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 Most of us, we would say, are probably suckers for a tragic story with a happy ending.

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 We don't mind a bit of drama. In fact, some of us probably enjoy a bit of a drama,

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 whether we would admit it or not. We don't mind so much drama, but as long as we can anticipate

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 at the end of that story, or at the end of that movie, or at the end of that book,

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 there is a happy ending that we might enjoy, we are drawn into those stories and encouraged by them.

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 The problem is, when we come to the book of Judges, and we take it as a unit on its own,

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 you will find no such joyful climax as you hope you would find in most stories.

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 It's actually quite a tragic book, and it ends in tremendous tragedy.

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 It's the opposite of the stories that we long for. In fact, the difference between the promising

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 notes of blessing at the book's beginning and the devastating circumstances of its conclusion

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 are shocking, maybe even offensive to some extent to our modern sensibilities.

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 Before we explore the heart of this particular series of narratives, I want to consider here,

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 just for a moment, its opening and its close. By doing that, maybe that will give us a path forward.

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 As we jump into this book today. You're in Judges chapter 1. Let me just read the first two verses,

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 and we'll see how it begins.

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 After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the Lord,

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 Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites to fight against them?

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 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up. Behold, I have given the land into his hand.

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 Now, that may not seem very much to you. There may not be a lot there. There actually is quite a bit

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 there for us to understand. Judges begins with the people of Israel on the brink of all that God

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 has promised them up to this point. So just think back. They've spent 400 years in exile.

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 Throughout those 400 years in exile and in bondage in Egypt, they have encouraged one another,

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 probably, mostly, on the promises that were given to their patriarchs, to Abraham and to Isaac and to

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 Jacob. Now they have been delivered from that bondage. They've spent some difficult years in the

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 wilderness, and they stand on the precipice of blessing now. The Lord has given the land into

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 their hand. All of these promises that he has made seem to be at their fingertips. That's what this book

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 is opening with. God has provided leadership through the tribe of Judah. God has assured them of success

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 in possessing the land of promise. And the people seem but steps away from enjoying a new type of Eden,

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 a new type of garden experience that they've been told about from Moses. So after hundreds of years in

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 bondage and in wilderness wonderings, they're on the verge of unimaginable blessing. And that's where

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 these opening verses link us back to. But like I said, that's not at all how the book ends. After a

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 devastating civil war in which one of Israel's tribes, Benjamin, almost is completely extinguished.

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 By the time you get to the end of the book, I think it's something like 600 people remain

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 in an entire tribe. It's devastating. And we find this refrain at the end of the book. And it's the

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 way that the author closes the book. In fact, if you just flip over to chapter 21, it's the very last

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 chapter. In the very last verse, you'll see this refrain working as something of a theme to summarize

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 the entire story of the book of Judges. Verse 25,

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 In those days, there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

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 Now, when we read those first two verses, that is not what we anticipate being at the end of the book.

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 In the end, Israel is leaderless. In the beginning, God has given them leaders.

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 And not only has he just arbitrarily chosen this tribe of Judah, but as we'll find in the next few

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 weeks, he is actually fulfilling a promise that he made through the blessing of Jacob on his 12 sons,

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 highlighting Judah as the one that will lead the nation and from which will come a king who will

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 lead God's people. But when we get to the end of the book, they're leaderless. There is no king in

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 Israel. They have not possessed the land. And they have, instead of experiencing a new type of Eden,

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 they have actually experienced a new fall. God had designated them in Exodus chapter 19

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 to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. But by the end, Israel had become like all of the

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 other nations around her. And the question that we ask as we begin to consider this particular book is,

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 how does Israel go from chapter 1 and verse 1 to chapter 21 and verse 25? How do they do that?

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 How do they move from here, unimaginable blessing, right ready for them, to now they have completely

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 gone as far away from that blessing as they could possibly go by the time they get to the end of the book?

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 Is God unwilling to fulfill his promise? Worse, is he unable to fulfill his promise? What on earth

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 happens to these people? As we study the book, we'll discover that the primary issue at play with the

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 people of Israel is precisely the same problem that plagues each of us day by day and that plagues our

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 churches week by week and year by year in the church. It is an unending struggle against sin that we will

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 find. Now there's this thing that the book of Judges continues to say over and over. Everyone did what

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 was right in his own eyes. That's really what the problem boils down to. And it's not very different

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 from our own culture. We live in a follow your heart type of culture where self, the individual,

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 is what people are concerned with first and foremost above everything else. We can call it postmodernism

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 or expressive individualism or some other philosophical ism, but it's all rooted ultimately

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 in the ever-present sins of pride and idolatry and rebellion, selfishness. So that rather than love,

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 obey, and worship Yahweh, people generally spend their lives serving their own appetites and being concerned

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 with pursuing their own agendas. And what's amazing about the whole thing is that this type of self-centeredness

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 and self-focus is actually celebrated in our society. It's praised. In fact, you're told that healthy

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 human behavior, true mental health, involves first and foremost self-care. You must take care of self

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 before you concern yourself with anyone else. And that's more than just a simple take care of yourself.

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 We know what underlies that type of philosophy. You do you or follow your heart or do what's best

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 for you. Or as I heard one person say at one time, look out for number one and don't step in number two,

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 right? These are the things we hear all the time. These are the, this is the mindset. These are the

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 phrases that we and our children are being trained to live by. So like Israel as a culture, even

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 unfortunately as Christians, we find ourselves doing what is right in our own eyes. And of course,

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 this is the antithesis of biblical teaching. In fact, at the very heart of the Christian message

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 is Jesus, the son of God, wholly submitting himself to the father and sacrificing himself for the

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 salvation of undeserving sinners. The last thing on Jesus's mind, what is that? The heart of the gospel

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 message is not self-care. It is not doing what's best for you. It's actually servant-heartedness. It is

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 giving yourself for others. It is sacrificing yourself for those who do not deserve,

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 to be sacrificed for. This mindset, this cultural agenda is the opposite of everything that the

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 Bible stands for and that Christianity is supposed to represent as we follow Christ.

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 But still, Christians seem to fall prey to this seductive spirit of the age. And God has all kinds

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 of things to say about this in the Bible. But the book of Judges gives us one of the clearest pictures

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 of the devastating consequences of doing your own thing. What happens when you just live life your way?

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 What happens when you disregard everything else that everyone has said? When you disregard what God has

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 said and you just do you? What happens? Judges tells us. It's a story of God's people doing life their own

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 way regardless of what God's life their own way regardless of what God has said. But it's also a story of God's

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 enduring mercy and steadfast love. In fact, that's the thing that comes to the surface most clearly as we get to

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 the end. There's little hope in the book, unfortunately, except in the fact that it ultimately points us to Christ,

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 a king and champion that will and does reign over his people in perfect righteousness, not only now, but for all of

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 eternity. Ultimately, that's what Judges teaches us. There is no king in Israel, but there is a king. There is a king

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 coming for Israel and for the people of God who will do what none of these judges could do, who will do what Joshua could not do,

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 and what Moses could not do, and what Abraham could not do, and what Adam could not do, and what Noah could

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 not do. King Jesus is on the way, and this book is pointing us forward to him and to the gospel. So, Lord

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 willing, we're going to spend the next several months examining the details of really this fascinating book

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 and the fascinating stories that it contains. But what I'd like to do today is just this kind of simple

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 survey so that we might better prepare ourselves for the study moving forward, okay? First thing, there's not

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 really much of a structured outline for you, but if you want to keep notes in those journals that were on

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 your seats or whatever, the first thing maybe that we want to do is look back, okay? So, we want to look

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 back. Would you flip with me, please, to Joshua chapter 1? Joshua chapter 1.

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 So, that to understand where we're going, we need to take a moment and kind of look over our shoulder,

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 so to speak, to see where we've already been or should have been at this point in the biblical text.

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 Now, we know this is necessary for us to do because the author has already said in chapter 1 and verse 1,

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 he's going to say it again in chapter 2, that all of this, the theming and the story, the plot line of this

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 book of Judges hinges, he's insisting on linking it to the death of Joshua. So, we know that if we're going to

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 understand Judges, we have to go back and see what was Joshua all about and what was happening there.

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 So, that just as the death of Jacob represents the end of the patriarchal period and the death of

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 Moses marks the end of the Exodus, the death of Joshua represents and marks the end of conquest

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 and points forward to the time of settlement in the land, okay? So, that's the link that's happening

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 here and I want to look at two particular texts. You're in Joshua chapter 1. Let's start there.

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 Verse 1.

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 After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun,

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 Moses' assistant, Moses, my servant, is dead. Now, therefore, arise. Go over this Jordan,

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 you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

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 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon, I have given to you, just as I promised to

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 Moses. From the wilderness in this Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates,

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 all the land of the Hittites, to the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your

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 territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses,

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 so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. So, be strong and courageous,

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 for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give to them.

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 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses, my servant,

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 commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success

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 wherever you go. In other words, if you do not do that, you will not have the success everywhere you go.

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 But so long as you listen to my word, you will have good success wherever you go.

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 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night,

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 so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your

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 way prosperous, then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

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 Do not be frightened. Do not be dismayed. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

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 So, God makes his plan for Joshua clear. He is to take up the mantle of leadership from Moses,

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 and he's to lead the people in the land that God has prepared for them. He's to teach them to trust

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 God's promises and obey God's law. Every word of it. Not only the things that says do this and don't do this,

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 but consider what all is contained in the Torah, in the law. It contains how they are to worship.

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 It contains instructions for what they are to do once they get into the land, and how they are to take the land,

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 and how they are to establish the kingdom from there. It has everything that they need

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 to function as the people of God once they move forward. And Joshua is told,

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 make sure to teach them God's law, to trust in God's promise. Nothing that God has said through

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 Moses is to be disregarded. And insofar as Joshua is faithful to lead the people, they will receive

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 the blessings of dwelling in the land. And Joshua was indeed faithful to that task. He wasn't a perfect

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 man, but he was faithful to the task that God gave him. And he leads the people valiantly,

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 and they conquer their enemies. So when we get to Judges, they are standing having conquered the

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 nation. There are remnants of people still there. They must still take possession, but there are no

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 kingdoms left in Canaan. Joshua, through the power of God, has defeated them. Now I want you to flip

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 ahead now to Joshua 23. Joshua 23, just toward the end of the book. So that after faithfully leading

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 the people, Joshua takes the charge that God has given him in chapter 1, and he now gives that same

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 charge, that same instruction to the entire nation in chapter 23. It's as if he's saying, look at what

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 God has done. He has proven himself to be faithful to his promise. He has kept his end of the covenant.

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 We must keep our end of the covenant. And he looks ahead with the people of Israel to settling the land

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 in the same way that he looked ahead to conquering the land. Chapter 23, verse 1.

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 A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies,

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 and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads,

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 its judges and officers, and said to them, I am now old and well advanced in years. And you have seen

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 all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake. For it is the Lord your God who

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 has fought for you. Behold, I've allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes, those nations

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 that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off from the Jordan to the great sea in

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 the west. The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight, and you

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 shall possess their land just as the Lord your God promised. Therefore, be strong to keep and to do all

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 that's written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand

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 nor to the left. Now, remember this part, verse 7, that you may not mix with these nations remaining

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 among you, or make mention of the names of their gods, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to

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 them. But you shall cling to the Lord your God, just as you have done to this day. For the Lord has driven

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 out before you great and strong nations, and as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to

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 this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you,

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 just as he promised you. So be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back

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 and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you, and make marriages with them, so that

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 you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer

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 drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides

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 and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.

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 So Joshua delivers this charge. No mighty nations are left. God gave them the land. They only need now

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 to possess it by driving out the remnant of remaining people. But this is where they failed.

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 They did everything that God said not to do. After Joshua's death, they failed to possess the land.

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 They intermingled and intermarried with the Canaanites, and ultimately they forsook Yahweh to follow after

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 the Baals or the Baals and the Astaroth, the gods of Canaan. So that rather than driving out the inhabitants

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 and destroying the false worship that existed in Canaan, Israel became thoroughly Canaanized.

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 That's what this book tells us. They did not obey God. They did not take the land. They actually became

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 Canaan. So that the promised land, as I said before, it was meant to be this picture of a new kind of Eden

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 where God's people. And instead, Judges tells us of this fall. So that just like Adam and Eve,

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 God made clear to the people, this is my law. This is what you must do, and this is what you must not do.

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 And just like Adam and Eve, Israel did what was right in their own eyes instead. And this is always how sin works. Always.

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 God gives us His truth. We rebel against it, opting to pursue our own path instead.

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 And all of this is pointing toward the fact that we need a better Adam. We need a better Moses. We need a better Joshua.

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 We need Jesus. Okay? That's looking back. Now let's look at the structure of Judges. Okay? Are you with me still?

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 Good. Let's look at the structure. The macro structure of the book is really actually quite simple.

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 There's three major movements here. In literary terms, we would call it a prologue, which is the introduction.

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 That's chapter 1-1 through 3-6. Then there's the cycle of Judges. That's the main body of text.

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 That's 3-7 through 16-31. And then there's what we would call the epilogue, which is the very end of the book.

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 But to understand this and the function of this structure,

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 Barry Webb has illustrated it with the process of compiling a musical composition.

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 Some of you are musical people, and you will understand this. The others of you just do your best. Okay?

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 I think this is really a helpful way for us to understand this. There are three parts sometimes.

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 There could be more, but there are three parts to this composition, so to speak, of the book of Judges.

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 First, there's the overture. The overture.

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 Now, if you're into musicals, you know what the overture does. It opens up before anybody comes out on stage.

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 The orchestra strikes. They begin to play a melody, some harmonies.

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 They range in scope and in intensity.

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 And what you find is that it introduces what is coming ahead,

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 so that as you work your way through the musical composition,

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 you begin to hear repetition of what you hear in the overture.

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 Okay? That's what these first couple of chapters do.

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 The author here, probably Samuel, maybe later with a revision from Ezra,

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 is writing this, most likely one of those two men.

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 And he is introducing for us things that we're going to continue to hear all throughout the book.

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 That's the overture.

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 Then there's the variations.

00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:05.519
 The variations is the main body of the composition,

00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:11.420
 with each part distinct, yet clearly woven into this tapestry

00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:17.160
 that presents this huge picture, this main message and point and plot line

00:23:17.160 --> 00:23:21.480
 that goes along through the musical or whatever it is that you're considering at that moment.

00:23:21.700 --> 00:23:24.779
 So there's different scenes that are taking place, and there's different characters,

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:27.539
 but it's all basically telling one big story.

00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:29.299
 That's the cycle of Judges.

00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:29.759
 Okay?

00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:32.139
 And then we get to the end, and this is the coda.

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:32.540
 Okay?

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:37.240
 The coda brings the composition to a satisfying conclusion.

00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:41.040
 And what it does is it summarizes,

00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:45.500
 summarizes for us the overall point of the story.

00:23:45.700 --> 00:23:47.000
 Now, here's what I want to do real quick.

00:23:47.320 --> 00:23:50.700
 I want to take these three sections and just give you a taste

00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:52.960
 of what we're going to learn in these three sections,

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:56.140
 and then we're going to come back and look at the overall message as we finish.

00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:56.460
 Okay?

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:58.460
 First, let's consider this overture.

00:23:58.600 --> 00:23:58.840
 Okay?

00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:04.359
 In the overture, verses chapter 1 and verse 1 through chapter 3 and verse 6,

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:09.779
 connects the story in chapter 1 to the death of Joshua,

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:15.359
 showing in a general sense how Israel failed to do all that God had commanded.

00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:17.599
 We get to chapter 2 then,

00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:21.139
 and the nation is confronted by the angel of the Lord,

00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:23.779
 who pronounces judgment against the people.

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:32.460
 And then we're introduced to what will be this cycle repeated over and over and over throughout the book.

00:24:32.639 --> 00:24:34.720
 And there's five parts to the cycle.

00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.180
 Okay?

00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:36.859
 Part 1 is this.

00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:38.920
 The people rebel against God.

00:24:39.399 --> 00:24:40.700
 Look at chapter 2, verse 11.

00:24:41.099 --> 00:24:42.379
 The people rebel against God,

00:24:42.380 --> 00:24:48.820
 and the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals.

00:24:48.820 --> 00:24:49.660
 Or the Baals.

00:24:49.880 --> 00:24:50.020
 Okay?

00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:51.800
 So that's part 1 of the cycle.

00:24:52.380 --> 00:24:52.900
 Part 2.

00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:58.120
 God delivers them into the hands of their enemies.

00:24:58.660 --> 00:25:00.380
 Verse 14 of chapter 2.

00:25:00.380 --> 00:25:03.540
 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,

00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:07.600
 and he gave them over to plunderers who plundered them,

00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:11.240
 and he sold them into the hand of their surrounding enemies

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:14.500
 so that they could no longer withstand their enemies.

00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:14.840
 Okay?

00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:15.580
 That's God's doing.

00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:16.340
 That's part 2.

00:25:16.860 --> 00:25:17.440
 Part 3.

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:19.660
 The people cry out to the Lord.

00:25:20.340 --> 00:25:22.680
 Now, this doesn't happen in every cycle,

00:25:22.820 --> 00:25:23.860
 but it's usually there.

00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:26.400
 Look at the second part of verse 18.

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:30.759
 Then the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning

00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:33.940
 because of those who afflicted and oppressed them.

00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:38.180
 We'll find this usually spoken of in terms of the people

00:25:38.180 --> 00:25:40.560
 cried out to the Lord regarding their oppression,

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:41.960
 and then the Lord responds.

00:25:42.080 --> 00:25:42.200
 Okay?

00:25:42.280 --> 00:25:43.400
 So that's part 4.

00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:48.360
 God raises up a judge who delivers the people and provides rest.

00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:50.759
 Verse 16 of chapter 2.

00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:52.920
 Then the Lord raised up judges

00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:56.180
 who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered.

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.400
 And then there's the final part of the cycle,

00:25:59.400 --> 00:26:00.800
 and it all begins again.

00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:04.500
 The judge dies, and the people again rebel against God.

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.860
 Verse 19.

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.880
 Whenever the judge died,

00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:12.400
 they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers,

00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:14.600
 going after other gods,

00:26:15.120 --> 00:26:17.360
 serving them, bowing down to them.

00:26:17.860 --> 00:26:20.120
 They did not drop any of their practices

00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:22.800
 or their stubborn ways.

00:26:23.380 --> 00:26:25.540
 It's a vicious cycle for Israel.

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.619
 They rebel.

00:26:27.159 --> 00:26:29.819
 God judges them by delivering them to their enemies.

00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:31.599
 They cry out to God.

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:33.859
 God raises up a judge,

00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:37.879
 sometimes wicked men in and of themselves.

00:26:38.379 --> 00:26:39.799
 He raises up this judge,

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:42.259
 delivers the people out of their oppression.

00:26:42.659 --> 00:26:43.680
 Then the judge dies,

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:45.359
 and the people return back to the rebellion.

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:48.940
 And over and over and over and over it goes.

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.200
 But the cycle,

00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:54.360
 what we find is that it's more than repetition.

00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:56.980
 It's a downward spiral.

00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:59.759
 So that with each story,

00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:01.720
 the sins worsen,

00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:04.500
 the rest is shortened,

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:08.500
 and the judges get more and more corrupt.

00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:10.080
 And eventually,

00:27:10.539 --> 00:27:12.140
 the people don't even bother

00:27:12.140 --> 00:27:14.420
 to call out for mercy any longer.

00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:18.300
 Sin is never stagnant.

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.740
 That's the message.

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:21.640
 It's never stagnant.

00:27:22.120 --> 00:27:23.640
 It always grows.

00:27:24.300 --> 00:27:26.340
 It always worsens.

00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:29.500
 And if you think for even a moment

00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:32.240
 that you can somehow maintain

00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:35.380
 this measure of sinfulness

00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:38.160
 or sinful pleasure in your life

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:39.900
 without it going too far

00:27:39.900 --> 00:27:42.220
 or what you consider to be too far,

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:44.660
 then you're already blind

00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:46.779
 to how pervasive sin

00:27:46.779 --> 00:27:48.460
 already is in your life.

00:27:50.040 --> 00:27:51.160
 In the end,

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:55.080
 you will ultimately completely reject God

00:27:55.080 --> 00:27:58.440
 and turn to self or to some other God.

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.840
 That's the cycle of sin

00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:02.040
 for the nation of Israel.

00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:02.300
 Okay?

00:28:02.440 --> 00:28:03.740
 We find all that in the overture.

00:28:03.820 --> 00:28:04.820
 We're going to see all that repeated

00:28:04.820 --> 00:28:05.380
 through the book.

00:28:05.640 --> 00:28:06.560
 Let's look at the variations.

00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:09.879
 This is beginning in chapter 3 and verse 7

00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:12.519
 and takes us through the end of chapter 16.

00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:15.139
 And it's the main body of text

00:28:15.139 --> 00:28:18.039
 which takes us through six of these cycles.

00:28:18.679 --> 00:28:20.279
 And in these six cycles,

00:28:20.859 --> 00:28:26.500
 we are acquainted with 12 what's called judges.

00:28:27.179 --> 00:28:28.859
 Six of them are minor judges.

00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:30.940
 They're just really just mentioned by name.

00:28:31.099 --> 00:28:33.240
 The exception to that is a man named Shamgar.

00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:36.440
 Shamgar who kills people

00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:37.220
 with an ox code.

00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:38.160
 That's all we get.

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:39.740
 We get his name and we get an ox code.

00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:40.740
 He doesn't even have a sword.

00:28:41.160 --> 00:28:41.880
 The rest of them,

00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:42.900
 we just get their name.

00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:43.180
 Okay?

00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:44.440
 So six minor ones.

00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.100
 And then,

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:47.160
 but the main storyline in the plot line,

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:50.100
 it moves through six major judges

00:28:50.100 --> 00:28:51.539
 is what we would call them.

00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:53.539
 And it's important for us to realize

00:28:53.539 --> 00:28:54.120
 at the beginning,

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:57.100
 they are not laid out chronologically.

00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:59.559
 There is overlap with these judges.

00:29:00.159 --> 00:29:03.639
 They are laid out theologically in the book

00:29:03.639 --> 00:29:07.500
 so that they progressively worsen the judges themselves.

00:29:07.919 --> 00:29:08.240
 By the time,

00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:09.500
 we start with Othniel,

00:29:09.699 --> 00:29:12.219
 who basically is the golden boy of the judges.

00:29:12.419 --> 00:29:14.179
 By the time you get to Samson,

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.519
 who is the last one,

00:29:15.919 --> 00:29:17.139
 he is the worst.

00:29:18.279 --> 00:29:18.599
 I mean,

00:29:18.619 --> 00:29:19.439
 he's terrible.

00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:21.980
 There is almost nothing good

00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:24.420
 about Samson and Jephthah

00:29:24.420 --> 00:29:27.000
 and barely anything good about Gideon.

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:28.539
 We're going to find that they get worse

00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:29.360
 and worse and worse

00:29:29.360 --> 00:29:31.759
 representing the culture of Israel

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.599
 in which they live.

00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:34.279
 So they're not laid out chronologically.

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:35.539
 They're laid out theologically.

00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:37.559
 And there's two groups of them.

00:29:37.620 --> 00:29:39.220
 So let's just walk through the two groups quickly.

00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:42.680
 Group one starts with Othniel

00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:45.640
 and it's signaled by this phrase,

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:48.240
 and the people of Israel did what was evil

00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:49.299
 in the sight of the Lord.

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:49.860
 Okay?

00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:53.259
 Two other judges are grouped with Othniel

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:55.339
 and it's signaled by specific phrases.

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:58.259
 The second one is Ehud or Ehud,

00:29:58.419 --> 00:30:00.579
 whichever way you want to say it.

00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:01.359
 I don't know what's right.

00:30:01.459 --> 00:30:02.539
 I'll probably say it both ways.

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:07.679
 And the people of Israel again did evil

00:30:07.679 --> 00:30:09.179
 in the sight of the Lord is what it says.

00:30:09.519 --> 00:30:10.839
 And then the third one,

00:30:11.139 --> 00:30:13.199
 really the judge is Barak.

00:30:13.799 --> 00:30:15.099
 Deborah gets the attention

00:30:15.099 --> 00:30:16.500
 and that's part of the story.

00:30:16.699 --> 00:30:18.079
 But really the judge is Barak.

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:20.759
 And Barak is in chapters four and five.

00:30:21.199 --> 00:30:24.359
 The people of Israel again did evil

00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:25.519
 in the sight of the Lord.

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:27.679
 Then that brings us to group number two.

00:30:28.339 --> 00:30:30.259
 Group two starts with Gideon.

00:30:30.659 --> 00:30:33.839
 And we have the same phrasing as we have with Othniel.

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:36.480
 The people of Israel did what was evil

00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:37.579
 in the sight of the Lord.

00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.259
 Then it's Jephthah.

00:30:39.659 --> 00:30:42.339
 The people of Israel again did evil

00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:43.220
 in the sight of the Lord.

00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:44.500
 And then there's Samson,

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:47.100
 the people of Israel again did evil

00:30:47.100 --> 00:30:48.360
 in the sight of the Lord.

00:30:48.680 --> 00:30:50.299
 Now, there's a big question

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:51.339
 that we need to answer now.

00:30:52.440 --> 00:30:53.980
 What in the world is a judge?

00:30:54.519 --> 00:30:55.620
 Who are these people?

00:30:56.339 --> 00:30:57.620
 Where did they come from?

00:30:57.960 --> 00:30:59.339
 And why does God use them?

00:30:59.660 --> 00:30:59.819
 Okay.

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:03.200
 Well, a judge in this instance

00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:05.640
 is not a lawyer with a white wig

00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:07.519
 and a black robe that sits on a bench

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.900
 and judges the law

00:31:08.900 --> 00:31:11.120
 and passes sentencing on criminals.

00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:13.699
 That's not what a judge is in this context.

00:31:14.479 --> 00:31:15.759
 The judges in this book

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:17.579
 are military leaders

00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:19.699
 who are used by God

00:31:19.699 --> 00:31:22.699
 to deliver the people from oppression.

00:31:23.679 --> 00:31:27.000
 We might refer to it as the book of deliverers

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:29.979
 or the book of saviors, perhaps.

00:31:30.879 --> 00:31:33.779
 It's also true that these deliverers

00:31:33.779 --> 00:31:37.119
 function somewhat like tribal chiefs.

00:31:37.219 --> 00:31:39.459
 Remember, the nation has not come together

00:31:39.459 --> 00:31:40.219
 at this point.

00:31:40.219 --> 00:31:40.979
 There's no king.

00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:44.859
 So there's no unifying force at work

00:31:44.859 --> 00:31:46.719
 or unifying person for the nation.

00:31:46.899 --> 00:31:48.759
 All the tribes have kind of split up

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:49.839
 and done their own thing.

00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:53.699
 And these men are raised up as tribal chiefs

00:31:53.699 --> 00:31:56.839
 and the oppression that the people face

00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:58.759
 in the judgment of God is regional.

00:31:59.179 --> 00:32:01.439
 So there's probably not a point in Judges

00:32:01.439 --> 00:32:04.239
 where the Midianites or the Ammonites

00:32:04.239 --> 00:32:05.819
 or one of the other Ides comes in

00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:07.819
 and actually takes over all 12 tribes.

00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:09.379
 That's really not the picture

00:32:09.379 --> 00:32:10.899
 that we probably need to have of this.

00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:12.819
 These are regional oppressions.

00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:15.139
 God raises up these tribal chiefs

00:32:15.700 --> 00:32:17.179
 who are military leaders

00:32:17.179 --> 00:32:19.599
 to deliver the people in that area.

00:32:19.740 --> 00:32:19.879
 Okay?

00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:22.339
 So a judge then is an individual

00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:25.220
 uniquely raised up by God

00:32:25.220 --> 00:32:27.799
 and empowered by God's spirit

00:32:27.799 --> 00:32:30.179
 to deliver certain tribes

00:32:30.179 --> 00:32:31.619
 through military victory.

00:32:31.619 --> 00:32:31.979
 Okay?

00:32:32.399 --> 00:32:33.239
 That's the variations.

00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:34.319
 Now let's do the coda.

00:32:34.659 --> 00:32:34.859
 All right?

00:32:34.979 --> 00:32:35.619
 This is short.

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:37.059
 The very end of the book,

00:32:37.179 --> 00:32:39.519
 17.1 through 21.25,

00:32:39.939 --> 00:32:42.539
 is like an exclamation point

00:32:42.539 --> 00:32:45.099
 at the end of this tragic story.

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:47.779
 So after the author tells us

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.759
 all of these cycles

00:32:48.759 --> 00:32:50.259
 and tells us about all of these judges,

00:32:50.259 --> 00:32:52.019
 he gives us two stories

00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:54.359
 that essentially describe

00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:56.639
 what life was like in Israel

00:32:56.639 --> 00:33:00.659
 that show us how bad things actually became.

00:33:01.279 --> 00:33:02.059
 And it's graphic.

00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:04.599
 It is terrible.

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:05.959
 It's offensive.

00:33:06.500 --> 00:33:09.179
 It is everything that you will hate

00:33:09.179 --> 00:33:10.980
 about stories like this.

00:33:11.339 --> 00:33:12.980
 It just couldn't get much worse

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:14.819
 than what we read at the end of the book.

00:33:14.819 --> 00:33:16.259
 And the point of that is to say,

00:33:16.579 --> 00:33:18.299
 this is what Israel became.

00:33:19.179 --> 00:33:20.819
 Because they did what was right

00:33:20.819 --> 00:33:21.639
 in their own eyes,

00:33:22.099 --> 00:33:23.439
 this is what they became.

00:33:24.220 --> 00:33:25.339
 Civil war comes through

00:33:25.339 --> 00:33:29.139
 and we see the near extinction of Benjamin

00:33:29.139 --> 00:33:30.240
 and the book ends.

00:33:30.859 --> 00:33:31.539
 It just ends.

00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:35.119
 And it sets us up for Samuel.

00:33:35.939 --> 00:33:37.379
 Samuel really probably would be

00:33:37.379 --> 00:33:39.079
 the next book for us to read after this,

00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:40.799
 where there is no king in Israel,

00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:42.500
 but now God's going to give

00:33:42.500 --> 00:33:44.159
 the people their king

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:46.540
 who comes from the hated tribe,

00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:47.560
 Benjamin at this point,

00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:48.040
 Saul.

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:51.120
 God judges the nation with Saul

00:33:51.120 --> 00:33:53.720
 and then God raises up his king

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:55.720
 from Judah, King David.

00:33:55.860 --> 00:33:56.000
 Okay?

00:33:56.140 --> 00:33:57.860
 So that's where Judges is taking us

00:33:57.860 --> 00:33:59.000
 in the whole storyline.

00:33:59.220 --> 00:34:00.540
 Now let's talk about the message of it

00:34:00.540 --> 00:34:01.340
 and then we'll be finished.

00:34:01.480 --> 00:34:01.640
 Okay?

00:34:01.640 --> 00:34:05.940
 Typically, we interpret books

00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:07.759
 like Joshua and Judges

00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:10.220
 as simple histories.

00:34:10.640 --> 00:34:11.920
 In fact, in our English Bibles,

00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:13.880
 if we're categorizing them,

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:15.119
 we say in the Old Testament

00:34:15.119 --> 00:34:16.260
 we have the books of law

00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:18.240
 and then we have the books of history, right?

00:34:18.660 --> 00:34:19.599
 And so that's primarily

00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:20.420
 how we think of them.

00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:21.760
 We observe the events

00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:25.160
 and then we draw certain moral conclusions

00:34:25.160 --> 00:34:26.099
 from the stories.

00:34:26.099 --> 00:34:28.119
 I want to suggest

00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:29.880
 a different approach

00:34:29.880 --> 00:34:30.880
 is actually probably

00:34:30.880 --> 00:34:32.119
 more appropriate here.

00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:35.139
 Judges is not less than history,

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:37.119
 but I do think that it's actually

00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:38.119
 much more than that.

00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:40.099
 I want to submit

00:34:40.099 --> 00:34:43.559
 that Judges is a prophetic message

00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:45.519
 that is wrapped

00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:47.659
 and presented by God

00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:49.559
 in the shape

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:51.460
 of a historical narrative.

00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:54.259
 And if we understand it this way,

00:34:54.260 --> 00:34:55.740
 it's going to alter

00:34:55.740 --> 00:34:57.680
 how we interpret the meaning

00:34:57.680 --> 00:34:59.260
 and the purpose of the text.

00:34:59.540 --> 00:34:59.700
 Okay?

00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:01.300
 So let me just explain that.

00:35:02.040 --> 00:35:04.940
 If you were to grab a Hebrew Bible,

00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:07.640
 you will very quickly realize

00:35:07.640 --> 00:35:09.920
 that it's not arranged the same way.

00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:10.740
 The Old Testament books

00:35:10.740 --> 00:35:12.360
 are not arranged the same way

00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.480
 that our English Bibles

00:35:13.480 --> 00:35:15.280
 arrange the Old Testament books.

00:35:15.720 --> 00:35:17.040
 In fact, it's divided

00:35:17.040 --> 00:35:18.440
 into three different volumes.

00:35:19.160 --> 00:35:20.100
 There is the Torah,

00:35:20.640 --> 00:35:21.660
 there's the prophets,

00:35:22.020 --> 00:35:23.440
 and then there's the writings

00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:25.420
 or what's sometimes called the Psalms.

00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:27.059
 So three-volume set.

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:29.240
 Jesus even refers

00:35:29.240 --> 00:35:30.400
 to this three-volume set.

00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:31.119
 This is the way

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:32.960
 that the Old Testament

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:33.840
 would have been structured

00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:34.980
 even in Jesus' day.

00:35:35.159 --> 00:35:36.460
 We see it in Luke 24.

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:37.920
 Jesus says to them

00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:38.760
 after his resurrection,

00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:40.260
 these are my words

00:35:40.260 --> 00:35:41.260
 that I spoke to you

00:35:41.260 --> 00:35:42.340
 while I was still with you,

00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:44.420
 that everything written about me

00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:45.460
 in the law of Moses,

00:35:45.740 --> 00:35:46.679
 it's the law of the Torah,

00:35:47.260 --> 00:35:48.300
 and the prophets,

00:35:48.420 --> 00:35:49.480
 that's the second volume,

00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:50.800
 and the Psalms,

00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:51.559
 that's the Psalms

00:35:51.559 --> 00:35:52.320
 or the writings,

00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.440
 must be fulfilled.

00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:54.779
 So Jesus is using

00:35:54.779 --> 00:35:55.460
 an Old Testament

00:35:55.460 --> 00:35:57.079
 that is a three-volume set.

00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:57.940
 It's categorized

00:35:57.940 --> 00:35:58.820
 in three different volumes

00:35:58.820 --> 00:36:00.059
 with a particular structure.

00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:01.519
 So are the apostles.

00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:02.900
 It's not until really

00:36:02.900 --> 00:36:03.900
 the invention

00:36:03.900 --> 00:36:06.079
 of the printing press

00:36:06.079 --> 00:36:07.380
 that the order

00:36:07.380 --> 00:36:07.880
 that we have

00:36:07.880 --> 00:36:08.639
 in our English Bibles

00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:09.880
 really becomes the standard.

00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:11.659
 So I want you to pretend

00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:13.239
 that you're at home

00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:13.980
 in your living room

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:15.059
 and your bookshelf is there

00:36:15.059 --> 00:36:16.219
 and you have

00:36:16.219 --> 00:36:18.480
 a three-volume Hebrew Bible

00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:19.500
 on the shelf.

00:36:19.500 --> 00:36:21.119
 And you've decided

00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:21.760
 this afternoon,

00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:22.519
 I'm going to make sure

00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:23.360
 that Jared's right

00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:24.960
 and that he's not lying to me

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:26.280
 and I'm going to go

00:36:26.280 --> 00:36:26.840
 and I'm going to do

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.619
 a little studying

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:28.539
 in my Hebrew Bible.

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.219
 And so you go over

00:36:29.219 --> 00:36:30.280
 to your three-volume set

00:36:30.280 --> 00:36:31.039
 and you look

00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:31.960
 and you pull off

00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:33.199
 the second volume.

00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:34.300
 On the spine,

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:35.380
 it's labeled prophets.

00:36:36.300 --> 00:36:37.480
 And so you open it up

00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:38.019
 on the prophets

00:36:38.019 --> 00:36:38.739
 and you look at

00:36:38.739 --> 00:36:39.760
 the table of contents

00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:40.780
 and you're going to see

00:36:40.780 --> 00:36:41.699
 that the prophets

00:36:41.699 --> 00:36:43.500
 are divided in two parts.

00:36:44.159 --> 00:36:45.500
 There's the former prophets

00:36:45.500 --> 00:36:46.480
 and there's

00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:47.340
 the latter prophets.

00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:49.140
 The latter prophets,

00:36:49.320 --> 00:36:50.180
 as you begin to read

00:36:50.180 --> 00:36:51.420
 through your table of contents,

00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:53.019
 looks exactly like

00:36:53.019 --> 00:36:53.660
 what you think

00:36:53.660 --> 00:36:54.920
 the prophets should look like.

00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:56.079
 There's Isaiah,

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:57.320
 Jeremiah,

00:36:58.059 --> 00:36:58.579
 Ezekiel,

00:36:58.820 --> 00:36:59.820
 and then a fourth book

00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:00.720
 called the Twelve.

00:37:01.300 --> 00:37:02.420
 The Twelve includes

00:37:02.420 --> 00:37:03.460
 the minor prophets.

00:37:03.720 --> 00:37:04.920
 So that's part two.

00:37:05.579 --> 00:37:06.420
 But then you get curious

00:37:06.420 --> 00:37:06.840
 and you think,

00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:07.400
 okay, well there's

00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:08.420
 no more prophets left

00:37:08.420 --> 00:37:09.519
 based on what I understand

00:37:09.519 --> 00:37:10.300
 in the Old Testament.

00:37:10.640 --> 00:37:12.260
 So what could possibly be

00:37:12.260 --> 00:37:13.680
 in the former prophets?

00:37:14.180 --> 00:37:14.760
 And you find

00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:16.520
 there's Joshua,

00:37:17.480 --> 00:37:18.020
 Judges,

00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:19.320
 Samuel,

00:37:20.120 --> 00:37:20.920
 and Kings.

00:37:21.520 --> 00:37:22.660
 Now you may be surprised

00:37:22.660 --> 00:37:23.540
 to find it that way,

00:37:23.660 --> 00:37:24.620
 but it's that way

00:37:24.620 --> 00:37:25.760
 for a reason.

00:37:26.120 --> 00:37:27.000
 And that's what I think

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.920
 we need to have in mind

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:29.040
 as we come to this book.

00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:32.120
 Judges is not merely

00:37:32.120 --> 00:37:32.940
 a collection

00:37:32.940 --> 00:37:34.740
 of historical events.

00:37:36.220 --> 00:37:38.020
 The goal of this author

00:37:38.020 --> 00:37:39.560
 was not simply

00:37:39.560 --> 00:37:40.580
 to describe

00:37:40.580 --> 00:37:42.220
 the settlement of Canaan.

00:37:42.219 --> 00:37:43.899
 If that was his goal,

00:37:44.199 --> 00:37:45.000
 he failed.

00:37:45.839 --> 00:37:46.919
 Because this book

00:37:46.919 --> 00:37:48.399
 says almost nothing

00:37:48.399 --> 00:37:50.239
 about settling the land.

00:37:50.399 --> 00:37:50.759
 In fact,

00:37:50.799 --> 00:37:51.500
 when you get to the end,

00:37:51.539 --> 00:37:51.919
 you realize

00:37:51.919 --> 00:37:53.939
 they haven't settled the land.

00:37:54.439 --> 00:37:55.639
 They need David

00:37:55.639 --> 00:37:56.500
 to help finish

00:37:56.500 --> 00:37:57.319
 settling the land.

00:37:57.919 --> 00:37:58.739
 They don't even do it.

00:37:58.939 --> 00:37:59.539
 So that's not

00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:00.359
 what he's doing here.

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:02.779
 Neither is the goal

00:38:02.779 --> 00:38:03.500
 of the author

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:05.299
 to give us a series

00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:06.819
 of biblical heroes

00:38:06.819 --> 00:38:08.219
 to look up to.

00:38:08.799 --> 00:38:09.399
 In fact,

00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:10.679
 we'll find

00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:11.599
 that these men,

00:38:12.339 --> 00:38:14.419
 aside from specific moments

00:38:14.419 --> 00:38:17.079
 of incredible,

00:38:17.719 --> 00:38:19.379
 spirit-empowered faith,

00:38:20.359 --> 00:38:22.599
 were terrible role models.

00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:25.679
 They are not worthy

00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:27.199
 of our affection

00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:27.699
 in the way

00:38:27.699 --> 00:38:28.619
 that we typically

00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.559
 hold up people

00:38:29.559 --> 00:38:31.039
 as heroes in our lives.

00:38:31.819 --> 00:38:32.739
 So that's not

00:38:32.739 --> 00:38:33.419
 what he's doing.

00:38:34.359 --> 00:38:35.419
 The author,

00:38:36.319 --> 00:38:37.679
 considered by the Jews

00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:39.419
 to be a prophet of God,

00:38:39.839 --> 00:38:40.339
 which is why

00:38:40.339 --> 00:38:41.359
 this is in the prophets,

00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:44.339
 carefully selects

00:38:44.339 --> 00:38:45.359
 and arranges

00:38:45.359 --> 00:38:46.399
 this material

00:38:46.399 --> 00:38:47.819
 in order

00:38:47.819 --> 00:38:49.419
 to challenge readers

00:38:49.419 --> 00:38:51.359
 and effect in them

00:38:51.359 --> 00:38:52.500
 a spiritual

00:38:52.500 --> 00:38:54.919
 and moral transformation.

00:38:55.639 --> 00:38:55.779
 Okay?

00:38:55.799 --> 00:38:56.519
 That's the difference.

00:38:57.239 --> 00:38:58.579
 If we interpret

00:38:58.579 --> 00:38:59.219
 this book

00:38:59.219 --> 00:39:00.199
 as simple history,

00:39:00.739 --> 00:39:02.000
 we will reduce

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:02.659
 its purpose

00:39:02.659 --> 00:39:03.539
 to little more

00:39:03.539 --> 00:39:05.119
 than moral lessons

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:06.000
 to make us

00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:07.000
 better human beings.

00:39:08.679 --> 00:39:09.719
 But that's not

00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:10.719
 what this book is.

00:39:11.659 --> 00:39:13.099
 If we interpret it

00:39:13.099 --> 00:39:14.500
 as the author intended,

00:39:14.819 --> 00:39:16.559
 as a prophetic work

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:18.339
 meant to persuade us

00:39:18.339 --> 00:39:19.880
 to turn from sin

00:39:19.880 --> 00:39:21.500
 and to love the Lord

00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:23.019
 and to obey the Lord

00:39:23.019 --> 00:39:24.119
 and worship the Lord,

00:39:24.420 --> 00:39:25.880
 then we will enter

00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:26.579
 this realm

00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:28.400
 of spiritual transformation

00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:31.119
 that can only come

00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:33.279
 from the penetrating work

00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:34.240
 of God's Spirit.

00:39:34.920 --> 00:39:35.560
 These are not

00:39:35.560 --> 00:39:36.560
 history lessons.

00:39:37.100 --> 00:39:39.480
 These are prophetic messages

00:39:39.480 --> 00:39:40.640
 from God

00:39:40.640 --> 00:39:41.880
 to His people.

00:39:42.940 --> 00:39:44.220
 As Daniel Block says,

00:39:44.740 --> 00:39:47.300
 recognizing the sermonic nature

00:39:47.300 --> 00:39:48.740
 forces us

00:39:48.740 --> 00:39:50.320
 to engage this text

00:39:50.320 --> 00:39:51.220
 as Scripture,

00:39:51.780 --> 00:39:52.600
 or better,

00:39:52.720 --> 00:39:53.260
 he says,

00:39:53.720 --> 00:39:56.440
 to let it engage us

00:39:56.440 --> 00:39:59.080
 to hear its message,

00:39:59.620 --> 00:40:00.760
 to respond

00:40:00.760 --> 00:40:01.480
 in accordance

00:40:01.480 --> 00:40:02.500
 with the human

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:04.860
 and divine author's goal.

00:40:05.500 --> 00:40:06.539
 We come to this

00:40:06.539 --> 00:40:07.340
 in every other book

00:40:07.340 --> 00:40:07.860
 in the Bible,

00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:09.760
 not to look at it

00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:10.740
 and cast our opinion

00:40:10.740 --> 00:40:11.719
 about what it says

00:40:11.719 --> 00:40:12.440
 and on the characters

00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:13.139
 that are contained,

00:40:13.699 --> 00:40:15.599
 but to see what God says

00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:16.860
 to us,

00:40:17.500 --> 00:40:19.320
 to see what God has to say

00:40:19.320 --> 00:40:20.719
 to His people

00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:23.619
 so that He might transform us.

00:40:24.380 --> 00:40:25.139
 So what then

00:40:25.139 --> 00:40:25.860
 is the message?

00:40:26.619 --> 00:40:28.039
 The primary message

00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:28.800
 of Judges

00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:30.219
 is that Israel

00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:31.019
 Israel needs a king.

00:40:31.559 --> 00:40:32.559
 They need a king.

00:40:33.639 --> 00:40:35.239
 But not just any king.

00:40:36.299 --> 00:40:37.899
 They need God's king.

00:40:38.899 --> 00:40:40.079
 They need someone

00:40:40.079 --> 00:40:41.099
 who will be a man

00:40:41.099 --> 00:40:42.899
 after God's own heart.

00:40:43.559 --> 00:40:44.500
 They need someone

00:40:44.500 --> 00:40:46.299
 who will unite the nation

00:40:46.299 --> 00:40:47.919
 to worship God

00:40:47.919 --> 00:40:49.459
 and obey His law.

00:40:50.359 --> 00:40:51.959
 Judges anticipates

00:40:51.959 --> 00:40:52.639
 the arrival

00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:54.079
 of King David.

00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:55.860
 But even more,

00:40:56.920 --> 00:40:58.380
 Judges anticipates

00:40:58.380 --> 00:40:59.480
 King Jesus.

00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:02.259
 He is the one

00:41:02.259 --> 00:41:03.440
 who has defeated

00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:04.539
 the ultimate enemy.

00:41:05.199 --> 00:41:06.599
 He has provided

00:41:06.599 --> 00:41:08.360
 ultimate rest.

00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:10.039
 He has given us

00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:11.860
 an everlasting inheritance

00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:14.179
 that cannot be lost.

00:41:15.319 --> 00:41:16.519
 And this is one reason

00:41:16.519 --> 00:41:17.699
 for that refrain

00:41:17.699 --> 00:41:18.699
 at the end of the book.

00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:20.259
 In those days,

00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:21.239
 there was no king

00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:21.759
 in Israel.

00:41:21.760 --> 00:41:24.100
 As long as there is

00:41:24.100 --> 00:41:25.140
 no righteous king,

00:41:25.420 --> 00:41:27.180
 the people will flounder

00:41:27.180 --> 00:41:28.740
 in this hopeless cycle

00:41:28.740 --> 00:41:29.320
 of rebellion.

00:41:29.640 --> 00:41:30.120
 Now listen,

00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:33.600
 until you have

00:41:33.600 --> 00:41:34.780
 a righteous king

00:41:34.780 --> 00:41:36.700
 ruling over your life

00:41:36.700 --> 00:41:38.780
 to which you are

00:41:38.780 --> 00:41:40.200
 wholly submitted to

00:41:40.200 --> 00:41:41.240
 in faith

00:41:41.240 --> 00:41:42.060
 and love

00:41:42.060 --> 00:41:42.860
 and obedience,

00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:44.860
 you will flounder

00:41:44.860 --> 00:41:46.980
 in this continual cycle

00:41:46.980 --> 00:41:47.920
 of rebellion

00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:49.100
 and sin

00:41:49.099 --> 00:41:50.440
 and devastation

00:41:50.440 --> 00:41:51.599
 that will ultimately

00:41:51.599 --> 00:41:52.339
 end up

00:41:52.339 --> 00:41:54.199
 in an eternal hell.

00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:56.339
 You need a king.

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:58.259
 I need a king.

00:41:58.900 --> 00:42:00.239
 And it's not Donald Trump

00:42:00.239 --> 00:42:02.199
 and it's not Joe Biden

00:42:02.199 --> 00:42:04.099
 and it's not Gideon

00:42:04.099 --> 00:42:05.500
 and it's not Samson

00:42:05.500 --> 00:42:06.619
 and it's not Jephthah.

00:42:06.799 --> 00:42:07.940
 It's not even David.

00:42:08.259 --> 00:42:09.019
 It's Jesus.

00:42:09.559 --> 00:42:10.759
 Jesus alone

00:42:10.759 --> 00:42:12.599
 can break the cycle.

00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:14.559
 Jesus alone

00:42:14.559 --> 00:42:15.559
 can conquer

00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:16.679
 your sin.

00:42:16.679 --> 00:42:18.440
 Jesus alone

00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:20.099
 can give you life.

00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:21.619
 That's what Judges

00:42:21.619 --> 00:42:22.619
 is ultimately about.

00:42:23.000 --> 00:42:23.960
 Israel needs a king

00:42:23.960 --> 00:42:25.639
 and who they really need

00:42:25.639 --> 00:42:26.480
 is Jesus.

00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:27.739
 It anticipates

00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:28.719
 the gospel.

00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:30.839
 But there's a second line

00:42:30.839 --> 00:42:32.679
 of messaging here

00:42:32.679 --> 00:42:33.379
 that we don't need

00:42:33.379 --> 00:42:33.859
 to forget.

00:42:35.980 --> 00:42:37.599
 Judges is a message

00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:39.619
 about God's

00:42:39.619 --> 00:42:41.639
 sovereign mercy.

00:42:42.579 --> 00:42:43.940
 His sovereign mercy.

00:42:43.940 --> 00:42:46.559
 Three ways

00:42:46.559 --> 00:42:47.260
 I think this is

00:42:47.260 --> 00:42:47.920
 proven true

00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:48.480
 in this book.

00:42:49.639 --> 00:42:50.240
 Jim Hamilton

00:42:50.240 --> 00:42:50.700
 has written

00:42:50.700 --> 00:42:51.760
 a central theme.

00:42:51.820 --> 00:42:52.159
 You've heard me

00:42:52.159 --> 00:42:53.059
 reference it before

00:42:53.059 --> 00:42:54.500
 that the central theme

00:42:54.500 --> 00:42:55.099
 of the Bible

00:42:55.099 --> 00:42:56.519
 is that God

00:42:56.519 --> 00:42:57.400
 is glorified

00:42:57.400 --> 00:42:58.360
 in salvation

00:42:58.360 --> 00:43:00.119
 through judgment.

00:43:01.119 --> 00:43:01.780
 Now this theme

00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:02.659
 comes to the surface

00:43:02.659 --> 00:43:03.480
 in Judges

00:43:03.480 --> 00:43:04.960
 as God seeks

00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:06.139
 to save his people

00:43:06.139 --> 00:43:06.740
 through

00:43:06.740 --> 00:43:08.139
 and from

00:43:08.139 --> 00:43:09.780
 his own judgment.

00:43:10.659 --> 00:43:11.159
 So think back

00:43:11.159 --> 00:43:11.740
 to that cycle.

00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:12.280
 In fact, Becky,

00:43:12.340 --> 00:43:13.119
 can you put the cycle

00:43:13.119 --> 00:43:13.799
 back on the screen

00:43:13.799 --> 00:43:14.559
 here for just a moment?

00:43:15.059 --> 00:43:16.039
 Think back to this cycle.

00:43:16.619 --> 00:43:17.500
 The people rebel.

00:43:18.940 --> 00:43:19.900
 Who's responsible

00:43:19.900 --> 00:43:20.639
 for delivering

00:43:20.639 --> 00:43:21.139
 the judgment?

00:43:22.699 --> 00:43:23.400
 God is.

00:43:24.440 --> 00:43:25.940
 God sells them

00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:27.239
 into the hand

00:43:27.239 --> 00:43:27.799
 of their enemies.

00:43:28.219 --> 00:43:29.099
 Now why does God

00:43:29.099 --> 00:43:29.559
 do that?

00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:32.099
 God does not do that

00:43:32.099 --> 00:43:33.940
 simply because

00:43:33.940 --> 00:43:34.799
 he's vengeful.

00:43:35.420 --> 00:43:36.199
 That's not why

00:43:36.199 --> 00:43:36.880
 God does that.

00:43:37.639 --> 00:43:38.719
 God sells them

00:43:38.719 --> 00:43:39.539
 to their enemies

00:43:39.539 --> 00:43:40.619
 in order that

00:43:40.619 --> 00:43:41.779
 he might drive

00:43:41.780 --> 00:43:42.800
 them to repentance

00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:43.720
 and he wants

00:43:43.720 --> 00:43:44.540
 to drive them

00:43:44.540 --> 00:43:45.140
 to repentance

00:43:45.140 --> 00:43:45.900
 because what he

00:43:45.900 --> 00:43:47.019
 really desires to do

00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:48.000
 is pour out

00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:48.840
 his mercy

00:43:48.840 --> 00:43:49.940
 on them

00:43:49.940 --> 00:43:51.300
 so that the moment

00:43:51.300 --> 00:43:52.260
 they cry out to him

00:43:52.260 --> 00:43:52.800
 for mercy

00:43:52.800 --> 00:43:54.200
 he raises up

00:43:54.200 --> 00:43:54.900
 a deliverer.

00:43:55.100 --> 00:43:56.080
 He raises up

00:43:56.080 --> 00:43:56.600
 a savior

00:43:56.600 --> 00:43:57.940
 who brings rest

00:43:57.940 --> 00:43:58.760
 to the people.

00:43:58.900 --> 00:43:59.560
 This is a book

00:43:59.560 --> 00:44:00.700
 about mercy.

00:44:01.300 --> 00:44:02.280
 God's unending

00:44:02.280 --> 00:44:03.160
 mercy.

00:44:04.560 --> 00:44:05.040
 Secondly,

00:44:05.560 --> 00:44:06.800
 we learn here

00:44:06.800 --> 00:44:07.440
 that God

00:44:07.440 --> 00:44:08.580
 in his mercy

00:44:08.580 --> 00:44:11.000
 uses weak

00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:12.340
 vessels.

00:44:13.340 --> 00:44:14.340
 Weak vessels.

00:44:14.940 --> 00:44:15.640
 Do you know

00:44:15.640 --> 00:44:16.460
 why God uses

00:44:16.460 --> 00:44:17.180
 weak vessels

00:44:17.180 --> 00:44:18.180
 to do his work?

00:44:19.240 --> 00:44:20.260
 Because there are

00:44:20.260 --> 00:44:21.100
 no other vessels

00:44:21.100 --> 00:44:21.700
 to use.

00:44:23.300 --> 00:44:24.280
 There are no

00:44:24.280 --> 00:44:24.760
 other vessels

00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:25.340
 to use.

00:44:26.380 --> 00:44:27.460
 The details

00:44:27.460 --> 00:44:28.039
 given about

00:44:28.039 --> 00:44:28.580
 some of these

00:44:28.580 --> 00:44:28.920
 judges

00:44:28.920 --> 00:44:30.840
 are spiritually

00:44:30.840 --> 00:44:31.940
 obscene.

00:44:33.700 --> 00:44:34.120
 Gideon

00:44:34.120 --> 00:44:34.560
 in the end

00:44:34.559 --> 00:44:35.159
 of his life

00:44:35.159 --> 00:44:36.500
 leads the nation

00:44:36.500 --> 00:44:37.840
 into idolatry.

00:44:38.699 --> 00:44:39.679
 In the beginning

00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:41.119
 he fights

00:44:41.119 --> 00:44:42.039
 against idolatry.

00:44:42.119 --> 00:44:42.659
 In the end

00:44:42.659 --> 00:44:43.599
 he's the one

00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:44.239
 that's causing

00:44:44.239 --> 00:44:44.820
 the nation

00:44:44.820 --> 00:44:45.659
 to horror

00:44:45.659 --> 00:44:46.239
 after this

00:44:46.239 --> 00:44:46.779
 ephod

00:44:46.779 --> 00:44:47.639
 that he has made.

00:44:49.179 --> 00:44:49.659
 Jephthah

00:44:49.659 --> 00:44:51.159
 makes a rash

00:44:51.159 --> 00:44:51.960
 vow to God

00:44:51.960 --> 00:44:52.799
 and what's even

00:44:52.799 --> 00:44:53.599
 worse about the

00:44:53.599 --> 00:44:54.239
 vow that Jephthah

00:44:54.239 --> 00:44:55.219
 makes is that

00:44:55.219 --> 00:44:56.320
 he follows through

00:44:56.320 --> 00:44:56.960
 with the vow

00:44:56.960 --> 00:44:58.119
 completely against

00:44:58.119 --> 00:44:58.519
 what God

00:44:58.519 --> 00:44:59.039
 would have wanted

00:44:59.039 --> 00:45:00.400
 and he sacrifices

00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:01.639
 his own daughter

00:45:01.639 --> 00:45:03.219
 as a pagan ritual

00:45:03.219 --> 00:45:04.320
 to celebrate

00:45:04.320 --> 00:45:04.840
 the victory

00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:05.220
 that God

00:45:05.220 --> 00:45:05.600
 had given.

00:45:06.740 --> 00:45:07.519
 Then you get

00:45:07.519 --> 00:45:08.220
 to Samson

00:45:08.220 --> 00:45:09.680
 and the only

00:45:09.680 --> 00:45:10.120
 good thing

00:45:10.120 --> 00:45:10.539
 that happens

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:11.200
 in Samson's

00:45:11.200 --> 00:45:11.500
 life

00:45:11.500 --> 00:45:12.280
 is when he

00:45:12.280 --> 00:45:12.840
 kills himself

00:45:12.840 --> 00:45:13.380
 at the end.

00:45:14.080 --> 00:45:15.019
 That's the only

00:45:15.019 --> 00:45:15.820
 moment in the

00:45:15.820 --> 00:45:16.960
 whole Samson story

00:45:16.960 --> 00:45:18.240
 where God

00:45:18.240 --> 00:45:18.780
 is actually

00:45:18.780 --> 00:45:19.780
 using him

00:45:19.780 --> 00:45:20.740
 in this moment

00:45:20.740 --> 00:45:21.460
 of faith.

00:45:22.780 --> 00:45:23.539
 These men

00:45:23.539 --> 00:45:24.420
 are not role models

00:45:24.420 --> 00:45:26.059
 but then we get

00:45:26.059 --> 00:45:26.920
 to Hebrews chapter

00:45:26.920 --> 00:45:27.640
 11 and what

00:45:27.640 --> 00:45:28.220
 do we find

00:45:28.220 --> 00:45:29.780
 in this great

00:45:29.780 --> 00:45:30.519
 hall of faith?

00:45:31.559 --> 00:45:32.480
 It mentions

00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:33.360
 Barak

00:45:33.360 --> 00:45:34.940
 it mentions

00:45:34.940 --> 00:45:35.460
 Gideon

00:45:35.460 --> 00:45:36.860
 it mentions

00:45:36.860 --> 00:45:37.539
 Jephthah

00:45:37.539 --> 00:45:38.680
 and it

00:45:38.680 --> 00:45:38.980
 mentions

00:45:38.980 --> 00:45:39.519
 Samson

00:45:39.519 --> 00:45:41.340
 Why?

00:45:42.039 --> 00:45:42.559
 It's the

00:45:42.559 --> 00:45:43.120
 four worst

00:45:43.120 --> 00:45:43.500
 ones.

00:45:45.680 --> 00:45:46.620
 The writer

00:45:46.620 --> 00:45:47.300
 of Hebrews

00:45:47.300 --> 00:45:48.420
 adds them

00:45:48.420 --> 00:45:48.860
 to this

00:45:48.860 --> 00:45:49.559
 what we

00:45:49.559 --> 00:45:50.099
 see in

00:45:50.099 --> 00:45:50.539
 Hebrews chapter

00:45:50.539 --> 00:45:50.840
 12

00:45:50.840 --> 00:45:51.599
 to be the

00:45:51.599 --> 00:45:52.400
 great cloud

00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:53.000
 of witnesses

00:45:53.000 --> 00:45:54.360
 and what

00:45:54.360 --> 00:45:54.599
 are the

00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:55.160
 great cloud

00:45:55.160 --> 00:45:55.579
 of witnesses

00:45:55.579 --> 00:45:55.700
!

00:45:55.700 --> 00:45:57.420
 They are

00:45:57.420 --> 00:45:58.160
 urging us

00:45:58.159 --> 00:45:58.699
 to look

00:45:58.699 --> 00:45:59.679
 unto Jesus

00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:01.139
 the author

00:46:01.139 --> 00:46:02.739
 and perfecter

00:46:02.739 --> 00:46:03.440
 of our faith.

00:46:04.179 --> 00:46:04.500
 Now what does

00:46:04.500 --> 00:46:05.119
 this teach us?

00:46:06.279 --> 00:46:07.480
 God uses

00:46:07.480 --> 00:46:09.039
 weak vessels.

00:46:10.199 --> 00:46:11.000
 We don't

00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:11.559
 come to these

00:46:11.559 --> 00:46:11.960
 men

00:46:11.960 --> 00:46:13.399
 looking for a

00:46:13.399 --> 00:46:14.259
 moral role model.

00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:15.399
 We come to

00:46:15.399 --> 00:46:16.000
 these men

00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:17.319
 looking to the

00:46:17.319 --> 00:46:18.099
 mercy of God

00:46:18.099 --> 00:46:20.539
 that despite

00:46:20.539 --> 00:46:21.259
 my sin

00:46:21.259 --> 00:46:22.500
 and despite

00:46:22.500 --> 00:46:23.199
 my failure

00:46:23.199 --> 00:46:24.420
 and despite

00:46:24.420 --> 00:46:25.239
 my weakness

00:46:25.239 --> 00:46:26.539
 God is

00:46:26.539 --> 00:46:27.000
 faithful

00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:28.219
 and God

00:46:28.219 --> 00:46:28.919
 is merciful

00:46:28.919 --> 00:46:30.079
 and he

00:46:30.079 --> 00:46:30.779
 continues to

00:46:30.779 --> 00:46:31.099
 pour out

00:46:31.099 --> 00:46:31.639
 that mercy

00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:32.339
 and then the

00:46:32.339 --> 00:46:32.739
 writer of

00:46:32.739 --> 00:46:32.959
 Hebrews

00:46:32.959 --> 00:46:33.659
 presents these

00:46:33.659 --> 00:46:34.479
 men as if

00:46:34.479 --> 00:46:34.799
 they're in

00:46:34.799 --> 00:46:35.279
 this whole

00:46:35.279 --> 00:46:35.619
 group

00:46:35.619 --> 00:46:36.099
 and it's

00:46:36.099 --> 00:46:36.319
 as if

00:46:36.319 --> 00:46:36.479
 they're

00:46:36.479 --> 00:46:37.000
 saying to

00:46:37.000 --> 00:46:37.399
 all of

00:46:37.399 --> 00:46:37.559
 us

00:46:37.559 --> 00:46:37.819
 coming

00:46:37.819 --> 00:46:38.179
 behind

00:46:38.179 --> 00:46:38.479
 in this

00:46:38.479 --> 00:46:38.699
 great

00:46:38.699 --> 00:46:39.019
 cloud

00:46:39.019 --> 00:46:39.619
 when you

00:46:39.619 --> 00:46:39.979
 go to

00:46:39.979 --> 00:46:40.359
 judges

00:46:40.359 --> 00:46:41.259
 don't

00:46:41.259 --> 00:46:41.579
 look at

00:46:41.579 --> 00:46:41.979
 us

00:46:41.979 --> 00:46:43.279
 look at

00:46:43.279 --> 00:46:43.699
 Jesus

00:46:43.699 --> 00:46:44.939
 look at

00:46:44.939 --> 00:46:45.459
 the author

00:46:45.459 --> 00:46:46.339
 look at

00:46:46.339 --> 00:46:47.000
 the finisher

00:46:47.000 --> 00:46:47.759
 of our

00:46:47.759 --> 00:46:48.119
 faith

00:46:48.119 --> 00:46:48.559
 we had

00:46:48.559 --> 00:46:48.979
 moments

00:46:48.979 --> 00:46:49.379
 empowered

00:46:49.379 --> 00:46:49.759
 by the

00:46:49.759 --> 00:46:49.979
 spirit

00:46:49.979 --> 00:46:50.419
 but don't

00:46:50.419 --> 00:46:50.739
 look to

00:46:50.739 --> 00:46:51.059
 us

00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.719
 look to

00:46:51.719 --> 00:46:52.139
 him

00:46:52.139 --> 00:46:52.899
 look to

00:46:52.899 --> 00:46:53.259
 him

00:46:53.259 --> 00:46:53.959
 look to

00:46:53.959 --> 00:46:54.399
 Jesus

00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:55.440
 that's

00:46:55.440 --> 00:46:55.579
 what

00:46:55.579 --> 00:46:55.760
 they're

00:46:55.760 --> 00:46:56.079
 doing

00:46:56.079 --> 00:46:56.920
 that's

00:46:56.920 --> 00:46:57.039
 what

00:46:57.039 --> 00:46:57.220
 they're

00:46:57.220 --> 00:46:57.519
 showing

00:46:57.519 --> 00:46:57.840
 us

00:46:57.840 --> 00:46:58.519
 and then

00:46:58.519 --> 00:46:58.920
 finally

00:46:58.920 --> 00:46:59.380
 the third

00:46:59.380 --> 00:46:59.760
 way I

00:46:59.760 --> 00:47:00.160
 think this

00:47:00.160 --> 00:47:00.559
 is a book

00:47:00.559 --> 00:47:01.200
 about mercy

00:47:01.200 --> 00:47:02.800
 is that

00:47:02.800 --> 00:47:03.760
 God never

00:47:03.760 --> 00:47:04.780
 abandons

00:47:04.780 --> 00:47:05.559
 his promise

00:47:05.559 --> 00:47:06.599
 never

00:47:06.599 --> 00:47:08.800
 when you

00:47:08.800 --> 00:47:09.119
 get to

00:47:09.119 --> 00:47:09.880
 the Samson

00:47:09.880 --> 00:47:10.559
 cycle

00:47:10.559 --> 00:47:11.599
 the people

00:47:11.599 --> 00:47:12.059
 do not

00:47:12.059 --> 00:47:12.500
 ask for

00:47:12.500 --> 00:47:12.760
 God's

00:47:12.760 --> 00:47:13.059
 mercy

00:47:13.059 --> 00:47:15.200
 yet God

00:47:15.200 --> 00:47:15.780
 still raises

00:47:15.780 --> 00:47:16.400
 up a judge

00:47:16.400 --> 00:47:16.860
 to deliver

00:47:16.860 --> 00:47:17.139
 them

00:47:17.139 --> 00:47:18.360
 why

00:47:18.360 --> 00:47:21.160
 because

00:47:21.160 --> 00:47:21.700
 God is

00:47:21.700 --> 00:47:22.220
 faithful

00:47:22.220 --> 00:47:23.880
 he's

00:47:23.880 --> 00:47:24.200
 faithful

00:47:24.199 --> 00:47:26.000
 this

00:47:26.000 --> 00:47:26.460
 encourages

00:47:26.460 --> 00:47:26.799
 me

00:47:26.799 --> 00:47:27.159
 in

00:47:27.159 --> 00:47:27.379
 this

00:47:27.379 --> 00:47:27.759
 sense

00:47:27.759 --> 00:47:31.319
 that

00:47:31.319 --> 00:47:31.699
 God

00:47:31.699 --> 00:47:32.059
 never

00:47:32.059 --> 00:47:32.339
 gets

00:47:32.339 --> 00:47:32.679
 so

00:47:32.679 --> 00:47:33.399
 frustrated

00:47:33.399 --> 00:47:33.639
 with

00:47:33.639 --> 00:47:34.119
 Christians

00:47:34.119 --> 00:47:35.939
 that

00:47:35.939 --> 00:47:36.059
 he

00:47:36.059 --> 00:47:36.319
 steps

00:47:36.319 --> 00:47:36.579
 back

00:47:36.579 --> 00:47:36.679
 and

00:47:36.679 --> 00:47:36.779
 he

00:47:36.779 --> 00:47:36.960
 says

00:47:36.960 --> 00:47:37.079
 you

00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:37.199
 know

00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:37.460
 what

00:47:37.460 --> 00:47:38.059
 forget

00:47:38.059 --> 00:47:38.299
 it

00:47:38.299 --> 00:47:38.579
 all

00:47:38.579 --> 00:47:39.839
 forget

00:47:39.839 --> 00:47:40.039
 it

00:47:40.039 --> 00:47:40.279
 all

00:47:40.279 --> 00:47:41.379
 he

00:47:41.379 --> 00:47:41.519
 could

00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:41.619
 have

00:47:41.619 --> 00:47:41.719
 done

00:47:41.719 --> 00:47:41.839
 that

00:47:41.839 --> 00:47:41.980
 with

00:47:41.980 --> 00:47:42.239
 Israel

00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:42.879
 he

00:47:42.879 --> 00:47:43.019
 could

00:47:43.019 --> 00:47:43.139
 have

00:47:43.139 --> 00:47:43.299
 said

00:47:43.299 --> 00:47:43.539
 this

00:47:43.539 --> 00:47:43.699
 is

00:47:43.699 --> 00:47:43.960
 just

00:47:43.960 --> 00:47:44.579
 ridiculous

00:47:44.579 --> 00:47:45.439
 forget

00:47:45.439 --> 00:47:45.759
 the

00:47:45.759 --> 00:47:46.159
 land

00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:46.699
 forget

00:47:46.699 --> 00:47:46.919
 the

00:47:46.919 --> 00:47:47.299
 king

00:47:47.299 --> 00:47:47.759
 forget

00:47:47.759 --> 00:47:47.939
 all

00:47:47.939 --> 00:47:48.099
 the

00:47:48.099 --> 00:47:48.559
 stuff

00:47:48.559 --> 00:47:49.059
 I'm

00:47:49.059 --> 00:47:49.139
 going

00:47:49.139 --> 00:47:49.219
 to

00:47:49.219 --> 00:47:49.419
 make

00:47:49.419 --> 00:47:49.539
 them

00:47:49.539 --> 00:47:49.739
 like

00:47:49.739 --> 00:47:50.119
 Sodom

00:47:50.119 --> 00:47:50.259
 and

00:47:50.259 --> 00:47:50.539
 Gomorrah

00:47:50.539 --> 00:47:50.779
 because

00:47:50.779 --> 00:47:51.139
 they've

00:47:51.139 --> 00:47:51.399
 actually

00:47:51.399 --> 00:47:51.819
 become

00:47:51.819 --> 00:47:52.259
 worse

00:47:52.259 --> 00:47:52.500
 than

00:47:52.500 --> 00:47:52.819
 Sodom

00:47:52.820 --> 00:47:53.300
 and Gomorrah

00:47:53.300 --> 00:47:53.900
 in fact

00:47:53.900 --> 00:47:54.420
 the last

00:47:54.420 --> 00:47:54.700
 story

00:47:54.700 --> 00:47:54.980
 that's

00:47:54.980 --> 00:47:55.160
 told

00:47:55.160 --> 00:47:55.420
 in the

00:47:55.420 --> 00:47:55.680
 book

00:47:55.680 --> 00:47:56.240
 is a

00:47:56.240 --> 00:47:56.640
 parallel

00:47:56.640 --> 00:47:57.300
 to

00:47:57.300 --> 00:47:57.800
 Sodom

00:47:57.800 --> 00:47:59.120
 Israel

00:47:59.120 --> 00:47:59.400
 has

00:47:59.400 --> 00:47:59.720
 become

00:47:59.720 --> 00:47:59.920
 as

00:47:59.920 --> 00:48:00.220
 bad

00:48:00.220 --> 00:48:00.360
 as

00:48:00.360 --> 00:48:00.460
 you

00:48:00.460 --> 00:48:00.600
 can

00:48:00.600 --> 00:48:00.840
 get

00:48:00.840 --> 00:48:01.180
 and

00:48:01.180 --> 00:48:01.320
 yet

00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:01.620
 God

00:48:01.620 --> 00:48:01.840
 does

00:48:01.840 --> 00:48:02.000
 not

00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:02.220
 step

00:48:02.220 --> 00:48:02.460
 back

00:48:02.460 --> 00:48:02.600
 and

00:48:02.600 --> 00:48:02.760
 say

00:48:02.760 --> 00:48:03.400
 forget

00:48:03.400 --> 00:48:03.740
 it

00:48:03.740 --> 00:48:04.920
 he

00:48:04.920 --> 00:48:05.100
 never

00:48:05.100 --> 00:48:05.400
 does

00:48:05.400 --> 00:48:05.660
 that

00:48:05.660 --> 00:48:06.860
 he

00:48:06.860 --> 00:48:07.280
 doesn't

00:48:07.280 --> 00:48:07.580
 step

00:48:07.580 --> 00:48:07.840
 back

00:48:07.840 --> 00:48:07.980
 at

00:48:07.980 --> 00:48:08.120
 the

00:48:08.120 --> 00:48:08.519
 church

00:48:08.519 --> 00:48:08.920
 and

00:48:08.920 --> 00:48:09.220
 say

00:48:09.220 --> 00:48:09.840
 forget

00:48:09.840 --> 00:48:10.220
 it

00:48:10.219 --> 00:48:11.219
 forget

00:48:11.219 --> 00:48:11.379
 the

00:48:11.379 --> 00:48:11.659
 church

00:48:11.659 --> 00:48:11.859
 just

00:48:11.859 --> 00:48:12.239
 continues

00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:12.459
 to

00:48:12.459 --> 00:48:13.039
 decline

00:48:13.039 --> 00:48:13.559
 they're

00:48:13.559 --> 00:48:13.819
 being

00:48:13.819 --> 00:48:14.419
 canaanized

00:48:14.419 --> 00:48:14.759
 just

00:48:14.759 --> 00:48:15.019
 like

00:48:15.019 --> 00:48:15.279
 Israel

00:48:15.279 --> 00:48:15.500
 is

00:48:15.500 --> 00:48:15.980
 just

00:48:15.980 --> 00:48:16.480
 forget

00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:16.679
 the

00:48:16.679 --> 00:48:16.859
 whole

00:48:16.859 --> 00:48:17.279
 thing

00:48:17.279 --> 00:48:18.519
 I'm

00:48:18.519 --> 00:48:18.679
 just

00:48:18.679 --> 00:48:18.879
 getting

00:48:18.879 --> 00:48:19.099
 rid

00:48:19.099 --> 00:48:19.219
 of

00:48:19.219 --> 00:48:19.419
 all

00:48:19.419 --> 00:48:19.539
 of

00:48:19.539 --> 00:48:19.639
 them

00:48:19.639 --> 00:48:19.859
 he

00:48:19.859 --> 00:48:20.079
 doesn't

00:48:20.079 --> 00:48:20.239
 do

00:48:20.239 --> 00:48:20.539
 that

00:48:20.539 --> 00:48:21.980
 and

00:48:21.980 --> 00:48:22.119
 even

00:48:22.119 --> 00:48:22.279
 in

00:48:22.279 --> 00:48:22.419
 your

00:48:22.419 --> 00:48:22.639
 own

00:48:22.639 --> 00:48:23.000
 personal

00:48:23.000 --> 00:48:23.279
 life

00:48:23.279 --> 00:48:23.439
 if

00:48:23.439 --> 00:48:23.599
 you're

00:48:23.599 --> 00:48:23.759
 in

00:48:23.759 --> 00:48:24.159
 Christ

00:48:24.159 --> 00:48:25.279
 there

00:48:25.279 --> 00:48:25.459
 is

00:48:25.459 --> 00:48:25.679
 no

00:48:25.679 --> 00:48:26.000
 sin

00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:26.119
 in

00:48:26.119 --> 00:48:26.219
 your

00:48:26.219 --> 00:48:26.519
 life

00:48:26.519 --> 00:48:26.699
 that

00:48:26.699 --> 00:48:26.919
 God

00:48:26.919 --> 00:48:27.019
 is

00:48:27.019 --> 00:48:27.299
 finally

00:48:27.299 --> 00:48:27.459
 going

00:48:27.459 --> 00:48:27.519
 to

00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:27.639
 get

00:48:27.639 --> 00:48:27.759
 to

00:48:27.759 --> 00:48:27.859
 a

00:48:27.859 --> 00:48:28.000
 point

00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:28.179
 he's

00:48:28.179 --> 00:48:28.279
 going

00:48:28.279 --> 00:48:28.339
 to

00:48:28.339 --> 00:48:28.459
 say

00:48:28.459 --> 00:48:28.579
 you

00:48:28.579 --> 00:48:28.719
 know

00:48:28.719 --> 00:48:28.919
 what

00:48:28.919 --> 00:48:29.359
 forget

00:48:29.359 --> 00:48:29.619
 it

00:48:29.619 --> 00:48:30.480
 forget

00:48:30.480 --> 00:48:30.679
 it

00:48:30.679 --> 00:48:30.919
 I'm

00:48:30.920 --> 00:48:31.139
 done

00:48:31.139 --> 00:48:31.320
 with

00:48:31.320 --> 00:48:31.659
 Josh

00:48:31.659 --> 00:48:32.300
 I'm

00:48:32.300 --> 00:48:32.519
 done

00:48:32.519 --> 00:48:32.680
 with

00:48:32.680 --> 00:48:33.119
 Ashlyn

00:48:33.119 --> 00:48:33.760
 I'm

00:48:33.760 --> 00:48:33.960
 done

00:48:33.960 --> 00:48:34.139
 with

00:48:34.139 --> 00:48:34.480
 David

00:48:34.480 --> 00:48:35.099
 forget

00:48:35.099 --> 00:48:35.460
 it

00:48:35.460 --> 00:48:35.760
 he

00:48:35.760 --> 00:48:35.960
 doesn't

00:48:35.960 --> 00:48:36.099
 do

00:48:36.099 --> 00:48:36.360
 that

00:48:36.360 --> 00:48:37.019
 God

00:48:37.019 --> 00:48:37.220
 is

00:48:37.220 --> 00:48:37.519
 faithful

00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:37.720
 to

00:48:37.720 --> 00:48:37.880
 his

00:48:37.880 --> 00:48:38.300
 promises

00:48:38.300 --> 00:48:39.099
 even

00:48:39.099 --> 00:48:39.360
 when

00:48:39.360 --> 00:48:39.599
 we

00:48:39.599 --> 00:48:39.780
 are

00:48:39.780 --> 00:48:40.500
 unfaithful

00:48:40.500 --> 00:48:40.980
 and

00:48:40.980 --> 00:48:41.619
 especially

00:48:41.619 --> 00:48:42.880
 when

00:48:42.880 --> 00:48:43.079
 we

00:48:43.079 --> 00:48:43.280
 are

00:48:43.280 --> 00:48:43.980
 unfaithful

00:48:43.980 --> 00:48:44.980
 this

00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:45.280
 is a

00:48:45.280 --> 00:48:45.500
 book

00:48:45.500 --> 00:48:45.780
 of

00:48:45.780 --> 00:48:46.460
 God's

00:48:46.460 --> 00:48:47.039
 mercy

00:48:47.039 --> 00:48:47.700
 his

00:48:47.700 --> 00:48:48.099
 mercy

00:48:48.099 --> 00:48:49.599
 the

00:48:49.599 --> 00:48:49.760
 book

00:48:49.760 --> 00:48:49.880
 of

00:48:49.880 --> 00:48:50.200
 judges

00:48:50.200 --> 00:48:50.500
 is

00:48:50.500 --> 00:48:51.139
 immediately

00:48:51.139 --> 00:48:51.639
 relevant

00:48:51.639 --> 00:48:51.880
 to

00:48:51.880 --> 00:48:52.220
 us

00:48:52.220 --> 00:48:52.500
 you

00:48:52.500 --> 00:48:53.079
 won't

00:48:53.079 --> 00:48:53.260
 have

00:48:53.260 --> 00:48:53.340
 a

00:48:53.340 --> 00:48:53.480
 hard

00:48:53.480 --> 00:48:53.700
 time

00:48:53.700 --> 00:48:54.019
 seeing

00:48:54.019 --> 00:48:54.320
 that

00:48:54.320 --> 00:48:56.300
 like

00:48:56.300 --> 00:48:56.680
 Israel

00:48:56.680 --> 00:48:56.920
 the

00:48:56.920 --> 00:48:57.280
 Christian

00:48:57.280 --> 00:48:57.740
 church

00:48:57.740 --> 00:48:58.059
 is

00:48:58.059 --> 00:48:58.079
!

00:48:58.079 --> 00:48:58.820
 continuously

00:48:58.820 --> 00:48:59.300
 showing

00:48:59.300 --> 00:48:59.780
 signs

00:48:59.780 --> 00:48:59.980
 of

00:48:59.980 --> 00:49:00.840
 canonization

00:49:00.840 --> 00:49:03.180
 instead

00:49:03.180 --> 00:49:03.380
 of

00:49:03.380 --> 00:49:03.740
 driving

00:49:03.740 --> 00:49:04.000
 out

00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:04.360
 sin

00:49:04.360 --> 00:49:04.760
 and

00:49:04.760 --> 00:49:05.280
 following

00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:05.740
 God

00:49:05.740 --> 00:49:05.960
 as

00:49:05.960 --> 00:49:06.160
 he's

00:49:06.160 --> 00:49:06.540
 commanded

00:49:06.540 --> 00:49:06.760
 in

00:49:06.760 --> 00:49:06.880
 the

00:49:06.880 --> 00:49:07.220
 word

00:49:07.220 --> 00:49:08.519
 we

00:49:08.519 --> 00:49:08.700
 are

00:49:08.700 --> 00:49:09.220
 routinely

00:49:09.220 --> 00:49:09.700
 guilty

00:49:09.700 --> 00:49:10.220
 of

00:49:10.220 --> 00:49:11.340
 intermingling

00:49:11.340 --> 00:49:12.240
 and

00:49:12.240 --> 00:49:13.120
 intermarrying

00:49:13.120 --> 00:49:13.540
 so to

00:49:13.540 --> 00:49:13.960
 speak

00:49:13.960 --> 00:49:14.980
 with the

00:49:14.980 --> 00:49:15.340
 people

00:49:15.340 --> 00:49:15.700
 and the

00:49:15.700 --> 00:49:16.080
 ideas

00:49:16.080 --> 00:49:16.440
 of this

00:49:16.440 --> 00:49:16.840
 world

00:49:16.840 --> 00:49:18.540
 Brian

00:49:18.540 --> 00:49:18.800
 and I

00:49:18.800 --> 00:49:18.920
 were

00:49:18.920 --> 00:49:19.220
 talking

00:49:19.220 --> 00:49:19.519
 before

00:49:19.519 --> 00:49:19.700
 the

00:49:19.700 --> 00:49:19.960
 service

00:49:19.960 --> 00:49:20.280
 started

00:49:20.280 --> 00:49:20.540
 this

00:49:20.540 --> 00:49:20.840
 morning

00:49:20.840 --> 00:49:21.640
 that

00:49:21.640 --> 00:49:22.560
 when

00:49:22.560 --> 00:49:22.860
 people

00:49:22.860 --> 00:49:23.200
 don't

00:49:23.200 --> 00:49:23.360
 know

00:49:23.360 --> 00:49:23.560
 their

00:49:23.560 --> 00:49:24.060
 Bibles

00:49:24.060 --> 00:49:24.660
 they

00:49:24.660 --> 00:49:24.820
 will

00:49:24.820 --> 00:49:25.019
 be

00:49:25.019 --> 00:49:25.320
 carried

00:49:25.320 --> 00:49:25.580
 off

00:49:25.580 --> 00:49:25.780
 by

00:49:25.780 --> 00:49:26.240
 every

00:49:26.240 --> 00:49:26.640
 wind

00:49:26.640 --> 00:49:26.900
 and

00:49:26.900 --> 00:49:27.280
 wave

00:49:27.280 --> 00:49:27.560
 of

00:49:27.560 --> 00:49:27.940
 cultural

00:49:27.940 --> 00:49:28.460
 transition

00:49:28.460 --> 00:49:28.700
 and

00:49:28.700 --> 00:49:29.040
 cultural

00:49:29.040 --> 00:49:29.480
 movement

00:49:29.480 --> 00:49:30.780
 and the

00:49:30.780 --> 00:49:31.119
 more like

00:49:31.119 --> 00:49:31.420
 the world

00:49:31.420 --> 00:49:32.000
 we become

00:49:32.000 --> 00:49:32.579
 the less

00:49:32.579 --> 00:49:33.139
 we will

00:49:33.139 --> 00:49:33.539
 have any

00:49:33.539 --> 00:49:33.900
 kind of

00:49:33.900 --> 00:49:34.240
 footing

00:49:34.240 --> 00:49:34.639
 in what

00:49:34.639 --> 00:49:35.119
 is good

00:49:35.119 --> 00:49:35.659
 and right

00:49:35.659 --> 00:49:36.199
 and true

00:49:36.199 --> 00:49:38.139
 surely

00:49:38.139 --> 00:49:38.519
 we can

00:49:38.519 --> 00:49:38.860
 see the

00:49:38.860 --> 00:49:39.300
 signs of

00:49:39.300 --> 00:49:39.559
 that

00:49:39.559 --> 00:49:41.360
 rather than

00:49:41.360 --> 00:49:42.079
 fighting in

00:49:42.079 --> 00:49:42.980
 holy war

00:49:42.980 --> 00:49:43.760
 against sin

00:49:43.760 --> 00:49:45.099
 we regularly

00:49:45.099 --> 00:49:45.820
 fight against

00:49:45.820 --> 00:49:46.420
 one another

00:49:46.420 --> 00:49:47.460
 we see that

00:49:47.460 --> 00:49:48.019
 with Israel

00:49:48.019 --> 00:49:49.199
 instead of

00:49:49.199 --> 00:49:49.780
 submitting to

00:49:49.780 --> 00:49:50.119
 God

00:49:50.119 --> 00:49:51.780
 most people

00:49:51.780 --> 00:49:52.219
 seem to

00:49:52.219 --> 00:49:52.599
 just be

00:49:52.599 --> 00:49:52.860
 doing

00:49:52.860 --> 00:49:53.179
 whatever

00:49:53.179 --> 00:49:53.559
 seems

00:49:53.559 --> 00:49:53.900
 good

00:49:53.900 --> 00:49:54.980
 in their

00:49:54.980 --> 00:49:55.179
 own

00:49:55.179 --> 00:49:55.559
 eyes

00:49:55.559 --> 00:49:57.119
 judges

00:49:57.119 --> 00:49:57.480
 is a

00:49:57.480 --> 00:49:57.699
 warning

00:49:57.699 --> 00:49:58.179
 against

00:49:58.179 --> 00:49:58.559
 this

00:49:58.559 --> 00:49:59.919
 it's a

00:49:59.919 --> 00:50:00.239
 warning

00:50:00.239 --> 00:50:00.699
 against

00:50:00.699 --> 00:50:00.879
 the

00:50:00.879 --> 00:50:01.500
 idolatry

00:50:01.500 --> 00:50:01.679
 of

00:50:01.679 --> 00:50:02.099
 self

00:50:02.099 --> 00:50:03.460
 and

00:50:03.460 --> 00:50:03.619
 it's

00:50:03.619 --> 00:50:03.779
 a

00:50:03.779 --> 00:50:04.119
 call

00:50:04.119 --> 00:50:04.339
 to

00:50:04.339 --> 00:50:04.619
 turn

00:50:04.619 --> 00:50:04.859
 from

00:50:04.859 --> 00:50:05.399
 sin

00:50:05.399 --> 00:50:06.619
 to

00:50:06.619 --> 00:50:06.799
 the

00:50:06.799 --> 00:50:07.199
 unending

00:50:07.199 --> 00:50:07.759
 mercy

00:50:07.759 --> 00:50:08.279
 of

00:50:08.279 --> 00:50:08.679
 God

00:50:08.679 --> 00:50:10.099
 through

00:50:10.099 --> 00:50:10.659
 faith

00:50:10.659 --> 00:50:11.279
 in the

00:50:11.279 --> 00:50:11.559
 true

00:50:11.559 --> 00:50:12.019
 King

00:50:12.019 --> 00:50:13.159
 Jesus

00:50:13.159 --> 00:50:13.699
 Christ

00:50:13.699 --> 00:50:14.440
 let's

00:50:14.440 --> 00:50:14.619
 pray

00:50:14.619 --> 00:50:15.319
 to

00:50:15.319 --> 00:50:16.299
 take

00:50:16.299 --> 00:50:16.619
 to

00:50:16.619 --> 00:50:16.619


00:50:16.619 --> 00:50:16.619


00:50:16.619 --> 00:50:17.139
 take

00:50:17.139 --> 00:50:17.139


00:50:17.139 --> 00:50:17.139


00:50:17.139 --> 00:50:17.859
 take

00:50:17.859 --> 00:50:17.859


00:50:17.859 --> 00:50:18.519
 take

00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519


00:50:18.519 --> 00:50:18.519