.

In the following verses let's keep reading, starting from verse 11.

Out of Egypt, they followed other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them.

They angered the Lord for they abandoned him and worshipped Baal and the Ashtoreths.

The Lord's anger burned against Israel and he handed them over to marauders who raided them.

He sold them to enemies around them and they could no longer resist their enemies.

Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against them and brought disaster on them, just as he had promised and sworn to them.

So they suffered greatly.

The Lord raised up judges who saved them from the power of their marauders, but they did not listen to their judges.

Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods bowing down to them.

They quickly turned from their way of the ancestors who had walked in obedience to the Lord's commands.

They did not do as their ancestors did.

Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies.

While the judge was still alive, the Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them.

Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow and worship to them.

They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate ways.

What we just read was essentially the cycle that repeats itself several times throughout the book of Judges.

After each cycle, things kept getting worse, and that cycle goes something like this.

It has four stages Sin, suffering, supplication, salvation.

The people of Israel turn to idolatry.

There's your sin.

God judges Israel for their sin.

That's the suffering.

Israel cries out in repentance.

That's the supplication.

God raises up a judge to set Israel free from captivity.

That's the salvation.

So, even though there was no king in Israel, the Lord raised up these temporary kings or leaders called judges, and this is where we get the title of the book from.

The judges that the Lord raised up were not leaders in the courtroom sense, but leaders that were endowed with his spirit to lead Israel in the regional, political and military sense, and the book of Judges covers 12 leaders in total.

Some of the popular ones are Deborah, gideon and Samson.

We will not look at all the judges this evening, but the important thing to mention is that, while the judges did provide temporary leadership for Israel, the Israelites still progressed deeper and deeper into sin, and sadly, this is seen in the judges as well.

As you move along towards the end of the book, heading number three, everyone did whatever seemed right to him.

For this last heading, I would like to make an interesting connection between the book of Judges and the first few chapters of Genesis.

As I mentioned before, the book of Judges starts on a rather high note.

Listen to these words from Joshua 21, verses 43 to 45.

Joshua 21:43–45

These words were given just a little bit before the death of Joshua and before his final warning to the people of Israel.

So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had sworn to their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.

The Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all he had sworn to their ancestors.

None of their enemies were able to stand against him, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them.

None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed.

Everything was fulfilled.

The book of Judges actually starts with that pattern of God's kingdom that we've been learning from Von Roberts' book God's Big Picture.

You have God's people, the Israelites, in God's place, in Canaan, under his rule and blessing, rest from their enemies.

And this pattern can even be seen in the fact that the Israelites were able to inquire of the Lord in the first verse of Judges 1.

And though the Israelites were in God's place, canaan, the promised land, they were given an objective to cast out and destroy the enemies that were still among them.

The objective to cast out the surrounding enemies can be thought of as a call to expand God's kingdom.

In order to do that successfully, all the Israelites had to do was heed the warning that God gave them through Joshua.

Simply put, they needed to trust and obey God's word, and this situation is an echo of what we see in the first few chapters of Genesis, chapters of Genesis.

In Genesis 1-2, we have God's people, adam and Eve, in God's place, the Garden of Eden, under God's rule and blessing.

Adam and Eve had God's word and they have a perfect relationship with him.

The Lord sets the stage for Adam and Eve.

Everything that the Lord made was indeed very good, and when the Lord had blessed Adam and Eve in the garden, he told them to be fruitful, to multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it, and to work the land and to take care of it.

So, even though all that the Lord made was indeed very good, the Lord gave Adam and Eve the charge to expand his kingdom, and in order to do that successfully, all that Adam and Eve had to do was heed the warning that God gave them regarding the tree of knowledge and good and evil.

However, in both cases for the Israelites in the book of Judges and Adam and Eve.

Instead of trusting and obeying God's word, the people of God did whatever seemed right to them.

Instead of completely driving out the Canaanites from the promised land, the Israelites compromised.

They decided to put their enemies to forced labor, which allowed for their enemies to still live among them, therefore compromising Israel's identity as the people of God, and consequently, the Israelites will turn to worship the God of their enemies instead of the one true living God.

Instead of trusting in God's word regarding the tree of knowledge and good and evil, adam and Eve brought into the lie of the servants and they ate of the tree that they were forbidden to eat from.

Now the argument can be made for both cases is what's the big deal?

Was it really that bad for the Israelites not to drive out their enemies?

At least they made them slaves?

Or was it really that bad?

Eve ate a piece of fruit?

It's just fruit.

The problem with that argument is that it only addresses the surface of the matter, but at the heart of both cases is this idea that the creature thinks it knows better than its creator.

It's not so much the fact that the people of God, in both cases break God's perfect and good law.

But it's more so the fact that the people of God are redefining what God calls good when they decide to do whatever seems right to them.

In other words, when God gives a command to his people, regardless of how things appear, it is always for their good.

But when his people decide to disobey a command, god's people are essentially saying God, I know you created the heavens and the earth by the word of your power.

I know that you know each of the stars by name.

I know you formed me and fashioned me in my mother's womb.

I know you know the very words I will speak before I say them.

But in this one specific area, as it pertains in my life, I think you're wrong.

So I'm going to do what seems right to me.

It was that spiritual posture that brought sin into the world by one man.

It is that spiritual posture that underlies the entire book of Judges.

And this will now segue us into the two points that I would like for us to take away from the book.

Number one big sin has small beginnings.

Big sin has small beginnings.

If you've ever read the book of Judges, you've made it all the way to the end.

You've likely asked the question how did things get this bad?

It just seems that the people of God are getting farther and farther away from him as the book progresses.

And if you're wondering how bad is bad, in Judges, chapter 19, there's an episode of a Levite and a concubine.

Judges 19 · chapter mention

And just to spare the drama and get straight to my point, the episode of the Levite and the concubine.

And just to spare the drama and get straight to my point, the episode of the Levite and the concubine ends like this these are the very words of scripture found in Judges, chapter 19, verses 27 to 29.

Judges 19:27–29

When her master got up in the morning, opened the doors of the house, he went out to leave.

On his journey there was the woman His concubine collapsed near the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold.

Get up.

He told her let's go, but there was no response.

So the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.

When he entered his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her into 12 pieces, limb by limb.

And then it's hard not to have a visceral reaction when you hear those words.

It's hard not to have a visceral reaction when you hear those words and again.

A story like that makes us beg the question how did things get this bad?

How does one who was chosen to offer temple sacrifices for the Lord and one who was called to teach and enforce the word of God be one who commits such a wicked deed?

The answer to that question doesn't start with the Levite in chapter 19, but it actually starts with Israel's behavior in chapter 1.

The one word that could be used to describe Israel's behavior in chapter 1 is compromise.

In the first 15 verses of chapter 1, the people of Israel were successful in conquering some of the enemy nations that were among them in the promised land of Canaan.

They were faithful in listening to the warning that God gave them to not mingle or associate with the Canaanites.

There was no compromise.

However, in verses 16 to 26, the people of Israel were only partially successful in conquering the other enemy nations, meaning that the Israelites were faithful, but not completely, and therein lies the beginning of compromise.

From verse 27 to the end of chapter 1, the Israelites are failing to take possession of enemy territory and from there they allow for their enemies to live among them.

And this is where we see complete compromise, when Israel was supposed to be the one driving out ungodly nations that worshiped other gods like Baal and participated in child sacrifice.

They instead became the ones that were influenced by the ungodly nations, and it was that influence of the ungodly nations that led to greater and greater sin committed by the people of God.

The people of God gave their enemies an inch and before they knew it, they had lost a mile.

This is a perfect illustration for the consequences of compromise and disobedience.

This is a perfect illustration for the consequences of compromise and disobedience.

When you take the time to consider some of the bigger sins that you might have committed in your own life, I can guarantee you that those bigger sins had small beginnings.

Consider the story of Cain and Abel.

Cain doesn't just decide to murder his brother.

There was anger and jealousy brewing in his heart because he didn't like that.

Abel received favor from the Lord.

The Lord confronts Cain and calls him to deal with the matters of his heart, but instead of heeding God's warning, he decides to murder his brother.

Mind you, this is the very first murder we see in the Bible, and it happens one generation after Adam and Eve's disobedience.

David, a man after God's own heart, commits not only the shameful act of adultery, but he also orders for the husband of the woman that he has an affair with to be murdered.

That big sin was the result of him simply choosing to stay at home when he should have been off to battle.

Samson, a man with formidable strength, dies an awful death because he decides that it's better to marry outside the people of God.

When we get to the end of Judges, we are seeing the awful ways that people of God are spiraling downward into sin, and it's important to keep in mind those big sins have small beginnings.

But the second takeaway that we learn from the book of Judges is this Though sin may be big, god is still bigger.

Though sin may be big, god is still bigger.

Here lies the only reason why there is still hope for the people of Israel at the end of the book of Judges, and here lies the only reason why there is still hope for the people of Israel at the end of the book of Judges, and here lies the only reason why there is still hope for any of us to this present day.

Time and time again, throughout the entire book of Judges, we see the unfaithfulness of God's people, and it almost doesn't make sense when you see the Lord's patience with his dealings with his people.

The Israelites rebel.

God judges them.

They cry out to him.

God raises up a judge to redeem them.

You would think that after going through that cycle a few times, the people of God would have learned their lesson.

But they didn't.

And the reason why is because in those days there was no king and everyone did whatever seemed right to them.

As I mentioned earlier, the words there was no king were a little scary, considering what that meant.

But those words also reveal what the people of Israel needed and what they were looking forward to.

And it reveals to us what we need and what we need to look forward to.

And that need for Israel and that need for us is a king.

A king that leads in the way of righteousness, a king who does not compromise, a king who knows how to wage war against his enemies to protect his people, a king who is gentle and lowly, a king who is all powerful and all wise, a king who is good to all of his people, a king who has an everlasting kingdom, a king who promises to make all things new and a king who, when the time comes, is one who's willing to lay down his life for his people.

The reason why Israel needed a king like that, and the reason why we need a king like that, is because I truly believe that the desire to do whatever seems right to us will no longer be a priority when you have a personal relationship with a king who is that wonderful and glorious.

Let's pray, father.

We thank you that when we read the book of Judges, we see an unfaithful people, but we see a God who is faithful, a God who is powerful and a God who recognizes our need for a king.

We thank you, o Lord, that in sending your Son, you gave us the perfect king, a king who gave his life for our sins, so that we may have a personal relationship with you.

You may recognize that it is the greatest treasure that we can have, and may we never compromise, leaving out your word for the things of this world.

Help us to be faithful, help us to be salt and light, and I pray this all in your son's name, amen.