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Joshua - Kings Notes
by Jason Gastrich
Professor Dr. Harvey D. Hartman
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary (LBTS -
Liberty University campus) History is His story. It's not a history of Israel. It's a history of God
dealing with Israel. God was working in other nations for Israel. -short lines of relatively the same length Poetry uses repetition or parallels, puns and literary devices (pg. 26)
Psalm 119 was arranged by the letters, unique
Crosses over thoughts from one line to next line
Hebrew poetry often left out verbs
More difficult to understand at times keyword or leitwort (German) for lead word; it's a them that uses a keyword
several times in a passage
prose just tells the story, common language like you and I talk Only 7 historical books don't have poetry. Genesis does. Mathew-Acts is history
D~~~etiology: an explanation for something that happened, 12 stones that
Joshua had erected after the crossing of the Jordan River D~~~doxology: praise
When praise went to the proper person, God, Israel went on to the next event
smoothly.
didactic
D~~~aesthetic: artwork Student D~~~Wisdom is doing things the way God would do them. God usually uses humble people. If you have too big of a head, you may not
let God use you. Those who will be conscientious in keeping promises, are cautious in making
them.
First 5 books of the Bible are the Torah. Torah comes from a Hebrew word
meaning instruct or instruction. Pentateuch is another word for the Torah. In
Deuteronomy, Moses closes his writing. He was an eyewitness to events. Joshua 5:6 The word "us" indicates that the
writer was with the people. "We" also indicates this in Joshua 5:1. We hear a
lot of details that we wouldn't have heard if it was written much later. It
sounds like the writer was a contemporary of the events. 1. To show that God is faithful to His Abrahamic promise. Giving them land.
It may take 600 years for God's plan to work out, but He still fulfills it. 2. Doctrine of Election. God chose them and chose to be their God. They were
objects of His grace.
3. God is Faithful. He keeps His promises.
4. God is Holy. He gives people plenty of time to repent. He gave them 600
years to repent (the Caananites). He destroyed His own people at time. Rahab the
Caananite repented. Others could have because they heard what God had done
(plagues in Egypt).
5. God is Gracious. He is patient. God has the right to strike down anybody,
any time for sinning.
6. God is the God of Creation (Joshua 3:11, 13, Zech. 6:5).
7. God is the God of the Universe
8. God is a Warrior. Exodus 15:3 says God fought for Israel. 2. Conquering the Land (6-12)
3. Dividing the Territories Among the Tribes of Israel (13-22) (All but the
Levites in chapter 20, who get 48 cities, get some land)
4. Farewell Addresses of Joshua (23-24) Joshua: the "Minister" of Moses
Joshua was with Moses on Mt. Sinai
Joshua was one of the 12 spies, one of the 2 with a good report A. Military *
B. Religious **
C. Leadership training *** * Exodus 17:9-19 Moses and Aaron overlook battle scene. As Moses held up the
Rod, Israel won. Aaron and Joshua held his arms up.
** Exodus 24:13 Permitted to accompany Moses, Joshua and 70 elders up Mt.
Sinai. Joshua stays with Moses and goes higher. Joshua is left in between and
Moses goes higher up with the Lord. He's there for 40 days. God gives him the 2
tablets (10 commandments). Moses goes down, gets Joshua and finds Israel at the
bottom, worshiping a golden calf. Moses was with God for 40 days, alone with
God. Joshua was alone, by himself, for 40 days.
** Exodus 32:17 He goes back with Moses to the camp.
** 33:9-11
Numbers 11:28 Moses rebuked him for bad judgment.
* 13:8, 16 Spy
14:6, 30, 38 Correct military analysis
26:65 All Israelites that were old or doubting died in the wilderness. Joshua
and Caleb were the exception.
*** 27:15-23 Joshua is chosen to be Moses' replacement. Leadership training
was over.
32:12 Everybody else dies, but Joshua and Caleb can go into land
*** 32:28 Joshua leads
*** 34:17 His responsibility is to divide the land among the tribes.
*** Deuteronomy 1:38 Joshua is named the new leader.
*** 3:21, 3:28 Moses is commanded by God to give a charge of encouragement to
Joshua.
*** 31:3, 7, 14, 23 Joshua is presented to the people of Israel by Moses.
34:9 After Moses dies, Joshua is a man that's full of the Spirit of God. A. Experience
B. Example
C. Exhortation Paul-Timothy
Jesus-disciples Joshua 2:1 2 Spies are sent to Jericho. They go to Rahab's house.
2:16 "The spies hide for 3 days."
3:2 "after 3 days they go back to Joshua"
"in 3 days, we're leaving"
"after days, they left" Rahab probably didn't know what she was doing was wrong. She is a pagan. It
was part of her life. God condemns lying. Even Godly people can lie. This is a
bad example. Jesus is truth. It is the duty to tell the truth and let God be
responsible for the outcome. Exodus 25:22 God is here, but not limited.
Solomon said the Heaven of Heavens can't contain God.
Uzza touched the ark and God killed him (smote him). No matter what his
intention, God is still Holy. Joshua 3:5 The ark leads the way.
2. Presence of God
3. Promise of God's Protection 3:10 Exodus 12:2, 13:4 - New Calendar
12:29FF - Exodus from Eqypt on the 15th
About 3 months from Eqypt to Mt. Sinai.
40:17 Tabernacle Erected in 2nd year, 1st month,
1st day
Numbers 7:1, 9:1 - Preparations for Passover at Sinai on 2nd year,
1st month, 10th day
--The next 38 years, Israel is angry and in rebellion to God. They don't
observe the Passover. The place where they were camped was named Gilgal. The Hebrew word was "roll"
so it was called the rolling away place. The Israelites couldn't participate in
the Passover if they weren't circumcised. Then they were prepared for Passover.
The manna stops because they were in the land and could eat the produce in the
land. It must have been a relief to have grain or something different from the
land. Even somebody's favorite food will get old after 40 years. The papers will be between 3-6 pages long. One cold walk around the perimeter in 30-45 minutes. a. unethical
b. moral imperfection of the OT
c. in direct conflict with the NT a. The action was performed on the basis of God's command. -Not a massacre at
random. Saying it is wrong is blaming God, not just Israel. If that is wrong by
God, we would expect an apology. God is Holy. A Holy God has the right to punish sin. God gave Caanan about
600 years to repent. Joshua 7: 1 man, Achan, stole something. In 2 million men. One among about 36
men/families.
Joshua 7:5 - the sin of one person made the Israelites fearful and in
trouble.
Achan looks like Achar. Achar is trouble. In Chronicles, that is what is
written. Achar or trouble. The Hebrew letters look very similar. Hiel rebuilt Jericho in the last part of 1 Kings 16:34, when Ahab was king.
He lost 2 sons, somehow. People have sacrificed a son and built them into the
wall of OT buildings. There is a present day Jericho, OT and NT Jericho. It is
in the middle of the desert, an oasis. In chapter 7, Achan's sin has become a family event. They knew about it and
took part in it because they were stoned and judged by God. Deut. 11:26 - A blessing and a curse. Vs. 29 "And it shall come to pass, when
the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to
possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse
upon mount Ebal." Deuteronomy is Moses' farewell address to the people. People that are very far away, the Israelites could make a deal with them.
Close neighbors had to be conquered and their gods destroyed. Joshua 9:14 "And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the LORD."
Joshua probably took an oath before God, not asking for His approval. It
would have been a sin for Israel to break their word. It would have been taking
God's name in vain. A Messianic Psalm. A prophetic Psalm, too--Jesus future reign. 3 kinds of interpretations:
a. Poetic - no literal meaning, "it was so hot, the sun stood still" History
can be written in poetic form (Bad viewpoint)
b. Prolongation of light - somehow we have an extension of light
1. Jet propulsion/volcanoes - they needed light, so many volcanoes fired at
once (Bad viewpoint)
2. Tilting the earth, like Norway in the summer, it's light all of the time
(Bad)
3. Comet came close to the earth and it's tail threw stones on the earth,
gave more light and slowed the earth's rotation (Bad)
4. Earth's rotation slowed at this one point in time - God's miracles are
usually only as big as needed. This affected the needed people. If it is a
natural occurrence (Jeremiah 31:35), it would have affected more people.
5. Refraction of Light - God extended the rays of light on the scene to
enable Joshua to finish the battle. And he sent a hailstorm.
c. Absence of Light - Joshua wanted his army to fight in the darkness. He
didn't want the sun to come up. Joshua 10:12 "dom" in Hebrew has been used in
solar eclipses, when the sun ceased. Some think he wanted to fight the enemy in
the cool of the night.
It could have been 5 or c. But it was a miracle, regardless. Deut. 17:17 - the king is told not to accumulate a lot of horses. Saul and
Solomon collected horses. God discourages all of that. He didn't want anybody
giving credit to the horses. 1. Jericho
2. Ai
3. Hazor herem - devoted, put under ban
haram "devote to destruction" Deut 6:10-11 God gave them (natan) cities. The people were to be destroyed
and the cities were to be lived in (lakad). It would have been counterproductive
to destroy the entire city, brick by brick. It does not say the Israel destroyed
the city. They took the sword to the people "to the city", not the bricks. note descriptive verbs
the took (lakad) the cities
put the cities (inhabitants) to the sword
Yahweh gave (natan) them. . . killed it's king and inhabitants, set fire to the city. God told them to
destroy the cities, so the three were destroyed without God's condemnation. Primary basis for late date is archaeology
1250 has been cited as the date cities were destroyed. They don't blame
Israel that the cities were destroyed. Only 3 cities were destroyed by Israel
and they often found the wrong place when they were digging. archaeology contradicts the Bible
No cultural shift in 13th century BC (hint of shift after 1400 BC)
The archeological shift of culture does explain the Bible and the destruction
of the people. Why would you expect a drastic change in culture when Israel used
their pots, pans and things that were left behind??? Israel used the things that
were left behind. A tell is a mound that has grown over the years of people living there.
3 distinct times or levels have been found where the city was destroyed
and/or burned with fire. Earliest: around 1400, next around 1300, once again
around 1230
Seti the First raided in 1300 and probably burned the place in the times of
the judges.
Joshua destroyed the place in 1400, but archeologists said that this isn't
so. They think Joshua destroyed the place in 1250. Once the city was destroyed
in 1250, the city hasn't been rebuilt. In Judges 4, it is mentioned that Hazor
is built. They are living in a city that supposedly doesn't exist--according to
archeologists.
1250 it was destroyed by Barak in the days of Judges 4. He defeated the
Canaanites in a big way, but the text doesn't specify the destruction of the
city. 1446 - Exodus
1444 - Israel at Kadesh Barnea, Caleb was 40 years old at this time.
1399 - Conquest completed and Caleb is 85 years old.
Not everybody will accept the conquest in the Biblical way it is presented.
If you don't trust the Bible, anything else is an option. Israel became an amphictyony
(12 tribe confederacy, common religious faith)
Co-mingling of political and religious traditions
No common origin of the tribes - there was no Jacob. The tribes came from
unrelated locations.
They were primarily non-Canaanite--forced to align themselves to preserve
common interests
Some tribes - Amorite immigrants - settled in Canaan
Some were dispersed - forced into Egypt Joshua 20. Read the books on the Judges.
Numbers 35:9-34
Levitical cities have been involved in murder. Murder was a very critical
sin. The brother is supposed to avenge the death of his brother. When the
avenger arrived, he talked to the town officials. They would not tolerate
murder. Non-premeditated manslaughter or accidents could not be punished because
they did not try to murder. Joshua 22:5 "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which
Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to
walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and
to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 12 - God establishes the place for worship. He doesn't want worship
where other God's had been worshiped. Those places were to be destroyed.
Paganism shouldn't be seen, remembered or practiced. In Deut. 13, Moses commands death to those who are serving or worship a
different god. No mercy, but death. Moses wrote Gen-Deut.
Joshua gives 22 chapters of his life and leadership.
Deut. and the last few chapters of Joshua are alike. Joshua is humble and admits that God deserves the praise.
***Joshua divided the land, he admits this. Compare this to someone who
received gifts from their parents to give to their kids. The gifts from the
grandparents are not from the parents, but the parents are dividing the goods
for the kids. That's what Joshua did. ***God is faithful in blessing, but also faithful in judgement and
punishment.
Joshua is going back to Deuteronomy and warning the people. This is more a
warning rather than a prophetic statement. Moses said the same thing. Suzerainty treaty = king makes an agreement with lesser people (subjects,
newly conquered people, etc.) "I'm king, you'll do what I say" 1. Preamble, king introduced
2. Historical prologue, king tells subjects what he's been doing for the
people. Makes a list.
Joshua 24:12 God put a hornet into the land to make them fear. This was
probably a symbol because it was not recorded.
3. Stipulations - Put away the other gods. Israel is obligated to serve God.
They must have had some other gods, because they are commanded to get rid of
them. Verse 23.
Joshua 24:15 "For me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
4. Punishment/blessing isn't mentioned much by Joshua, it's more in Deut.
Pagan people called in the gods to watch agreements that were being made.
Joshua says that this treaty is between the people and God. He says that the
rocks will be our witnesses.
5. Witnesses
6. Deposit of Treaty - the covenant that has been made were to be put in the
most sacred place. Moses gave his writings to the priest. Joshua gave his to the
priest. The 10 commandments were put in the Ark.
----This was made in Shechem. Saul became king in 1050 - no more judges
Samuel and Samson OR Jephthah and Samson were alive at the same time.
There is not one thing said about the writer of Judges.
Introduction to Judges:
I. Author:
--Scripture : ??
--Talmud : Samuel
the writer must have been a contemporary to write it with such accuracy
18:1, 19:1, 21:25 "When there was no king in Israel in that day....."
Judges had to be written before David's time because Israel was not yet in
Jerusalem (Jebusites were there). Judges was probably during the early days of
Saul and written by Samuel, the last judge. Saul was the first king. Exodus 1:8 begins after Joseph's death.
Joshua 1:1 begins after Moses dies.
Judges 1:1 begins after Joshua dies.
Joshua did not train a leader, so there was not a smooth transition between
Joshua and the next leader. --falls into the Historical section of OT
--primarily narrative : a book of stories
1. Central plot, but individual episodes
Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Barak, Jael, Gideon chaps. 6, 7, 8,
Abimelech, Tola (minor judge), Jair (minor judge), Jephthah, (Ibzan, Elon, Abdon
- minor judges), Manoah, Samson (chaps. 14, 15, 16).
2. Interaction among characters
3. Choices of the characters
4. Unity, coherence, and resolution
5. Central protaganist
Earlier books show what God is doing and contributes to the book. In Judges,
it shows what Israel is doing in their rebellion.
6. Experiences of everyday life -- note selectivity of data : purpose
Suggestion : the narrative of Judges should be define further as "tragedy" --
movement from positive experience to catastrophe
-- Protagonist's dilemma (Israel had to make a choice) -- demands a choice
-- Protagonist makes a moral choice
-- This choice results in a catastrophe for P.
-- Catastrophe is accompanied by suffering
-- Near end of action, P. arrives at perception/insight into what went wrong
(learning from mistakes), but we can't point to a chapter in Judges that shows
Israel's perception of enlightenment -- the book ends in a discouraging way.
-- Ends in the death of the Protagonist, God makes something of them. He
raises up a good Judge in Samuel, then kings in Saul and David
~~Structure of the book of Judges:
1. Introduction 1:1 - 3:6
2. Stories of the Judges 3:7 - 16:31
3. Appendix 17-21
Phineahas is in a civil war. Ruth is before 1 Samuel. Ruth may have been the
last 4 chapters of Judges. Chronologically, civil war was one of the first
things that happened in the book of Judges. Chronology is not correct in Judges.
Samuel was probably the only leader who was different and not doing what is
right in his own eyes.
Read chapters 1 and 2 and look for the cycles. The book of Judges:
1. Intro - chaps. 1-2
2. Stories of the Judges - chaps. 3-16
3. Appendix : 2 stories - chaps 17-21
Chapter 1 - The Canaanites and their gods are left in Israel's land. This
could pose problems because they could marry their women and worship their gods.
It was against what God has told them to do.
Time is from Samuel to Samson. Chaps. 3-16 are historical, sequential
stories.
Ch. 17-18 Micah -bad story
Ch. 19-21 A Levite story - bad story
The book of Ruth (good story) wraps up the Judges. It takes place in the
middle of the Judges period.
Chaps 1-2 : bad political and religious situations The minor judges aren't recorded except for their names.
Othniel, Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, Jephthah and Samson raised an army. They
weren't necessarily arbitrators, but leaders.
Deborah was a judge -- a resident judge. She listened to both sides and made
a decision, probably. She was serving as a prophetess and a judge, speaking on
behalf of God. Deborah tells Barak that God is calling him to put together an
army. Perhaps she didn't give rulings, but prophecies. 2. Theme of Judges: Failure through compromise
The purpose of this book is to glorify God and show how awesome God is for
putting up with the people.
Judah is singled out as important. Caleb is from the tribe of Judah.
The Canaanites were losing to Deborah and Barak in chapters 4-5, so he goes
to Jael. Jael is married to a Canaanite. Jael is female. Jael's husband (Heber)
wasn't there. Jael is an Israelite and kills the Canaanite.
Judges 1:28 - they made the Canaanites their servants, like Joshua did with
the Jebusites.
Everybody gives up after Judah's initial success. They don't drive the people
out or kill them. The Israelites put them to work for them.
Elezar the priest probably told the people in chapter one the message from
God.
View #1
Relation of Judges 2:10 to Joshua 24
Judges 2:1-3 : rebuke by Angel of the Lord
2:4-5 : Repentance of the People
2:6-10 : Retrospect : Joshua's victories
View #2
Judges 2:1-5 Angel's address
Joshua 24:1-27 Joshua's address
24:28 and 2:6 People return home, nearly identical accounts
24:29, 30 and 2:8, 9 Joshua's death
24:31 and 2:7, 10 Israel's fickleness Devotion, Decay, Defection, Defeat, Despair, Deliverance -- The "Religious
Circle" in the Days of the Judges. (Apathy, Apostasy, Anarchy) -- extra wheel, possibility
God's grace let them live.
Israel always "cries out in distress to God" they don't necessarily repent.
Papers are due back on 10/15 and the midterm for next week is postponed to
after the break. Redo the paper on Jephthah. Makes some changes and hand it back
in.
Judges chapters 2 and 3, Israel served Baalim and the groves and forgot God.
(3:7) Israel was not supposed to mention Israelite gods, but they were
worshiping them. Duh. Baal = the storm god, fertility god, vegetation god, 2:13. Important god in
the Canaanite colony.
Ashtaroth = Baal's consort, goddess of fertility, 2:13.
(Athtart in Ugaritic literature, Ishtar in Assyria and Babylon, Ashtarte in
Greece)
Groves = Asherah/Asheroth, a carved pole an object of worship, the dwelling
place of a deity, Asherah, the consort of El, 3:17. Another fertility deity to
remind the people to worship this god.
Canaanite Religion
Asherat or Asherah (groves) ------- El * Dagon was the god of the Philistines
Anath (Ashtoreth, Ishtar, Astarte) ------ Baal (Haddu, Hadad)
Titles:
Zebul "Lord of the earth"
Aliyn "One who prevails"
sacred prostitute = kudshu
Hebrew k-d-sh = holiness
semitic term: dedicated to deity
f. temple prostitute, kedesha KJV whore
m. temple prostitute kadesh KJV Sodomite 2:11-13 Israel's Apostasy
2:14-15 Yahweh's Anger
2:16 Yahweh's Compassion
--2:11-13 (up close)
Lead statement: "sone of Israel did evil in the sight of Yahweh"
***Remember the theme of the book of Judges, "Everybody did what was right in
their own eyes."
A. They served the Baals
B. They forsook Yahweh
C. They went after other gods, they bowed down to them, they provoked Yahweh
to anger
B2. They forsook Yahweh
A2. They served Baal and Ashtoreth
idolatry and adultery are 2 different things, however God uses the term
adultery for going after another god.
In Hebrew, the word anger has to do with the nostrils. Nostrils start to move
when people get angry.
2:14-15 (up close)
Lead statement: "the anger of Yahewh burned against Israel"
A. Results: He gave them into the hands of plunderers
He sold them into the hands of their enemies
B. Significance: the hand of Yahweh was against them
2:16 (up close)
Yahweh delivers: raised up judge delivered Israel
"Compassion" is not mentioned, but v. 16 anticipates, v.18 where Yahweh was
"moved to pity by their groaning."
Repentance is not mentioned in the text. NO REPENTANCE FROM ISRAEL.
Paradigm of 2:17-19 (complimentary of past exegesis)
Intro. Statement: "but even to their judges they did not listen"
God had pity on the people, not because they deserved it, just because God
wanted to have pity on them. Vs. 19 - they ceased not their doings. They didn't
learn from their judgment. They did not listen to the judges. They continued to
do evil.
~~~~~~~10/10
There will be a test on the day we come back from Fall Break. Review next
Wednesday.
1. Israel does evil in the sight of Yahweh.
2. Yahweh gives/sells Israel into the hand of oppressors.
3. Israel cries to Yahweh.
4. Yahweh raises up a deliver. (Othniel from Judah)
5. The oppressor is defeated.
6. The land has rest. Vs. 5-7 "And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and
Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their
daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served
their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves."
-- A lot of emphasis is on the fact that they ignored God and served other
gods.
(Deut. 20:3) Josh 23:6-7 vs. Judges 3:5
Israel disobeys in many ways. "Israel does evil in the sight of the Lord," is
another theme of Judges.
In 3:12, the word again means : 3254. yacaph, yaw-saf'; a prim. root; to add
or augment (often adv. to continue to do a thing):-- add,
Add infers that they continued to do evil, they never repented.
Mesopotamians came down and God raised up a leader to defeat them.
The Amalekites were a wandering group, usually in the south. They crossed the
river and went into Canaan. They went through Jericho.
Israel cries out in distress. God raises up Ehud from Benjamin.
Judges 3:15-16 "But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD
raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded:
and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto Eglon the king of Moab.
But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit length; and he did
gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh."
Hebrew word Ammah - cubit - 18 inches
Hebrew word in this case is gomed - cubit - no idea how long it is, probably
shorter due to the act it was on his right thigh.
Kishon River is now a small dried up thing. You can cross it easily by
walking over it.
Jael nailed her man. Hahaha.
~~~~~~~10/15
Revised Schedule-
October 22 - Mid-term
October 31 - Second Lesson Due
November 26 - Research Paper Due
1446 - date of Exodus
1406 - date of Conquest
Tel or Ruins of Hazor are at the base of the hill. As archaeologists dug
through the Tel, they found 3 layers of burning. Joshua destroyed it in 1400,
Seti 1st destroyed it in 1300, Barak in 1230 BC. Scholars take wrong
dates for the conquest and exodus and they get wrong dates for this place and
the burnings.
Othniel drove out the people from Mesopotamia. Moabites and Amalekites came
in and Eglon drove them out. Midianites
---Gideon went against his whole town and father to build an altar to the
Lord. Judges 6:25, 27.
Since Gideon did this at night and wouldn't do it alone, some criticize his
faith. God didn't say don't do it at night or don't use any help. God told him
to get the job done and he did. If he had done this during the day, there would
have been strong enough opposition that he couldn't have gotten the job done.
Gideon's father, Joash, comes to his defense. He know calls his son
Jerubbaal. "To contend Baal". Joash said, "let Baal defend or take care of
himself if he is a god." Theophoric name is a name with the name of God or god.
"Yah" or "El" is a from of Yahweh, a theophoric name. In this context, this
nickname wasn't a compliment because it had "Baal" in it.
Ishbosheth or Eshbaal was Saul's son. They took out baal and put in bosheth,
meaning shame. 22,000 people left from fear. They go and drink from the well. God narrows
them down from this. 300 people lapped the water and were chosen by God to fight
in the battle against the Midianites.
---Gideon took 3 groups and had them take rams horns, a clay pot with fire in
it and went out late at night. The Midianites woke up and killed themselves. God
brought the victory. Awesome.
Abimelech "my father is king" is Gideon's son. Out of 70 sons, only 1, the
rascal, is named Abimelech.
sim = having to do with a point, gara = he called his name
~~~~~~~10/24
No class next Wednesday on the 29th
Judges 8:35 --The Israelites wanted Gideon to be the king of Israel and
protect their borders. Gideon says "no" that God will be their king. Gideon made
a golden ephod and it got Israel's attention. Israel began worshiping the ephod.
---Gideon's son, Abimelech "my Father is king" is introduced.
Jerubbaal = Gideon
Chapter 9 of Judges -
Review -
Mesopotamia is in the far NE of the land.
Canaanites, Midianites and other tribes have fought the Israelites, but this
oppressor would come from within. Gideon.
Gideon has concubines in different places. He has 70 sons. They take the
money out of the temple at Shechem and have 68 of his sons killed. Now he is
king at Shechem. This place has a history of making allegiance to God, Yahweh.
Now, it has made a false king and killed 68 people.
1 got away and hid in the mountains in Garazeem. "The Fable of the Trees" is
where this son yells from the Garazeem from Jotham. He yelled down to the people
at Shechem.
---Jotham compares king Gideon to bramble. This was actually prophetic
because there was a fallout
---Abimelech stacks brambles or wood around the tower and burns it down.
Thebez is a city which Abi tries to do the same thing. He has success the first
time, but is careless the 2nd time.
Gaal is another person mentioned.
Judges 9:53 - a woman kills Abimelech with one stone
One woman, his mom, put him into office. One woman killed him and took him
out of office. One stone is what killed him.
A man with a name was killed by a woman with no name. Irony.
Judges 10:6 - the people served many other gods and did evil in the sight of
the Lord, again.
1 Thess. 1:9 "For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we
had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God;" This is conversion. It is the opposite of what happened in Judges
(converse conversion).
Judges 10:13, 16
In chapters 11 and 12 we focus on the people in the east, later the people in
the north and west. Jephthah is the next military leader. He was born to a
prostitute in the tribe of Manasseh. He is driven into the wilderness in the
east. He has a Robin Hood experience. Other misfits and outcasts join him. He
build a reputation because he has leadership abilities. He does raids and
catches that attention of his old people who rejected him. Jephthah didn't want
them to treat him like they had been treating God. They had used God and
forgotten him.
---Jephthah wanted to begin being diplomatic and spoke the king through his
messengers.
---the king is wrong and thinks the land is his.
1. The Land was Amorite, never Ammonite
2. God gave us this land
3. Political precedent, Why did you wait so long to claim this land?
4. It took 300 years, from 1400 until 1100.
(Chemosh was the god of Moab, Ammon was the god of Molech) Jephtah got the
gods mixed up for some reason.
---Jephtah prepares to fight because the king won't listen to reason.
The battle is not mentioned much.
Jephthah sacrifices his daughter because of a vow:
1. He was too acquainted with God's laws to be ignorant of this atrocity.
2. He must have known a human being would come out of the house.
3. He was mentioned in Hebrews 11 as a Godly man.
4. If he killed his daughter, why mention her virginity?
5. How could he kill his daughter after the spirit of the Lord came upon him?
6. Some say he devoted her to temple or tabernacle service.
7. Verse 31, the AND is an OR. "I will give it to the Lord OR offer it as a
burnt sacrifice."
8. Lament = talk to her, to explain what people did in future generations.
---Everybody in the "Hall of Faith" had some flaws. They all did something
wrong. Jephthah probably sacrificed his daughter and sinned.
Deuteronomy 32:17 Moses is criticizing his own people for child sacrifice.
Israel was doing this while Moses was with them. Even when good leaders (like
someone during Isaiah) where around, people still offered up child sacrifices.
He probably expected a servant to come out and greet him after the battle,
but his daughter came out. He probably should have repented of him to being rash
and not consulting the Lord. Term Paper Due on November 26th - Wednesday before Thanksgiving
Finishing Jephthah -- no animal that would have come out of the house would
not be worthy of offering to God. A dog or cat or something would come out. Not
a sheep or cow.
-- He was the son of a common prostitute and living in a time where morals
are low. He's also living outside the contact of priests and prophets. He may or
may not have known the law of child sacrifice. It was taking place at that time.
It was not right.
-- We don't know for sure why he made the specific vow about sacrificing.
It's sort of a mystery.
-- He lost his only daughter, the only way to produce offspring from him.
-- This is what people do when they "do what is right in their own eyes."
Jepthah had the people say - Sheboleth - grain or moving water. Everybody
ready to cross the river had to say Sheboleth. The way they pronounced the word
showed the border guards which side of the river they came from. 42,000 people
died.
Chapter 13
Samuel and Samson lived at about the same time. Their stories probably
overlap.
Chapter 11, one problem in the East is taken care of (Ammon).
Chapter 13, one problem in the West is started to be taken care of
(Philistine).
13:5 "For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come
on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he
shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."
Samson BEGUN something. He wasn't totally successful, probably due to his
lifestyle. The Philistines aren't put down until David.
Micah in chapter 17 was religious, but idolatrous. Chapter 18, the tribe
moved way up north. Some remained in their own territory, close to the
Philistines.
Numbers 6 teaches on the Nazirite vow.
1. Abstain from the vine-anything, grapes or juice (wine)
2. Not to cut his hair -- a visible, voluntary thing. The Nazirites would
shave their heads and make a public stand to become a Nazirite. They let it
grow. When the period was over, they shaved the head and burned it.
3. Not touch dead animals -- scraping honey from the corpse was wrong.
We think he violated all 3, but he surely violated one or two.
Being a Nazirite is sort of like fasting for a period of time. They would do
this to become closer to God and/or do a service for Him. Samuel was also a
Nazirite. John the Baptist was probably a Nazirite.
-- Many ungodly judges had been introduced before chapter 13. Since Samson
was a Nazirite, the read believes that this may be a turning point.
-- The angel of the Lord comes to the mother. She didn't ask Him who he was
or where he was from. Manoah wanted more information or a special meeting from
the angel. He doesn't learn anything new about the rearing of the child.
Verse 17 - Manoah is flustered, "Who, what is your name?"
Manoah's wife is seen in better light than Manoah. Manoah is worried about
dying and seeing the angel personally. Judges 14 - Samson
(In chapter 18, Dan is unsatisfied with their land and they move north. It
actually takes places much before the time of Samson, in the period of the
judges)
Samson's mother and father and a few families in the tribe of Dan are in
their old, original place.
Timnah = Timnath, this Philistine city is very close to Samson's.
The word "now" in the Hebrew has several meanings. It can be a "polite
particle" like "please, pray thee". Samson isn't saying please here, he's saying
"right now."
Some people are circumcised for various reasons. The Israelites were
circumcised because God wanted it. The Philistines were uncircumcised people and
despicable, but Samson wanted a Philistine wife.
Hebrew translation: "Get her for me for a wife", then "Her get for me"
14:3 When Samson says that this woman is "right (yashar)" for him, he may
have meant that her entire culture and way of life was right for him. This word
is generally not used in this context.
"It was right in his own eyes," which is the theme of the book of Judges
(everybody did what was right in their own eyes).
Vs. 5 Why was Samson in the vineyard? Maybe he went to the bathroom. Maybe he
went in to get grapes. Maybe God put the lion there to deter him from eating
grapes in the vineyard (and violating his Nazirite vow).
Vs. 9 He broke his vow and didn't want his parents to know.
Samson goes to a wedding feast and most likely drinks, breaking his vow
again.
Samson gives a riddle to the people and lets them have 7 days to expound it.
Samson can't resist a weeping woman. After 3 days, his wife's people come to
her and pressure her to get the answer to the riddle. She does.
(Samson never mentions love for this woman. He only mentions love in
Delilah's relationship, but she doesn't love him.)
Vs. 18 "If ye had not plowed with my heifer, ye had not found out my riddle."
He calls his wife a cow.
Samson goes into one of their own cities, probably crashing a party, and
kills 30 people wearing party clothes.
Vs. 19 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, although he is performing an
ungodly act because God had plans for him to destroy many people that were even
more ungodly than he. He allowed Samson to take out 30 of the evil men this
time.
Samson could have been in a type of marriage where he doesn't have to live
with her (sadigah). Or he could have went home to cool of for awhile. When he
comes back, she is married to somebody else. They thought Samson divorced her
since he left in anger. Incidentally, he brought a kid or goat instead of
flowers or something. Odd.
15:4 Samson caught either foxes or jackals. The corn was grain or wheat, not
actual corn fields as we know them.
--In some cultures it was illegal to marry a man, get divorced, then marry
his best man. That's a possible explanation for her and her father's demise by
fire (vs. 6).
15:8 "He smote them hip and thigh," probably means he demolished them.
The 5 cities of the Philistines lined the coast, slightly inland.
Samson uses a freshly killed donkey's jawbone to kill 1000 Philistines. This
breaks his vow, again.
Enhakkore - the well of the One who called
Ramathlehi - hill of the jaw 1. He defied his parents and disrupted any harmony he may have had with them.
2. He violated his Nazirite obligations.
3. He violated intermarriage restrictions. God told the Israelites not to
marry Canaanites, but the principle is the same. They were both pagan people.
4. The marriage celebration led to the rift and eventual death of his wife.
5. His escapades did not inspire the confidence of his fellow Israelites.
"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before stumbling." Vs. 3 Samson tore off 2 doors. They were in the ground with a post on each
door. They were tall and heavy wood. He walked about 38 miles with them and it
was uphill!!! The "trophy of their defense" was in another city. People had
bragged about the defense of this gate, but Samson had ripped it off.
He's in Sorek, next. (Choice Grape Country)
Delilah may have been an Israelite. The Philistines don't threaten her, they
bribe her. They know his weakness, women, so they use one to find the secret of
his strength. She was offered 5500 shekels (1100 from each of the leaders of the
5 key cities). The lords came to her personally -- this matter was very
important. Usually a messenger was sent.
-- Delilah was not cunning, she asks him the secret of his strength. She's
blunt. He's a bit cunning by telling her stories.
Samson is stupid, but probably some time elapses between visiting Delilah.
Vs. 10 Delilah says, "tell me please." Vs. 13 "Tell me!"
It would be awfully funny to see a man with long hair walking down the street
with a loom in his hair. Who took it out?
Samson was probably not an enormous looking man, but the spirit of God made
him strong. Read the Howard book on Ruth and Samuel
16:4 Samson loved Delilah, but she didn't love him.
After Delilah and the Philistines were made to look like fools, she was
certain that she knew the secret of his strength, now. (Hartman's translation
for verse 18: "and bring my money, said Delilah.")
16:20 One of the saddest verses in the Bible:
"And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his
sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And
he (knew) wist not that the LORD was departed from him." Samson went from intimidator of the Philistines to entertainer for the
Philistines. Compared with Stephen's prayer, who was stoned, and Jesus' prayer, who was
crucified, Samson prayed for himself. He wanted to avenge himself. 1 Samuel 7:3 "And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, 'If you are
returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign
gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only,
and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines'."
-- There was no cause for the Philistines to go after the Israelites.
However, when Samson killed many Philistines, this could have been the act that
angered the Philistines and caused them to go and oppress the Israelites (Leon
Wood's reconstruction).
(Eli dies, then Samson dies, then Samuel dies, then Saul)
(Samson probably didn't have huge muscles. If he did, they probably would
have tried to poison him, not restrain him with ropes and such. -- Hartman) What
could Samson have done if he was a more Godly man? What else did Samson do that
was not recorded? Samson's hair regrowing was not necessarily a sign of his repentance, but it
was a symbol of his Nazirite vow being renewed. His cry to the Lord was the
closest sign of repentance that the Judges or Israelites have made. Chapters 1-2 Intro
Chapters 3-16 Record of Oppression
Chapters 17-21 Appendix or Spiritual and Moral Confusion. 2 stories that
happened very early in the Judges period, shortly after the death of Joshua.
17-18 Micah - a religious, yet wrong person. He made his son a priest. A
Levite from Bethlehem named (18:30) Jonathan.
Vs. 18 "And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the
son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe
of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land."
-- This is the only place in the Hebrew Bible where a letter is written above
the regular line of letters. People think that Jonathan was a descendant of
Moses and a letter was inserted to make it look like Manasseh (Manasseh was the
worst king). People didn't want to think or spread the word that a descendant of
Moses was resolving to paganism. That would make Gershom and Joshua
contemporaries. Chapter 17, were in Ephraim. Shiloh (the religious center) was in the same
territory as Ephraim.
Micah steals money from his mother.
17:3 "And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his
mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my
hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will
restore it unto thee."
Vs. 5 "And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and
teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest."
This is a mixture of God and other gods. Not good. This is a "god
collection."
He made one of his own sons a priest, but he had no business being one.
-- When a man does what's right in his own eyes, it will be evil in God's
eyes. (Vs. 6) Chapter 18 summary: the people of Dan, long before the time of Samson--still
living in the South, don't feel that they have enough room. They send spies
North to look for a new location. The went through the area of Micah and
Jonathan. They go to a northern town called Laish, a great spot. It is a
paradise, where 3 rivers came together. It was beautiful with really nice water,
"a tropical paradise." There were people living in Laish that seemed peaceful
and weak, so they figured they could push them out. The tribe of Dan is always having Godly problems. Since they were the
farthest North, they would be the closest ones to be hit by Damascus and Syria.
Chapter 19, a Levite woman leaves and goes to Bethlehem. The man goes after
his wife after she's gone for four months.
-- The word "Bethlehemjudah" refers to Bethlehem. There may have been another
Bethlehem up north.
-- Jerusalem is occupied by Jebusites (pagans). Gibeah is occupied by
Benjaminites (the tribe of Benjamin).
Judges 19:18 says the man was going to "his house" in the Septuagint, but it
says the house of the Lord in the KJV. See NRSV for "his house." This man could
have been lying and telling that he was pious because he needed a place to stay.
Judges 19:22 The people of Belial wanted to have homosexual sex with this
man, the visitor.
** Parallel to Genesis 19 and the story of Lot **
-- The man who owns the house is sinful by choosing the "lesser of two
evils". It is always wrong to avert one sin to embrace the other. He wanted the
people of Belial to take his daughter or concubine instead of having homosexual
sex with the visitor.
This man got up, after giving his concubine to the evil people, and was ready
to leave. He slept, got up and saw her on his doorstep. He tries to wake her up
in an insensitive manner.
-- The concubine may have been his secondary wife or wife. Her position in
the household was uncertain. But warmth and affection was not showed to her. He was trying to get Israel to leave their immoral lethargy. It worked,
somewhat, but he was not a good example for them because of this act. 400,000 people show up to see what is going on.
Dan (North, now), Beersheba (South), and Gilead (East) ....water was on the
West ** Gibeah is in Benjamin **
Benjamin gets destroyed besides 600 people. Jabesh in Gilead had not
participated in the 400,000 people and the judgment of the Benjaminites. All of
the people were destroyed but 400 virgins. There were 200 Benjaminites who had
no wives. So, they let these people hide in the vineyards and let them kidnap
their daughters. Crazy, huh? When man doesn't look to God and put Him first, this is the best that they
can do.
Judges is done and finished.
Summary:
Judges 17-18 ~
Micah-Ephraim
Levite (Jonathan, grandson of Moses)
This Levite came from Bethlehem in Judah to Micah. Micah gives him a job. We
begin to wonder what is wrong with Bethlehem. Why didn't they support the Levite
and why did he have to leave? Ephraim
Another Levite (nameless)
his concubine went home to Bethlehem in Judah, the Levite went through Gibeah
in Benjamin, all of the tribes got together to punish Gibeah. (Previously Belial
was to be punished, but Benjamin was protecting them, so Benjamin was destroyed,
too.)
Jabesh in Gilead didn't participate, so only 400 virgins were spared. Elimelech/Naomi (Boaz and Ruth, later)
Elimelech was from the tribe of Bethlehem in Judah
Because of a famine, they move to Moab, then move back to Bethlehem
(eventually)
Ruth becomes the bride of Boaz and we have a genealogy of David
-- 3 stories dealing with Bethlehem, Gibeah, Jabesh and Gilead
** Gibeah is in Benjamin ** Eli a priest "good man"
His sons were evil
Samuel is introduced -- he is the Judge and Prophet, serves as "priest" and
is recognized as Israel's leader. (Last judge) Israel doesn't understand that
their problem is spiritual, not political. They see stabilization around them,
but don't realize that they need to get right, spiritually. They want a king.
Saul is introduced and he is from the tribe of Benjamin. His home town is
Gibeah. Wicked town and wicked tribe. This town was almost erased, just a few
years earlier.
-- Samuel goes to Bethlehem and the house of Jesse and anoints David to be
the successor of Saul.
David has to leave home because he is a fugitive. He sends his family to
Moab. He thinks that Saul may capture his family and use them as leverage to
pull him out of hiding. Jabesh (Gilead) was where Saul got his wife. He had some ties with these
people. Saul came to their aid and rescued them. Some people who took wives from
Jabesh (Gilead) went back into the land and settled there, since the town exists
after mass destruction just a few years earlier. -- Saul and Jonathan's body was portrayed in a terrible way in the temple,
nasty. Jabesh (Gilead) gave both of them a decent burial.
** With all of the history, the people of Israel should have said, "What good
can come out of Gibeah and Benjamin?" The book of Ruth
Ruth is the bridge between the Judges and the Kings (1 and 2 Samuel). It is
an important book.
This book is more than a history or romantic story. It is a theological book,
along with every one of the OT books. They all have a theological purpose. The
OT wasn't about Israel, it was about God. He is a God who wanted to do things
through Israel. Themes of Ruth:
1. Friendship - Ruth is willing to turn her back on her family and religion
to be with her mother-in-law, Naomi. She was devoted to Naomi. Naomi was devoted
to Ruth in Bethlehem.
2. "Levirate" (Latin term for brother-in-law, based on Deut. 25:5) marriage.
If a man dies with no children, his next or younger, unmarried brother can take
the woman and have children in the dead man's name. This happens in Genesis 38.
Judah and the daughter of Shuah have Er, Onan and Shelah. Er was married to
Tamar and Er dies. Onan screws up, has sex and doesn't marry Tamar, so God kills
him. Tamar comes after Judah because he wouldn't give her his third son, Shelah.
We don't have exact brother-in-law marriage in Ruth, we have something like it.
Elimelech (tribe of Judah) has a son who marries Ruth, but dies. Her
husband's brother dies, and he was married to Orpah. Boaz tells a close relative
to buy a field from Naomi, but tells him that he has to marry Ruth, bear a child
and give the land to their child. Ruth was a Moabite.
3. Grace to Gentiles - In Matthew 1, Rahab was in the line of Christ and the
lineage went through Perez (Judah), not Tamar who was wicked. It went through
Ruth, also.
4. Example of Faith - Ruth trusting Naomi and God in a strange land
5. Genealogy of David - Boaz begot Obed begot Jesse begot David.
6. The Sovereignty of God
-- This book had more themes of any book Dr. Hartman knows 1. To exhibit faith and Godliness in the time of apostasy - there were some
Godly people
2. Kinsman Redeemer - someone who would buy and purchase a field
3. To show the scope of God's grace - it goes beyond national borders to
foreigners
4. To trace the genealogy of David and even Christ
5. To bridge the gap between the Judges and the Kings in 1 Samuel -- hesed in Hebrew means kindness, lovingkindness, and covenant loyalty
-- we don't know exactly who wrote Ruth or exactly when Ruth was written. 1 Chronicles 29:29 "Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold,
they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the
prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,"
Nathan is a good prophet in the time of David. He was a possible writer of
Samuel.
-- this suggests that there were other prophets around.
David is born in the 10th year of Saul's reign.
Timeline: Judges period = Eli was priest and judge, Samuel serves under him
until he dies. Samuel picks Saul and he reigns for 40 years. David is anointed
by Samuel to become next King. David becomes king at age 30. Saul reigns for 10
years before David is even born.
1 Samuel 16 -- Samuel anoints David.
Jonathon initiates a friendship with David. Jonathon saw the leadership in
David and knew the he was going to be God's next king. The success of Jonathon's
friendship with David would be very beneficial for him. He asks David to take
care of his descendants and David does.
Jonathon is already a military man before David is born. He's most likely
20-25 years older than David. He was a hero in the battle against the
Philistines.
-- Jonathon was Saul's son and a possible future king. Jonathon could have
taught David many things.
1 Samuel 18:1 "And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto
Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan
loved him as his own soul."
-- some say that there was a homosexual relationship here, but they must be
reading into it and adding things. --Format for the next paper
1. Title page without name (Title, SSN, date, Dr. Hartman, class name)
2. Index page/Table of Contents (Introduction is on first page-a paragraph or
two and end with the Conclusion paragraph, then Bibliography)
3. Proper Headings that correlate with the Index/T. O. C. page
4. Body
5. Conclusion paragraph
6. Bibliography
(Outline is optional)
***Due the Wednesday after Thanksgiving break*** Yeah! 1. Purpose: Samuel 1-7 (the king maker), Saul 8-15 (and rules through 31-the
abortive king), David 16-31 (the ideal king)
(Deut. 17:17, 19 Moses tells Israel about the future king. He's to be a Godly
man and obey the Mosaic law.) Political success of any king depends on his relationship and devotion to
God. The king was no better than his service to God.
Theological Issues:
A. Political Scene/Theological Scene
-- At the beginning of 1 Samuel, there is a weak, loose confederation of
tribes. Israel didn't do much together unless their was a common enemy. Gideon
and Jephthah had problems raising an army--people didn't want to help. Other
people like the Philistines covered the coastal plains. By the time of Solomon,
Israel has a lot of land and dominance--the Phoenicians and Philistines are
under control and have little land. By the end of 2 Samuel, Israel is a strong
force and dominant. It is due to David (and God) and the way he reigns. 1. A little boy Samuel is chosen by God to be Israel's prophet and spiritual
leader.
2. God also chose Saul to meet the requirements of a people who did not know
what they needed or what the role of a king required. David is chosen later and
is a successful king. 1. Hannah is barren, but has Samuel, 2 more sons and 3 daughters.
2. Eli's sons are in a position of privilege, but get killed in battle
because they are wicked.
3. David is a shepherd boy and Saul was on the farm, too. Both become kings.
Rural farming -- Royalty. Saul is king, then David is king. (Bethlehem trilogy)
David is from the tribe of Judah.
4. David is a beautiful contrast with Saul. David is after God's own heart,
unlike Saul, but has an affair with Bathsheeba. -- moral stain. David and his
family pay dearly for this. D. Ark
1. The people seem to think they can manipulate God by bringing the ark into
battle. The Philistines think they can manipulate God with the ark in their
possession. But God destroys Dagon (their god) and causes them to all have
hemorrhoids
E. Office of King/Prophet
(Deut. 18 - divination was a popular thing, looking at the entrails of
animals and draw an omen or looking at smoke and drawing things from it like
visions--learning the future through divination or omen. God says that He'll
raise up a prophet for revelation. Samuel is the spokesman for God that we
hadn't seen since Moses. God uses Samuel to select a king. The king was to know
the Word of God thoroughly. God demanded that all of the kings write their own
copy of the law, so that they'd remember it. No kings did it, but perhaps David
did. The King was to be the administrator of the law and the prophet is God's
spokesman who interprets the law.
(Deuteronomy means 2nd law) (David was a prophet because of the
Messianic psalms, but not in the usual way. There were other prophets like
Nathan and Gad)
F. Monarchy-Theocracy (The king was supposed to reign for God)
1. Saul did not represent God well. His failure brought David. David was
successful, but took Bathsheeba. And he trusted in his own army and doubted
God's care after two rebellions. When David numbered his fighting force,
disaster soon ensued.
-- If the king is Godly, God reigned through the king. When the king wasn't
Godly, we saw miserable behavior. Eli was from the tribe of Levi. He wasn't in the priestly line, but he was
close.
Elkanah is the father of Samuel. They are going from Rammah to Shiloh to
sacrifice to God.
1 Samuel 1:11 "Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will
indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not
forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I
will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon
his head."
-- she wants to set his son apart for service to God, most likely a Nazirite.
2 Samuel 2:22 "Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to
all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the
tabernacle of meeting."
-- it may have not been too unusual to have drunkenness around the temple
area. Or maybe Eli's judgment was poor.
-- People in the OT had many wives lots of times. This was usually due to
production that boys could have. They helped on the farm. God gave them the
model, earlier. We can't see God judging polygamy in the OT, but God does not
bless it. He tolerates it and teaches people slowly. We don't see people in the
OT acting like Hugh Hephner and using many women for purely sexual purposes. It
was still wrong, but God had mercy on them. 1 Samuel 2:17 "Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the
LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD."
-- this could indicate the sin of the entire nation, since this was the place
of holiness and should be the model.
-- Hannah lives in Ramah and Samuel is in Shiloh. That is like Lynchburg to
Bedford. She could have gotten there in a day. She lent Samuel to the Lord and
took her hands off. She bought him clothes once a year, but didn't overwhelm him
with visitation. She was a good example. Eli's sons were so wicked, they were having relationships with prostitutes
right in front of the temple. It was immoral and flagrant, no matter what the
exact nature of the sin. Eli felt some of the blame since he never corrected
them.
1 Samuel 2:24 Eli performs a toothless censure on his sons. It was weak and
just a warning. It is one thing to sin and another thing to bring other people
into it.
-- When flagrant sin is not dealt with inside the church, there are people in
the world that look in and are turned off.
1 Sam. 2:27 - Eli's first warning "Then a man of God came to Eli and said to
him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your
father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?" -- A man of God was
generally a prophet. Some unnamed person came to Eli and warned him. This was a
man of God and had more character than Eli and his sons. This was his prediction
and warning to Eli.
Vs. 31 - 1. The ceasing (cutting off) of Eli's line or house (Ithamar)
Vs. 33 - 2. Two sons will die the same day - Chapter 4 fulfillment
Vs. 35 - 3. A new priesthood (a faithful priest)
Vs. 36 - 4. Unemployment
1 Sam. 3:11 - Eli's 2nd warning 16:5, 37 - Asaph (a Levite) ministered before the ark
16:39 - Zadok the priest served at Tabernacle (son of Agitub) (Gideon)
2 Sam. 8:17 - Ahimelech (son of Abiathar) - priest
-- Abiathar probably had a falling out with David. He supports a different
king, Adonijah, to get the throne after David. Zadok and Nathan the prophet
supports Solomon to get the throne and it was proper for him to get it. 2:27 - the prophecy concerning Eli was fulfilled -- Saul goes to the witch of Endor to call up a prophet of God, Samuel.
Samuel says that Saul was going to die. The last prophetic event was a death
notice to Saul. His first and last notice and prophetic vision were of death
(Eli, then Saul). This was between 1075 and 1051. God did these things to the Egyptians around
1446. About 400 years and people still knew about God's power and deliverance of
Israel. -- The Ark could have been dismantled and taken out of the tabernacle before
Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines. -- The Philistines resort to magic and make models. There's 5 cities in the
Philistine kingdom (Gaza, Ashkelon, Gath, Ekron and Ashdod).
-- Cows make a lot of noise after the calf is taken from her. The Philistines
take an untrained cow away from their calves and watch them walk off unguided.
HOWEVER, they went straight to Bethshemesh with the Ark of the Covenant. They
were whining, but did it. This was a miraculous event. Those people look in it,
so it goes to Kirjath Jearim. Ebenezer means "rock of help."
7:15 - Samuel becomes a judge. The people want a king, not a judge.
KOP - Saul, David 2. Servitude
3. Land confiscation
4. Taxes
5. Loss of personal property
-- Saul does these, but Solomon really does all of the to extremes -- David's line leads to Jesus Christ. Everything is fulfilled in the person
of Jesus. When Jesus comes along, they say that they don't have a king and they
don't want a king. This is ironic.
-- Israel's problem is still a spiritual one, not a political one, but they
don't realize this. Did God like who Israel chose or want a king like Israel asked for? No 2. Abraham and Sarah were told they would reproduce kings (Gen. 17:6, 16).
3. Jacob was promised kings would come from him (Gen. 35:11).
4. In his blessing Jacob predicted a "scepter" and "ruler's staff" in Judah
(Gen. 49:10).
5. Balaam predicted a "star" and "scepter" coming out of Jacob (Num. 24:17).
6. Moses gave regulations for a king (Deut. 17:14-20).
A. King must be God's choice
B. King must abide by principles of Torah (not a lot of wealth, horses,
wives, political alliances)
-- Samuel's quarrel: Not with kingship, but with the timing and reasons and
kind of king they wanted.
Israel's Demand for a King:
Stated Reasons --
1. To prevent further military losses (1 Sam. 8:20, 12:12). 1 Samuel 12:12 "And when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites came
against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD
your God was your king."
-- This was the political threat that scared Israel into wanting a king.
2. Because of corruption among Israel's leaders
A. Eli's sons - 1 Samuel 2:12-17
B. Samuel's sons - 8:3, 5
3. To be like other nations - 1 Samuel 8:5, 20...Lev. 20:26, God says to be
separate. 1. They rejected the theocracy (1 Sam. 8:7 - they rejected God, 12:12 - God
was their king)
2. They wanted security without moral and spiritual responsibility
-- There were no spiritual qualifications by Israel. God gives them the man
that would meet the qualifications of Israel. Like our parents would sometimes
let us make a wrong decision, we realize it and ask for help for the next
decision.
Saul and David were both sinners. However, David repented and turned to God
after sinning. Saul did not.
-- No one could ever accuse Samuel for being ungodly. He was close to the
Lord.
(Proverbs are general principles, not a guarantee)
1 Samuel 13 - Saul's reign
13:1 - is an ambiguous text because the Hebrew doesn't say how long he was
king for. The literal reading makes no sense.
"Saul was . . . years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel two
years."
Solution #1:
"Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel
forty-two years."
Solution #2:
"Saul was
21 chapters of Judges = 6 stories in 310 years = we don't know too much about
the Judges, but we know what God wants us to know.
1405 -1406 BC is where we begin this course.
Israel is a very strategic nation. Assyria is to the Northeast. Egypt is to
the Southwest.
Languages aren't everything, but they are tools.
Eugene Merrill teaches at DTS.
KOP and OTHB.
Course requirements will be posted in class and based on how far we get in
class discussions.
*** OTHB read preface 15-17, ch. 1 p.23-58 What is Biblical history?
Different views. Discussion.
Next week. Into to Joshua.
Know maps.
In Joshua, God keeps His promises in His timing.
Psalm 105 and 106. God wanted Israel to spread God's goodness to the
neighboring nations/peoples. These 2 chapters show a history of Israel and what
God has done.
~~~~~~~8-29
OTHB chapter 2, pgs. 59-65 and 75-80
Ancient Near Eastern texts: Biblical history, available in the library.
Doesn't talk much about Biblical people, but to Hezekiah and Ahab's father
The Bible falls into 2 main categories: prose (narrative) and poetry
Poetry: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and the
prophet's books
Hebrew is loaded with ANDs
Prose: story format, not short lines
Prose and poetry are used in nearly every book
History in the Jewish Bible is the former prophets-they saw it as a prophetic
message from God, not merely history to be shrugged off.
Knowing history helps give a chronological presentation.
pg. 30 A good definition of history will include events and records that
pertain to people, societies, and experiences. A history is somewhat selective,
not inclusive. No writer will tell you that he's deliberately deceiving you. It
is written like it is true. Don't expect that from scripture because it's
written from God's viewpoint. They're abbreviated or abridged. There's a lot of
things that happened in the OT. The writers select to tell us certain things for
a certain reason to convey a certain message.
If something or some battle or other wasn't mentioned in the Bible, it wasn't
important to the message the writer was trying to convey.
--Just because there's a gap in my knowledge of history or the lack of a
fact, it doesn't mean that there wasn't a fact or event.
Just because we're ignorant doesn't mean the Bible is incorrect. It doesn't
have to meet our standard of ignorance.
Just because someone writes something down later, it doesn't mean they were
inaccurate.
pg. 36-37
You can't separate historical and theological parts of the
Bible
~~~~~~~9/3
Pay attention to geography. Not every story has important geographical
sights, but if they're there, use them.
Remember that you are not on the battle field or in the story. It's a farmer
or a soldier or an Israelite.
Kingdom of Priests, read chapter 3
1 Kings 6:1 "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after
the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of
Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that
he began to build the house of the LORD."
4th year of Solomon's reign, he built the temple. Dr. Thiele has
calculated that Solomon has begun to reign in 971 BC. In the 4th year
of his reign puts us in the year 966. 480 plus 966 equals 1446 BC. 1446 is the
date of the Exodus.
Exodus 12:40, 41 we learn that Israel came out 430 years earlier. 430 plus
1446 equals 1876.
Abraham was 75 when he went into Canaan. (Genesis 12) He was 25 when he had a
son, Isaac. Isaac was 40 when he was married. He was 60 when Jacob and Esau were
born. Jacob was 130 when he went in front of Pharoah. 215 years in total.
1876 plus 215 equals 2091 BC. That is the year that Abraham came into the
land of Canaan in chapter 12 of Genesis.
Genesis 12, God makes his covenant with Abraham. Lot is Abraham's cousin.
1406 the book of Joshua begins. Archeological ruins have been found around
1250 BC. 40 years is usually a generation. Archeology doesn't support this,
actually. Read chapter 3 of KOP and see why. So much happens in Joshua, 480
years is necessary.
Joshua's name was spelled like Jesus in the OT. First he was an aid to Moses,
then a servant to God.
~~~~~~~9/5
Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings are the Former Prophets in the Hebrew Bible.
The first 5 books may not have been written until 400 BC. Joshua is closely
connected to the book of Deuteronomy. He is to obey the laws of Moses.
1943 a German writer named Martin Noth thought it was a strange place to have
a division between Deuteronomy and Joshua. Deuteronomy could have been written
after Kings that explains Joshua-Kings. That's a liberal thought, however.
Authorship. OT authorship isn't as important as NT authorship. We aren't told
who wrote Joshua. The Jewish talmud says that Joshua was the writer and he's
usually one of the candidates that conservative readers propose.
The writer:
Certain parts are said to have been written by Joshua. In Exodus, God tells
Moses to write. Joshua receives no command to write. Joshua does write parts of
the law in 8:32 on the altar. In 24:26 we're told that he writes something
down-a sermon or a message.
Rahab was still living when this book was written (Joshua 6:25). Gastilgan,
Bible Student's Commentary "Joshua, Judges, Ruth."
The Philistines are not a threat. In Judges they are. 1200 BC they became a
military threat. The couldn't beat Israel, so they settled in the coast. Joshua
was most likely written before 1188 BC.
The book must be written before David. Joshua 15:63 the Jebusites were in
Jerusalem and David drove them out.
Moses, Joshua, Eleazar, Phinehas. Joshua dies before Phinehas. Phinehas could
have written after Joshua's recorded death. Eleazar could have written some of
it. We don't know who wrote the book, but it was a contemporary.
If we think that a later writer can't get the story right, we don't have a
very good idea of Godly inspiration.
The Purpose Of The Book:
2. God is righteous. God says that He'll only bless them when they are
obedient.
3. Victory through obedience and faithfulness. Joshua is a narrative about
God, which bring up theological issues and values.
8 Theological Issues and Values:
1. God is the God of Israel.
Outline for Joshua
1. Entering the Land (1-5)
~~~~~~~9/10
1. Responsibility as Minister
2. Training for Leadership
3. Summary of the Moses-Joshua relationship
Elijah-Elisha relationship
Joshua was trustworthy and the people knew it. It was a smooth transition.
The people trusted him. When Moses died, everybody knew that Joshua was ready to
go.
The first thing Joshua receives from the Lord is encouragement--the first few
verses of Joshua. God promises faithfulness.
Joshua 1:11 "In 3 days, cross over." The spies were already sent.
Numbers 32:20 Moses talks about land. Gets upset over people who want it
immediately.
Joshua 2:1 Joshua sent the spies, secretly. They report only to Joshua. The
spied area was "honeycombed with caves."
Judges 17 has different terminology for sleeping with a prostitute. She has
heard a lot of talk. She knew things about people and got an unbiased report
from her.
~~~Protecting yourself with ungodly means robs you from seeing how God would
have worked out a hardship. Telling a lie can hide you from seeing God's great
deliverance.
Egyptians don't write about the bad things that happen to them. Rahab says
that she has heard about the destruction God poured out on Egypt through the
plagues.
Rahab was commended for her faith, not her honesty.
~~~~~~~9/12
1. Power of God - Phenomenal Power. We shouldn't take credit for it.
Joshua 3:16 - There is a fault line along the Jordan that stretches from
Turkey into Mozambique, Africa.
1160, 1267, 1534, 1546, 1834, 1906, 1927 AD there were earthquakes. In 1927
the waters were dammed for 21 hours. We don't think this ever happened during
flood season. There's 60 miles of distance, but 200 miles of river between the
Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. 18-30 feet across. It's a small river, but a
flood stage it should have been very wide.
The description of the waters spreading with the Jordan, has it spreading
quickly after their foot touched it. Psalm 114.
It would be comical to say an earthquake took down the walls of Jericho. It
would have had to affect the walls, all but the one by Rahab. It would have to
left the troops all unscathed. That would be one special earthquake.
In Numbers 26, Moses took a census of the people to see who could fight.
43,730 plus 40,000 plus 26,000 equals 110,580. Why are only 40,000 people going
to battle? Provision was made for some to stay behind and watch and care for
children, wives and cattle.
Joshua 4:19 has a date: 10th day of the 1st month
Israel came out of Egypt (1446) in 1/14 and into Canaan 1/10 of (1406). The
made it just in time to select a lamb for the new passover. In 4 days, they
observed it.
Gilgal was very close to Jericho. God was a covenant God. Abraham was the
covenant man. Israel was the covenant people. They had to be circumcised to keep
the covenant.
The Angel of the Lord refers to the 2nd person in the trinity. The
angel of the Lord is worshiped, indicating a deity, not just an angel. Rev.
19:16 and 22:8, 9 John had been in the presence of an angel. John was
overwhelmed and falls down before the angel. This angel says "don't do that" and
is horrified. Good men and angels refuse worship.
Kingdom of Priests talks about Heren and haram. KJV says the city is
accursed. It is a sacred place.
~~~~~~~9/17
Joshua 6:17 An important instruction. Moses had told them this in Deuteronomy
7. Haram - to be banned. 7:2 "utterly destroy" Herem - ban, is what happened
6:17. Only 3 cities were totally destroyed. To destroy all of the cities would
be counterproductive.
--They were not to take anything from the cities. If the ban is forgotten,
there could be trouble. Little rams horns was all they had, not lots of
trumpets. Vs. 20, the city fell flat.
If an earthquake took down the walls, it would be a miracle that the one part
of the wall by Rahab stayed intact. It would have been a miracle that so many
people lived.
Sound waves would have knocked down Rahab's wall.
In perfect cadence, walls or bridges can be shaken. They had come to a stop,
weren't trained to walk in cadence, etc. This was the 2nd miracle.
The liberal viewpoint of the destruction of the Caananites:
Biblical viewpoint:
b. It was really God who was doing the destroying. Israel was simply blowing
their horns. Joshua 6:2 God said, "I am giving these people to you."
c. The destruction of the Caananites was based on religious considerations.
It wasn't military and it wasn't political. Genesis 15:16 was a warning about
the future judgement of the Amorites and Caananites. The Amorites were living
among the Caananites. Deuteronomy 9:5 God says they are wicked people and Joshua
is driving them out.
d. God wanted to preserve the religious purity among his people. God didn't
want these wicked people influencing His people. Abraham was very careful not to
associate with the Caananites. He wouldn't even let his son leave the land when
he needed a wife. He didn't want to risk him leaving the promise land. Abraham
knew that if his son married a Caananite, he would ultimately become like a
Caananite. Abraham's servant found a woman who was probably a pagan from the
north, but she would adopt the true God. Isaac and Rebecca.
God took His people out of the land near Caanan and into Egypt. In Egypt they
wouldn't become like their neighbors. In Judges, Israel become like their
neighbors. They had a habit of doing this.
Ai pronounced like eye. It's a dipthong.
Joshua puts 5,000 men in between Bethel and Ai. This was to block them from
helping Ai. There were soldiers at the southern part of Ai. Joshua faked a
retreat at the northern part of Ai. Ai followed, the souther soldiers torched
the city and pinched the people in between the 2 forces.
Joe Callaway wasn't digging at Ai. Ai is supposedly a little bit south and
east of Bethel. Bethel was always really close in the Bible, with a mountain in
between them. It was about 12 miles from Jerusalem to Ai. Callaway thought it
was 14 miles. 12 miles north of Jerusalem there has been pottery found. Bireh is
the Bethel of the OT. Nisya is the Ai of the OT. The new names are wrong. There
is a mountain in between Bireh and Nisya. It fits the bill, dude.
Jericho used to be east of Jerusalem.
~~~~~~~9/19
Deuteronomy 24:16
When you have a spiritual victory, remember who gave you the power to win.
Don't rush into another battle. Thank God and ask Him for direction and
guidance.
Since Joshua is successful when he is obedient, compliment Joshua for his
faithfulness to God. God deserves the credit for winning the battles.
Gilgal is the base of operation. Vs. 31 - they went to Ebal (northwest of
Gilgal about 20-25 miles)
Deuteronomy chapter 27. They rehearse the blessing and curse.
The acoustics on Mt. Sinai and the Sea of Galilee were incredible. The
factory near Shechem caused too much noise to test that area. The acoustics from
Mt. Ebel couldn't be tested. It would have been a wonderful amphitheater to
address large crowds.
Deuteronomy 7 - No deals with cities that are conquered, sporto.
Joshua 9 - He is deceived by neighbors who claim to be from a far away
country.
2 Sam 21:1-6, 22:18-19 - tells how the covenant was violated. The Gibeonites
had they treaty broken with Saul. God sent a 3 year famine for that violation.
Did chapter 9 and the deal Joshua made with the neighbors (against God's
will) set a bad precedent for the Israelites? This was a big mistake by Joshua.
He didn't consult God.
***Don't make an excuse for disobedience because it worked out after all. By
sinning, you never got to see what God could do. You just took everything into
your own hands.
We don't know what the results would have been if Israel would have been
obedient.
Joshua 10:11 "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were
in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven
upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones
than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."
When hail comes down and kills many people, only on one side of the battle,
that's a big miracle from God.
Psalm 110:1 "110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at
my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Joshua 10:24 "And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto
Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains
of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks
of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them."
~~~~~~~9/24
Gibeon fooled Joshua into making a treaty with them. They were actually a
nearby city and Joshua shouldn't have made the deal.
Joshua 10:14-15 God stopped the sun.
After the Southern campaign, Joshua goes back to Gilgal.
3 cities destroyed and burned: they all face herem:
Ex. 12 - Joshua 3:19 - preparation day of Passover
Important terms:
Deut. 7:1-3 to people of Canaan, certain cities (Jericho, Ai, and Hazor)
religious paganism
Central Campaign - Jericho, Ai: Covenant Renewal. Ebal and Gerizim. Shechem
Mtns. Israel separated the North from the South cities by conquering the middle.
That is making the cities feel uncomfortable, making Gibeon ask for a treaty.
Southern Campaign - Gibeonite deception, subject to herem. Deut. 20:10-15
They went to the strong cities, trying to break the backbone of resistance.
If Joshua conquered the main cities, he could send the tribes in to do the
clean-up.
Northern Campaign - Joshua took (lakad) Hazor - 1 major battle
Date of the Conquest:
No extant literature from Canaan (except Bible)
Example of Hazor - 3 destruction levels: c. 1400, 1300, 1230 BC
Length of Conquest - Joshua 14:6
Alternate Models of the Conquest (Reconstruction)
Traditio-historical model (Martin Noth)
Sociological Model by Norman Gottwald
Shiloh is going to be the religious center throughout the days of the Judges.
The tabernacle is located here.
~~~~~~~9/26
The tribe of Simeon is scattered and not found. There are 6 cities of refuge
by Joshua.
Joshua 22. Israelites usually don't keep their word on their promises. Joshua
is to cross the Jordan and fight. They are currently in the hill area near
Shiloh. They are warned to keep the commandments of Moses, like Joshua 1:8.
Don't be afraid to repeat something. People need to hear things repeated.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of
thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him,
and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep
the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day
for thy good?"
The answer is yes and God wants this for their own good.
An altar is built before they cross the river, after leaving Shiloh. Joshua
hears the report and sent Phinehas to investigate the situation.
3 times a year, God prescribed that all of Israel would meet at the
tabernacle. This was a time to unite as a nation and people. God knew that they
were going to be spread out. They needed to return to the tabernacle to be
instructed by the priest, too.
The altar or shrine was not acceptable. They were worshiping at a wrong
place. Phinehas was pleased to know that they were not to worship there, but
there was not to be an altar there. This could be the beginning of their turning
into a Canaanite-like culture.
Joshua 23-24. "Joshua's farewell addresses." Chapter 23 is more personal, 24
is more official.
Joshua 23:3 "And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all
these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for
you."
Joshua 23:7 says, "don't, don't, don't, don't" and later they did it.
Parity treaty = among equals/leaders "I'll do this for you, you do this for
me"
The Gibeonites said this to Joshua when they came to him (Suzerainty treaty).
~~~~~~~10/1
It's noteworthy beginning follows the death of a leader.
Its Literary Genre
~~~~~~~10/3
1. Title "Judges" is derived from the type of government or leadership that
Israel is going to experience in this time period. In between Joshua -- Saul.
Judge comes from the Hebrew word to judge and refers to making a situation
right. The Judges were usually military leaders, but some aren't mentioned much.
***Joshua's theme: Victory through faith and obedience
Cycles in chapter 2 -- Disobedience is the central theme.
Compromise, Apostasy, Oppression, Repentance, Deliverance -- Hartman's Wheel
~~~~~~~10/8
Baalim = false deities, 2:11. The "im" ending is plural in Hebrew. Baals.
Paradigm of 2:11-16
Judges 3:5 -- the Canaanites dwelled among the Canaanites -- this was against
what God wanted them to do. They may want to intermarry.
Gideon, in chapter 7, does something wrong. Keyshone river on one side, Tabor
on the other, Midianites in the middle. The backside of Moreh, Gideon puts
together his army. Moreh was by the Midianites. 32,000 show up to help in the
battle. About 135,000 were in the Midianite camp. Deuteronomy 20:8 Fear breeds
fear. Leave them behind.
~~~~~~~10/31
November 5 ~
5 Results of the Relationship with the Philistine Woman
16:1 Samson goes to visit a prostitute and most likely slept with her -- due
to terminology and context.
November 7 ~
In verse 3, Samson left Gaza triumphantly, but now he is returning in
disgrace. He left in the darkness of the night in verse 3. Now he's returning in
the darkness of his own blindness. The first things he saw in the first verse
that mentions Samson is, "I saw a woman." By the end of his life, he couldn't
see anything at all. He was a He-Man with a She-Problem.
There's a connection between the gods Dagon, Baal and El. Dagon relates to
the Hebrew word dag or fish. Dagon used to be the fish god or the fish-man god.
Later, it has been connected with dagan and grain (a fertility god).
God delivered Samson into the Philistines. Usually the people were oppressed
and the judge delivered the people. In this case, the judge is captured.
Vs. 28 is the only recorded prayer by Samson. "And Samson called unto the
LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray
thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines
for my two eyes."
Samson and Samuel were probably living at the same time. Their paths never
crossed. Eli's sons confronted the Philistines and so did Samson.
-- The tribe of Judah was upset at Samson because most of the Danites left
and went North. Because Samson went against the Philistines, and the tribe of
Dan was gone, the Philistines attacked Judah, the closest Israelites. That is
why Judah was upset at Samson.
Outline of Judges
(Aaron, Eleazar, Phinehas) lived at the same time, in order, as (Moses,
Gershom-Joshua, Jonathan)
The beginning of Judges, Joshua died and so did the elders. The end of
Judges, there was no king in Israel.
Jonathan was job hunting and gets offered the job of priest. Micah thinks
that God will do him good because he has a Levite as priest. Only Aaron's sons
were to be priests. Jonathan was a descendant of Moses, but not of Aaron. Micah
could care less.
These spies in Dan noticed Jonathan and Micah and their gods. The people of
Dan ask them to come with them and "pastor and bigger church."
One of the dumbest verses in the Bible is Judges 18:24. "And he said, Ye have
taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what
have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?"
November 12 ~
Vs. 22 Belial -- without profit
Judges 19:30 "And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such
deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the
land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds."
20:1 "Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation was
gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the land of
Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh."
The man tells what they did to his concubine, but he doesn't not tell them
that he shoved her out the door.
20:18 Judah was told to fight first in the beginning of Judges and Judah is
told to fight, now. Judah's daughter had been raped and killed. Judah ends of
getting whipped. Perhaps Benjamin was not less wicked than Judah.
20:28 They are at Shiloh and Phinehas is the high priest. This helps date the
story to early in the judges period.
Judges 21:25 "In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that
which was right in his own eyes."
Judges 19-21 ~
Ruth 1-4
1 Samuel 1-4
In Jabesh (Gilead), they wanted to poke out their right eye. Most people were
right handed and held a shield in their left hand. Having no right eye would be
terrible for fighting.
-- God favors David from Bethlehem in Judah. In Genesis 49:10 "The sceptre
shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh
come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." God promised a king
from Bethlehem in Judah. Why did the people even look for a king elsewhere?
November 14 ~
-- Some scholars believe the time of Ruth was early in the judges period or
far later in the OT. Some people propose that Israel just intermarry with
anybody. Untrue.
Purposes of Ruth:
-- We don't have any conversations between God and one person. God's name is
used, though. God is the hero, perhaps hidden hero, of the book. The writer is
showing us that God is in control. Covenant - God has promised to keep His
covenant with Israel. Here is a foreign girl who shows Israel how to keep their
covenant.
1 Samuel -- authorship -- Samuel dies in the 25th chapter of the
first book.
Samuel was not in the line of priests, but offers sacrifices as one would.
November 19 ~
1 Samuel
-- Israel thinks that their problem is political, "we need a king," but their
problem is religious. "They need God."
The ark is in Shiloh. The ark and the tabernacle become separated. Shiloh is
destroyed. The ark moves from location to location. In 2 Samuel 6, David brings
the ark to Jerusalem. In 2 Sam. 24, David purchases a spot to build the temple
(Araunah).
B. Electing/Choosing
C. Sovereign Reversal
Israel wants a different kind of king and their timing is not necessarily
God's timing. So, God gives them their request, but gives them Saul. God gave
them what they wanted, so they could see that what God wanted is truly best.
They got what they wanted in a king, but not what they needed.
1 Samuel chapter 1
1 Samuel 1:19 God remembered her. God never forgot her, though. This
indicates that God is about to do something special. God remembered Rachel in
Genesis 30:22. Exodus 2:24, 6:5 -- Israel is in Egypt and God remembers Israel.
November 21 ~
Aphek was West of Shiloh. Israel brought the Ark into battle and lost it here
to the Philistines. The Ark of the Covenant is never returned to the tabernacle.
There's never worship at Shiloh anymore. The Philistines must have moved inland
and taken over Shiloh or destroyed it. 1050 or 1100 Shiloh was destroyed and
leveled. The tabernacle worship was later at Nob and Gibeon. The Ark was at
Kirjath Jearim.
(-- Eli's neck was broken and he died after hearing the ark was stolen.)
1 Sam. 22:19 the priests at Nob are massacred by Saul. Saul hear's that David
went to Nob and is angry because the priests let him stay there. Doeg massacred
the whole place except Abiathar (son of Ahimelech), he fled to David. Ahimelech
helped David. Saul killed him. Abiathar goes and joins David in exile--the one
surviving priest.
1 Chron. 15:11 Zadok and Abiathar (the priests) were called to bring the ark
to Jerusalem.
1 Chron. 16:1 they set the ark in tent David pitched it in Jerusalem
1 Kings 2:26 - Abiathar the priest was sent to Anathoth
1 Samuel 3:12 - God speaks through Samuel and to Eli about his judgment. The
first prophetic duty that Samuel has is to give a death notice to the religious
leader.
1 Sam. 4:1 - Ebenezer was next to Aphek. "Don't gotta do nothin'" Israel
thought they'd bring the Ark to battle for good luck. Like a rabbit's foot or 4
leaf clover, they thought the Ark would have the same affect.
1 Samuel 4:8 "Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty
gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all the plagues in the
wilderness."
Phinehas' wife has Ichabod when she hears this news, too. Ichabod means "no
glory."
-- The tabernacle wasn't beautiful on the outside, there were animal skins
and things. But it was awesome inside. The same was with Christ. The outside was
ordinary and the inside was extraordinary. The Ark was the same way. There was a
covering over the exterior of the Ark. But the Ark was awesome.
1 Samuel 5:6 - the plague on the Philistines could have been a hemorrhoid or
boil or even Boubonic plague, since the rats were made shortly thereafter. Rats
spread Boubonic plague.
Chapter 7 is in Kirjath Jearim. 20 years pass between verse 2 and 3. The Ark
is here for at least 67 years. The 20 years here, plus 40 in Saul's reign, plus
7 more in David's.
The time when the Ark is here is about the same time when Samson goes on his
rampage and judges Israel. Samson was from Timnah. Since Samson kills many in
Gaza, the Philistines go after Israel's crowd. Israel was having a revival, so
it's a poor time to attack. Samuel calls the people back together at Mizpah. The
Philistines prepare to attack and God steps in.
November 26 ~
1. Military draft (by Saul)
Saul is from the tribe of Benjamin, not Judah. He should not be Israel's
first king. God chooses David and he is in the tribe of Judah.
Did God intend for Israel to have a king? Yes
1. Mankind was created in Image of God to rule over all created things (Gen.
17:6, 16).
-- Of all the OT books, the book of 1 Samuel is most oddly put together.
There was a copy of 1 Samuel in the dead sea scrolls that have a few extra
verses. Nahash, king of Ammon, was oppressing Gad and Reuben and gouged out
their right eyes. Right before chapter 11, there are a few verses of
introduction. The above words was a paraphrase. Israel needed a king because the
King of Ammon was oppressing them.
The Real Reasons --
