#VIII
Title: Judges
Book: The Daily Bible in Chronological Order 365 Daily Readings, New International Version (NIV) with devotional insights to Guide You through God’s Word.
Commentary: F. LaGard Smith.
Genre: Religion
Challenges: 100+, Read & Review, Operation Actually Read the Bible
Rating: B+
Dates read: 3/16/09 - 3/25/09
No. of pages - 15

Smith’s summary of this era follows. “The fact that territory has been given to a tribe or individual does not mean that the land can be immediately occupied. The inhabitants living in the land must first be driven out. While some of the territorial conquests occurred when Joshua was still living, additional conquests are made after Joshua’s death.

“Despite all the conquests which have been made, there are still sections of unclaimed territory and, more importantly, still inhabitants who have not been driven out, contrary to God’s specific orders. The danger of an incomplete conquest is the lingering presence of pagan influence. As long as the Canaanites remain, the Israelites will inevitably intermarry with them, and, just as inevitably, turn to worship their pagan gods.
Failure to drive out the inhabitants may indicate not only the softness of Israel’s resolve but also a certain fascination with the pagan culture about them. Whatever the reasons for their failure, God considers it a breach of covenant and knows that widespread idolatry is soon to follow.

“A number of lands and peoples are never conquered. Interestingly enough, neither Judah nor Benjamin is able to completely drive out the Jebusites from the city of Jersualem, which is within the region of their common boundary (even despite the fact that Judah has already attacked the city once and put it to the torch).

“Politically and militarily, there is need for a more complete conquest of the promised land. … The incomplete conquests have left Israel vulnerable to the pagan influence around them” and they head into both spiritual and political decline. The Israelites evolution towards a more agricultural society attracts them to Baal, associated with fertility and crops. They alternate between dominance and oppression. During these cycles “God raises up a leader to deliver them. Each of these ‘judges’ leads only a few tribes” and their overlapping leadership amounts to about 335 years.

Some of these leaders are Othniel, Ehud and Shamgar; Deborah and Barak; Gideon and his son; Jephthan and Samson; Micah and the Danites and Benjamin.

“It seems that Israel’s moral decline has so affected the people that even honest attempts at goodness are blemished. Even in the sincere efforts made to forgive and restore the Benjamites, there is an indication that the Israelites have exercised extremely questionable moral judgment as far as their methods were concerned. This entire period of the Canaan conflict is a sad testimony to the relationship between God and man. From a pinnacle of adherence to law under Moses (as imperfect as their obedience was, even then), the nation of Israel has sunk to a low ebb in which moral authority is no higher than self-will. The inspired record sums it up with a disappointing epitaph.”