SDA Sabbath School Lessons
April 20, 1996

Read for this week's study: Judges 3:7-31; 10:1-5; 12:8-15.

Memory text: Judges 3:9, 10

Key thought:

The "judges" were deliverers, impelled and empowered by the Spirit of God. These individuals gained justice for the Israelites by defeating their enemies, who were oppressing them.

Help for the Helpless:

Little Johnny runs to his mother, complaining that big Bobby, is picking on him. Mother investigates and discovers that the accusation is true. She sends Bobby to his room for a while to help him remember how to treat Johnny in the future.

A woman is harassed by an employer, who ignores her pleas to leave her alone. In desperation, she seeks and obtains a legal injunction to protect her.

A small country, attacked by a larger one, requests protection from United Nations peacekeeping forces. The request is granted, and the aggression is repelled.

In each of these cases, the stronger oppresses the weaker until the latter obtains help from a higher power. Such a power acts according to standards of fairness, which can be called "law," and enforces these standards.

When the Israelites disobeyed God, He allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies. But when they repented and cried to Him for help, He delivered them from oppression and gave them justice.

Outline:

• Sunday April 14: Othniel (Judges 3:7-11).
  • In summarizing the history of God's dealings with the Israelites after the death of Joshua, Judges 2:14 speaks of the Lord's giving them over to plunderers when they turned from Him. The first of these oppressors mentioned in the book of Judges is Cushan-rishathaim, king of Aram of the Two Rivers Judges 3:8, the land to the northeast of Palestine, which we call Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "between rivers," namely, the Tigris and the Euphrates).
  • The name of this king as it is given in the Hebrew text means "Cushan of two wickednesses." The latter part of the name, which seems to play on the fact that the king was from Aram of the Two Rivers, "was probably added by the Israelites to show their aversion for him."--SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p.324.
  • The Bible does not say whether Cushan-rishathaim was allied with the Canaanites or whether he oppressed them, as well as the Israelites. The important thing is that the Lord "sold" the Israelites into his power because they turned to other gods (Judges 3:7, 8)
  • What does Judges 3:8 mean by saying that the Lord "sold" the Israelites? Compare Judges 2:14; Deut. 32:30.
  • God had ransomed, or redeemed, the Israelites from slavery to Pharaoh (Deut. 7:8; Micah 6:4). They no longer belonged to Pharaoh but to Him. But when they ungratefully rejected the Lord, He temporarily allowed them to be oppressed by another cruel master.
  • After eight years of oppression, the Israelites finally got around to turning in the right direction for help (Judges 3:7, 9). When they returned to the Lord, He delivered them under the leadership of the first of the "judges": Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger half brother (or full brother if Jephunneh, the father of Caleb, is another name for Kenaz; compare Num. 13:6; 14:6, 30) or Caleb's nephew. In any case, Othniel was closely related to Caleb. Like Caleb, he was a courageous hero who won victories for the Israelites because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord.
  
  
• Monday April 15: Judges Means "Deliverers" (Judges 3:9).
  • When we think of a "judge," we think of a person who sits in a courthouse and makes decisions on legal cases. Closest to this idea in the book of Judges is Deborah, a prophetess (Judges 4:4, 5).
  • Aside from Deborah, the "judges" in the book of Judges may have engaged in some judicial activity, but they were primarily known as military leaders who delivered the Israelites from their enemies (Judges 2:16). Thus, Judges 3:9, 10 refers to Othniel as "a deliverer [saviour] to the children of Israel, who delivered [saved] them." In these verses, judge means "deliverer."
  • In the book of Judges, why are deliverers referred to as "judges"? Ps. 82:3.
  • Which of the following best answers the above question?
    1. The Hebrew word that is translated "judge" has a broader meaning than the English word. It can refer to a deliverer, as well as to a person who decides legal cases.
    2. "Judging," that is, "making decisions," was an important function of a political organizer such as a king (1 Kings 3:9; compare 2 Sam. 15:2-4). Thus, before the Israelites had kings (Judges 17:6), they referred to their organizers and decision makers as "judges." Understood in this way, Judges 3:10 can mean: The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, so that he assumed leadership of Israel as its organizer, following which he went to war and defeated the enemy.
    3. A "judge" in a court of law has the power to make a decision that vindicates an oppressed person, thereby freeing him or her from an oppressor (Ps. 82:3; Prov. 29:14). Likewise, when the Israelites returned to God, the protection of His covenant then went into effect again. Their enemies were no longer instruments of God's justice, but rather, unjust oppressors. Then "judges" acted for God in carrying out His sentences of judgment (compare Deut. 17:11) upon the enemies of the Israelites, freeing His people from oppression.
    4. Another answer:
    5. All the above.
  
  
• Tuesday April 16: Impelled by the Spirit of the Lord (Judge s 3:10).
  • Othniel did not appoint himself as Israel's judge-deliverer; the Lord raised him up ( Judges 3:9 ). "The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel" (verse 10, NRSV). Likewise, the other "judges" were raised up by the Lord (Judges 2:16; compare Judges 3:15 ). In the cases of several of these people, the book of Judges states explicitly that the Spirit of the Lord played a major role in raising them up for special work. The Spirit of the Lord "took possession of Gideon" (Judges 6:34 ), "began to stir" Samson (Judges 13:25 ), and "rushed on" Samson (Judges 14:6, 19 ).
  • What occurred in other instances when the Spirit of the Lord came upon believers? See 1 Sam. 11:6; 16:13; Acts 2:1-4.
  • The Spirit of the Lord (Holy Spirit) came upon people earlier, during the wilderness wandering of the Israelites (Num. 11:25-29 ), and later, in the time of the first kings of Israel (see the verses in 1 Samuel given above). In the book of Judges, activity motivated by the Holy Spirit's control was primarily military in nature.
  • It is clear why God's Spirit would control a person in a military situation: to deliver God's people. Why was the Spirit poured upon people in other situations? Num. 11:25-29; Acts 2:1-4.
  • The Holy Spirit inspires and empowers special communication between God and human beings. The fact that there is a supernatural element involved means that people are likely to pay attention and gain the benefit of God's communication. Because such manifestations can be so influential, it is vital to test them "to see whether they are from God" (1 John 4:1).
  • Are you willing for God's Spirit to control you? (See Joel 2:28, 29 .) To which actions of the Spirit should we continually yield control? Gal. 5:22-25; John 16:13.
  
  Wednesday April 17: Retribution for Afflicting God's People (Judges 3:12-30).
  • Again, the Israelites turned from the Lord, who this time gave them into the power or Eglon, king of Moab, who defeated Israel with the help of the Ammonites and the Amalekites (Judges 3:12, 13). After 18 years of serving Eglon, the Israelites concluded that they would rather serve the Lord, so they cried to Him, and He raised up Ehud to deliver them (verses 14, 15 ).
  • Whereas Othniel had been from Judah, the largest tribe, Ehud's leadership ability was handicapped by the fact that he was from Benjamin, the smallest tribe. Moreover, his right hand was "restricted" (verse 15, Hebrew), meaning that he was left-handed.
  • Why does God at times choose as leaders people who seem unfitted? 1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Cor. 1:25-31.
  • Ehud's physical difference was an important factor in his success! In order to deliver Israel, he first needed to assassinate the leader of the oppressing power, Eglon. To kill Eglon, he had to be within striking distance with a weapon. He could come close by taking him tribute on behalf of the Israelites and then saying that he had a secret message from God ( Judges 3:15, 17-20 ). But how could he pass the Moabite guards with a weapon? Because he was left-handed, Ehud carried a concealed dagger on the right side (verse 16 ) rather than the usual left side. So the guards did not detect the weapon.
  • Ehud's assassination of Eglon is recounted in particularly gory detail (Judges 3:21, 22 ). Why?
  • The Israelites deplored the cruelty of their oppressors. This explains why the king defeated by Othniel is called in Hebrew: Cushan-rishathaim, which means "Cushan of two wickednesses" (Judges 3:8; see Sunday's lesson).
  • Why was such retribution meted out by a servant of God appropriate in that setting but very wrong in our setting? (See Matt. 5:43-48; Luke 23:34.)
  
  
• Thursday April 18: Goading on to Victory (Judges 3:31; 10:1-5; 12:8-15)
  • After Ehud, Shamgar delivered Israel by killing 600 Philistines with an ox-goad (Judges 3:31; compare 5:6). The book of Judges mentions five additional "minor" judges: Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. We are told nothing more than where they were from some information about their families, and how long they judged Israel.
  • Why are the "minor" judges (Judges 3:31; 10:1-5; 12:8-15) mentioned in the book of Judges at all?
  • Which of the following best answers the question?
    1. The author wanted to present a complete list of deliverers.
    2. The author wanted to acknowledge the contributions of people of various tribes and parts of the country.
    3. Counting the minor judges, there are 12 judgeships mentioned in the book of Judges, just as there were 12 tribes of Israel.
    4. The brief notices about the minor judges (names in italics below) contribute to the book's structure:

          I.   Introduction to the Period of the "Judges" (Judges 1:1-3:6).
               A.  Historical preface (1:1-2:5).
               B.  Summary with interpretation (2:6-3:6).
          II.  Accounts of the "Judges" (3:7-16:31).
               A.  Othniel (3:7-11).
               B.  Ehud (3:12-30).
               C.  Shamgar (3:31).
               D.  Deborah and Barak (4:1-5:31).
               E.  Gideon and his son, Abimelech (6:1-9:57).
               F.  Tola (10:1-2), Jair (10:3-5).
               G.  Jephthah (10:6-12:7).
               H.  Ibzan (12:8-10), Elon (12:11, 12), Abdon (12:13-15).
               I.  Samson (13:1-16:31).
          III. Conclusion:  Two Important Events.
               A.  Micah's idolatry and its transfer to Dan (17:1-18:31).
               B.  A Benjaminite crime and war with Benjamin (19:1-21:25).
       

    5. Another answer:
    6. All of the above.
  
  
• Friday April 19: Further study: Study the structure of the book of Judges (see outline in Thursday's lesson) in relation to its content. Consider the possible significance of structural features--such as the increase of minor judges toward the end of the book--for the book's meaning.
  • Note the double beginning of the book and its double ending. The historical preface at the beginning of the book (Judges 1:1-2:5 ) is tied to the end of the book, which deals with the war with Benjamin ( Judges 19:1-21:25 ). In both sections, military coordination between the tribes is governed by the Lord's instruction that the tribe of Judah should lead the way (1:1, 2; 20:18 ). Furthermore, the second and second-last sections of the book (2:6-3:6; 17:1-18:31) both emphasize idolatry. Thus, the outer framework of the book is unified by a pattern of inversion that can be called "chiastic," after the Greek letter chi, which looks like an X .
  • In addition to unity, this pattern emphasizes tragic, ironic shifts that occurred during the period of the "judges." At the beginning of the book, Judah leads the battle against the Canaanites, and the Israelites become ensnared by Canaanite gods. At the end of the book, Israelites make gods of their own, and Judah leads the battle against fellow Israelites. So the Israelites become their own enemies.
  • On the background, theme, and structure of the book of Judges, read the SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, pp. 301-306.
  • "When Othniel was designated as the man whom God had chosen to lead and deliver Israel, he did not refuse to take the responsibility. In the strength of God he at once commenced to repress idolatry as the Lord had commanded, to administer justice, and to elevate the standard of morality and religion. as Israel repented of their sins, the Lord manifested His great mercy toward them, and wrought for their deliverance."--Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 2, p. 1002.
  • Discussion Questions:
    1. What parallels do you see between the way God delivered Israel and the way Jesus delivers us?
    2. What similarities and differences are there between the "judges" and the spiritual leaders of our church?

Summary:

Through the leadership of "judges" such as Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar, the Lord won justice and deliverance for His people. These leaders were designated, motivated and empowered by the Spirit of the Lord.