The cycles of the Judges begins! We begin to learn about this significant period of ‘deliverers’ the Lord raised up during this period of Israel’s history.
Judges 3:
1 Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan.
2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before.
3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.
4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.
5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
6 And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.
Othniel
7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.
8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia. And the people of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim eight years.
9 But when the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the people of Israel, who saved them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.
10 The Spirit of the LORD was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.
11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.
Ehud
12 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.
13 He gathered to himself the Ammonites and the Amalekites, and went and defeated Israel. And they took possession of the city of palms.
14 And the people of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
15 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, and the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud, the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The people of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab.
16 And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length, and he bound it on his right thigh under his clothes.
17 And he presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man.
18 And when Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent away the people who carried the tribute.
19 But he himself turned back at the idols near Gilgal and said, "I have a secret message for you, O king." And he commanded, "Silence." And all his attendants went out from his presence.
20 And Ehud came to him as he was sitting alone in his cool roof chamber. And Ehud said, "I have a message from God for you." And he arose from his seat.
21 And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly.
22 And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out.
23 Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.
24 When he had gone, the servants came, and when they saw that the doors of the roof chamber were locked, they thought, "Surely he is relieving himself in the closet of the cool chamber."
25 And they waited till they were embarrassed. But when he still did not open the doors of the roof chamber, they took the key and opened them, and there lay their lord dead on the floor.
26 Ehud escaped while they delayed, and he passed beyond the idols and escaped to Seirah.
27 When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim. Then the people of Israel went down with him from the hill country, and he was their leader.
28 And he said to them, "Follow after me, for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand." So they went down after him and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites and did not allow anyone to pass over.
29 And they killed at that time about 10,000 of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; not a man escaped.
30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.
Shamgar
31 After him was Shamgar the son of Anath, who killed 600 of the Philistines with an oxgoad, and he also saved Israel.
Judges 4: Deborah and Barak
1 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died.
2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.
3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years.
4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment.
6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, "Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, 'Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun.
7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?"
8 Barak said to her, "If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go."
9 And she said, "I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.
11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh.
12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,
13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon.
14 And Deborah said to Barak, "Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?" So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him.
15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot.
16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left.
17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.
18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid." So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug.
19 And he said to her, "Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty." So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.
20 And he said to her, "Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, 'Is anyone here?' say, 'No.'"
21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died.
22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, "Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking." So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple.
23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel.
24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan.
Things to think about…
1. We must all know and experience the war against sin, Judges 3:2. It is interesting that it says the people were left in the land to teach the children of Israel about war, Jdgs 3:2. Often we think tough times are always as a result of Satan. He may well be involved, but the Lord knows what is best for us in order to strengthen us against our lethargy and sin of spiritual laziness.
2. ‘And the people did what was evil in the sight of the Lord’ Jgds 3:7,12; 4:1. This is a recurring phrase throughout the book. Here begins the cycle of idol worship, bondage, oppression, repentance, deliverance, blessing, idol worship that we see in the book of Judges. Are there areas where the modern church suffers from a similar cycle in your opinion? Where there is faithful preaching and a desire for holiness we stand a reasonable chance against falling into the spirit of the world.
3. Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar and Deborah were all Judges. They were different men (and a woman) for a different season, but they were all raised up for the same purpose – to judge the people of Israel. Pray for the leadership of our country – may our Lord allow His righteousness to shine brighter than it ever has in the past. It is interesting that Deborah when asked to come with Balak to the battle says that she will do so but the glory will go to a woman as a result. Hence why Deborah says what she says in Jdgs 4:9. Men are called to lead and godly women want to be led by godly men who know where they are going.
4. Deborah and Jael were godly women. May the Lord raise up more godly women in His service and for His glory. Beware of women who offer you milk when you asked for water, Jdgs 4:19-21. Just kidding…I prefer milk anyway. Milk has sleep inducing properties. Sisera was already tired, Jael just helped with the process, then she kills him. Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the Canaanite king until they destroyed him, Jdgs 4:24. Let’s be killing sin with the same fervour, if we don’t, it will be killing us.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. Continuing through the Sermon on the Mount. Wednesday night 6:30pm.
Young adult Life group - a meat lovers lunch this Sunday after church!
Prayer Points
1. Pray for Pastor Ric. Goes in for a heart op to adjust AF on his heart this Friday.
2. 30th June Special meeting re financial position and direction of the church.
3. Land slide in New Guinea that has claimed around 1000 lives. May God have mercy in the recovery efforts.
4. Keep praying for Anna and the Playgroup, pray for more families to be reached.
5. Conflict in Israel and Ukraine.
6. Church finances to cover all expenses. Budget presently not being met.
7. Pray for Kids@Church, Life groups. Young Adults.
8. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Wednesday afternoons, 5:30pm in the church cafe. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
9. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
10. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Combined Baptist One prayer meeting was an encouragement to hear what the Lord is doing in the other churches and to pray for revival in our city.
2. Great meeting on Sunday with new comers – give thanks
3. Tad’s health getting better all the time.
4. Glenys is looking well and receiving good treatment as she recovers from her stroke.
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Playgroup 9:30-11am on Friday.
2. Special Members (all congregation) meeting 30th June after the service. Lunch afterwards
3. Young Adults after church on Sunday – Meat Mayhem lunch!”.
4. Wednesday evening prayer at church 5:30-6:30pm
5. Life Groups Wednesday 6:30pm at church.
6. Kids@Church every Sunday.
7. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
8. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for June...
Q. 21. In what condition did God make Adam and Eve? A. He made them holy and happy.
Bible References – Gen.1:26-28; Ps.8:4-8.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
