RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 3
LESSON #04
GOD USES INSIGNIFICANT PEOPLE

• MEMORY VERSE: ISAIAH 55:8

• AS WE LEARNED IN JDG 2:3, ONE OF THE REASONS GOD LEFT THE PAGAN TRIBES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN WAS TO TEACH THE ISRAELITES WARFARE.
• WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY IN GOD’S PLAN?
• THE ISRAELITES WERE A BACKWARD PEOPLE. THEY HAD BEEN SLAVES IN EGYPT, WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS FOR A GENERATION, AND HAD SOME SUCCESS AT WARFARE WHEN THEY ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND UNDER JOSHUA BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD.
• HOWEVER, MANY OF ISRAEL’S ENEMIES HAD IRON WEAPONS, WHILE THE ISRAELITES STILL USED BRONZE WEAPONS. THE ISRAELITES HAD NOT YET ENTERED INTO THE IRON AGE. THEY WERE, THEREFORE, AT A GREAT DISADVANTAGE. THAT DISADVANTAGE WOULD GET WORSE OVER TIME WITHOUT SOME EXPERIENCE WITH LOCAL ENEMIES.
• IT IS NOT ONLY IN PHYSICAL WARFARE THAT THE ISRAELITES NEEDED EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO IN SPIRITUAL WARFARE. THEY NEEDED TO LEARN HOW TO TRUST GOD BY FAITH WHEN ENEMIES ATTACKED.
• ISRAEL’S ENEMIES:
• THE CANAANITES
• THESE SEMITIC PEOPLE WERE THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND WHEN ISRAEL ENTERED THE LAND UNDER JOSHUA.
• THEIR ORIGINS ARE UNCERTAIN THOUGH THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME RELATIONSHIP TO THE PHOENICIANS (TRADERS WHO TRAVELED THE SEAS)
• THERE ARE SOME FAMILY TRIBAL NAME GROUPS OF CANAANITES THAT ARE ALL RELATED AND FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES.
• THE HIVITES (HORITES) (THEY LIVED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LEBANON).
• THE JEBUSITES (PEOPLE LIVING IN JERUSALEM)
• THE AMORITES
• THE HITTITES
• THE GIRGASHITES
• THE GIBEONITES (THEY BECAME PART OF THE ISRAELITES UNDER JOSHUA)
• THE PERIZZITES (THE NAME MEANS CITY DWELLERS)
• THE SIDONIANS (PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF SIDON)
• THE ARAMAENS
• THESE NOMADIC PEOPLE CAME FROM EAST OF IRAQ ACROSS THE MESOPOTAMIAN AREA.
• THE MESOPOTAMIANS
• PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE AREA OF IRAQ.
• THE PHILISTINES
• PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE AREA OF GAZA. THEY ORIGINALLY DESCENDED FROM HAM AND THEN FROM MIZRAIM IN EGYPT.
• ISRAEL’S GREATEST AND LONG-ENDURING ENEMY.
• THE NAME, PALESTINE, COMES FROM THE NAME PHILISTIA TO DESCRIBE A SMALL PROVINCE IN THE TIME OF THE ROMANS.
• THE NAME WAS A ROMAN ATTEMPT TO DENY ISRAEL THE RIGHT TO THEIR LAND.
• THE MIDIANITES
• THESE PEOPLE WERE DESCENDED FROM ABRAHAM AND HIS CONCUBINE, KETURAH. THEY INHABITED THE DESERT AREAS OF TRANSJORDAN, WEST OF THE RIVER JORDAN BETWEEN THE DEAD SEA AND GALILEE.
• THE MOABITES
• THESE PEOPLE DESCENDED FROM LOT AND HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER. THEY INHABITED THE AREA WEST OF THE DEAD SEA.
• THE BOOK OF RUTH, A MOABITE, OCCURS DURING THIS SAME TIME PERIOD OF THE JUDGES.
• THE AMMONITES
• THESE PEOPLE DESCENDED FROM LOT AND HIS YOUNGER DAUGHTER. THEY INHABITED THE TERRITORY NORTH WEST OF THE DEAD SEA.
• THE EDOMITES
• THE PEOPLE WHO DESCENDED FROM ESAU. THEY OCCUPIED THE LAND FROM THE GULF OF AQABAH 100 MILES TO SOUTH OF THE PROMISED LAND.
• THE AMALEKITES
• THEY DESCENDED FROM ESAU. THEY WERE A NOMADIC DESERT TRIBE IN THE NEGEB AND SINAI AREAS.

• READ JDG 3:1-11 CYCLE #1 == OTHNIEL, THE FIRST JUDGE
• THE FIVE POINTS OF THE CYCLE:
• =1= SIN (5-7)
• THE ISRAELITES INTERMARRIED WITH THE PAGAN CANAANITES (5-6)
• THE ISRAELITES BEGAN TO WORSHIP CANAANITE GODS (6-7)
• BAAL AND ASHERAH (SEE THE NOTES IN LESSON #3)
• VERSE 7 MENTIONS "GROVES". YOU WILL FIND THIS WORD AND THE WORD "GARDENS" THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT.
• BOTH WORDS REFER TO PAGAN PLACES OF WORSHIP THAT WERE BUILT ON MOUNTAIN TOPS AND SURROUNDED BY GROVES OF ASHERAH POLES AND GARDENS.

• =2= SERVITUDE (8)
• KING OF MESOPOTAMIA, CHUSHAN-RISHATHAIM
• HIS NAME MEANS = CHUSHAN OF DOUBLE WICKEDNESS.
• THE ISRAELITES SERVED THIS KING FOR EIGHT YEARS.
• NOTICE THAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS GOD SOLD THEM INTO THIS SLAVERY. FROM THIS SCRIPTURAL STATEMENT, WE CAN COME TO THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSION:
• GOD IS IN CONTROL OF HIS PEOPLE.
• GOD IS IN CONTROL OF THE SURROUNDING PAGAN TRIBES.
• SLAVERY WAS THE RESULT OF SIN.
• THIS IS GOD’S MEANS OF CHASTISEMENT.
• GOD’S PURPOSE WAS TO DRIVE HIS PEOPLE TO THEIR KNEES SO THEY WOULD TURN BACK TO GOD.
• =3= SUPPLICATION (9)
• FINALLY, WHEN THE OPPRESSION GOT TOO GREAT, THE ISRAELITES CRIED OUT TO GOD FOR HELP.
• GOD SENT THEM, OTHNIEL, THE FIRST JUDGE.
• THE POSITION OF A JUDGE, HIS QUALIFICATIONS, AND HIS JOB DESCRIPTION:
• THE POSITION:

• THE WORD, "JUDGE" IN HEBREW MEANS = ONE WHO MAINTAINS JUSTICE, SETTLES DISPUTES, LIBERATES, OR DELIVERS.

• FROM THE MEANING OF THE HEBREW WORD, JUDGE, WE GET THE IDEA THAT THIS WAS A POLITICAL POSITION, A JUDICIAL POSITION, AND SOMETIMES A MILITARY POSITION

• A TEMPORARY POSITION AND NOT HEREDITARY.
• CHOSEN AND ANOINTED BY GOD.
• A LOCAL POSITION OF LEADERSHIP.

• THE QUALIFICATIONS:
• WHAT CHARACTERISTICS ARE IMPORTANT TO GOD IN CHOOSING A JUDGE?
• READ EXO 18:21-22
• READ DEU 1:13-17
• WILLINGNESS TO SERVE GOD IS THE PRIMARY CHARACTERISTIC WE SEE IN JDG 3.
• AN ISRAELITE WHO ACKNOWLEDGED GOD.
• ONE WHO HAD WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE WAYS OF GOD.
• ONE WHO WAS TRUTHFUL AND HATED COVETOUSNESS.
• THE JOB DESCRIPTION IN THREE PHASES:
• FIRST, THE JUDGE WAS TO BRING THE PEOPLE TO JUDGMENT.
• LIKE A PROPHET, HE WOULD CONFRONT THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR SIN TO BRING THEM TO REPENTANCE. WHEN THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, HIS JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGED.
• SECOND, THE JUDGE WOULD ACT AS A DELIVERER OR SAVIOR.
• THIS INVOLVED MILITARY LEADERSHIP ON THE BATTLEFIELD TO FREE THE PEOPLE FROM THEIR ENEMY OPPRESSOR. WHEN THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED, HIS JOB DESCRIPTION CHANGED.
• THIRD, THE JUDGE WOULD ACT AS A SHEPHERD, A COUNSELOR, AN ADMINISTRATOR OF CIVIL AND JUDICIAL JUSTICE, GUIDING THE PEOPLE UNTIL HIS DEATH.

• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE FIRST JUDGE, OTHNIEL, THE MODEL JUDGE?
• THE NAME, OTHNIEL, GOD IS POWER
• HE WAS RELATED TO CALEB, A MAN OF VERY STRONG FAITH, WHO CAME OUT OF EGYPT WITH JOSHUA AND ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND WITH HIM.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT ANOINTED HIM FOR HIS TASK
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT MENTION ANY CRITICISM OF OTHNIEL.
• HE IS, THEREFORE, THE MODEL JUDGE, EVEN THOUGH WE DON’T KNOW A GREAT DEAL ABOUT HIM.
• HE IS A MODEL JUDGE IN COMPARISON WITH ALL THE OTHERS WHO COME AFTER HIM.
• THEREFORE, THERE IS A SUBSEQUENT DETERIORATION OF CHARACTER IN THOSE THE LORD RAISED UP TO BE JUDGES. THE FIRST ONE BEING THE BEST, THE LAST ONE BEING THE WORST.

• =4= SALVATION (10)
• GOD DELIVERED THE KING OF MESOPOTAMIA INTO OTHNIEL’S HANDS.
• =5= SILENCE (11)
• THE PEOPLE WERE AT PEACE FOR 40 YEARS BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY AND OTHNIEL’S WILLINGNESS TO SERVE GOD.

• READ JDG 3:12-30 CYCLE #2 == EHUD, THE SECOND JUDGE
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE SECOND JUDGE, EHUD? NOT MUCH.
• THE NAME, EHUD, MEANS = STRONG.
• HE WAS WILLING TO SERVE.
• HE WAS CLEVER AT DECEPTION.
• HE WAS LEFT HANDED WHICH GAVE HIM AN UNUSUAL OPPORTUNITY.
• THE TERM "LEFT-HANDED" MEANS = BOUND IN THE RIGHT HAND.
• HE WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN WHICH HAD 700 LEFT HANDED WARRIORS ADEPT AT SLINGING STONES.
• IN WHAT WAYS WAS EHUD NOT AS GOOD A JUDGE AS OTHNIEL?
• IT TOOK THE ISREALITES 18 YEARS BEFORE THEY REPENTED. EHUD JUST WAS NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS OTHNIEL IN BRINGING THE PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE.
• THE FIVE POINTS OF THE CYCLE:
• =1= SIN (12)
• NO SPECIFIC SINS ARE MENTIONED HERE, JUST SIN IN GENERAL.
• =2= SERVITUDE (13-14)
• THE ENEMIES THAT GOD RAISED UP TO CHASTISE ISRAEL WERE THE AMMONITES, THE AMALEKITES, AND THE MOABITES.
• KING EGLON WAS KING OF THE MOABITES, AND EVIDENTLY HE WAS THE LEADER OF THIS COALITION OF ISRAEL’S ENEMIES.
• ISRAEL SERVED KING EGLON OF MOAB FOR 18 YEARS.
• =3= SUPPLICATION (15)
• IT TOOK 18 YEARS FOR THE PEOPLE TO BECOME DISPLEASED WITH THEIR SLAVERY BEFORE THEY CALLED TO GOD FOR HELP.
• GOD, IN HIS MERCY, RAISED UP EHUD AS A JUDGE.
• =4= SALVATION (15-23)
• EHUD, ISREAL’S PRESENT TO KING EGLON:
• IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THAT EHUD WAS LEFT HANDED AND THAT HIS DAGGER WAS STRAPPED TO HIS RIGHT THIGH UNDER HIS CLOTHES.
• THE COMMON PRACTICE OF THE TIME WAS FOR A RIGHT HANDED MAN TO STRAP HIS DAGGER ON HIS LEFT THIGH.
• EHUD MADE A GREAT PRESENTATION TO THE KING OF A SPECIAL GIFT. THAT MEANS THERE WAS A GREAT PROFESSION INTO THE PALACE. ON ENTERING KING EGLON’S PALACE, EHUD WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH SECURITY. THE GUARDS WOULD NOT THINK TO LOOK FOR A WEAPON ON THE RIGHT THIGH.
• EHUD ASSASINATED KING EGLON:
• KING EGLON WAS THE LYNCHPIN THAT HELD THE COALITION TOGETHER. ONCE THE KING WAS DEAD, THE COALITION WAS DISOLVED.
• A SUBSEQUENT BATTLE KILLED 10,000 MOABITES.
• THIS ASSASINATION BRINGS UP A QUESTION FOR US TO CONSIDER:
• DISCUSSION: DOES THE BIBLE APPROVE OF ASSASSINATION? WHY OR WHY NOT?

• =5= SILENCE (30)
• ISREAL HAD PEACE FOR 80 YEARS.
• THIS WAS THE LONGEST PERIOD OF PEACE DURING THE TIME OF THE JUDGES.

• READ JDG 3:31 SHAMGAR, THE THIRD JUDGE
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT THE THIRD JUDGE, SHAMGAR?
• ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FROM JUDGES 3 EXCEPT THAT HE WAS WILLING TO SERVE AND THAT HE WAS A JUDGE BEFORE JUDGE EHUD DIED.
• THEREFORE, THE TWO JUDGESHIPS OF EHUD AND SHAMGAR OVERLAP SLIGHTLY IN TIME DURING THIS SECOND CYCLE.
• THE NAME, SHAMGAR, MEANS = CUPBEARER OR ONE WHO FLEES.
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US OF ANY OUTSTANDING CHARACTER TRAITS IN THIS MAN.
• SHAMGAR WAS A JUDGE FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ACCORDING TO JOSEPHUS, ABOUT A YEAR.
• LATER, IN JDG 5:6-7 DEBORAH LOOKS BACK AT SHAMGAR’S DAY AND TELLS US A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS IN ISRAEL THAT OVERLAP WITH THE CONDITIONS DURING DEBORAH’S REIGN..
• READ JDG 5:6-7
• IT WAS A TIME OF GREAT LAWLESSNESS AND IMMORALITY. CONDITIONS WERE SO BAD THAT TRAVELERS FEARED FOR THEIR SAFETY ON THE MAJOR ROADWAYS. THEY TOOK SIDE ROADS TO AVOID HIGHWAY ROBBERS. IN VILLAGES, WOMEN FEARED TO GO OUT OF THEIR HOUSES.
• THE PHILISTINES WERE THE ENEMY.
• SHAMGAR KILLED 500 PHILISTINES.
• WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT SHAMGAR IS HIS WEAPON.
• THE ISRAELITES DID NOT HAVE IRON WEAPONS. THEREFORE, SHAMGAR USED WHAT HE HAD…AN OX GOAD.
• AN OX GOAD IS A FARMING INSTRUMENT. IT IS A POLE ABOUT 8 FEET LONG WITH A POINT USED TO PROD OXEN INTO MOVING. AT THE OTHER END WAS A CHISEL-LIKE BLADE USED TO CLEAN THE PLOW OF ROOTS AND CLAY.
• SUMMARY AND APPLICATION:
• WE HAVE STUDIED VERY BRIEFLY 2 CYCLES AND 3 JUDGES. AS WE HAVE SEEN THERE WAS NOT MUCH SPECIAL ABOUT ANY OF THE THREE JUDGES, OTHER THAN THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO SERVE GOD.
• THE POINT IS THAT GOD USED JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO HAD WEAKNESSES.
• OTHNIEL WAS A MAN FROM A FAMILY OF GREAT FAITH. BUT THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US THAT OTHNIEL HAD GREAT FAITH.
• EHUD WAS A MAN WHO WAS LEFT-HANDED.
• SHAMGAR WAS A MAN WHO DID NOT HAVE IRON WEAPONS BUT USED WHAT HE HAD.
• THEY ALL NEEDED GOD TO HELP THEM.
• WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD CAN USE ANYONE, EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE NO SPECIAL ABILITIES OR GREAT TALENTS. ALL IT TAKES IS FAITH IN GOD.

• APPLICATION FOR JDG 3
• YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF, IF GOD COULD USE THOSE NO-BODIES, WHY CAN’T HE USE ME? IS THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, AN UNWILLINGNESS TO SERVE ON YOUR PART?
• IF THAT IS THE REASON, WRITE DOWN WHY YOU ARE UNWILLING TO SERVE GOD AND DO WHAT HE ASKS OF YOU.

• PREPARATION FOR JDG 4
• READ JDG 4:1-24 DEBORAH AND BARAK
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT DEBORAH?
• WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT BARAK?
• WHY DO YOU THINK BARAK WAS UNWILLING TO OBEY GOD AND DEBORAH?

• MEMORY VERSE: ROMANS 2:11