Current Sermon Series

Join us for the current sermon series from the book of Judges called Losers, Laymen & Leaders.

Judges 2:20-3:11

LOSERS, LAYMEN AND LEADERS

Lessons From The Lives

Of The Judges Of Israel

Series Intro: The period addressed in the book of Judges is a period of time defined by lawlessness, rebellion and moral failure among the people of Israel. The whole attitude of Israel during the time of the judges can be summed up in the words of Judges 17:6; 21:25, where the Bible says, “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Ill. That’s a pretty good description of our world as well!)

        God had redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage. He led them for forty years through a wilderness. He brought them safely into the land of Canaan and promised to defeat all their enemies, if only they would walk with Him in holiness.

        God commanded them to enter Canaan and to conquer it, Deut. 7:1-6. The commandments given in those verses are crystal clear. They were to:

1.  v. 1  Possess the land

2.  v. 2  Utterly destroy all the nations of Canaan

3.  v. 2  Make no peace treaties with them

4.  v. 2  Show them no mercy

5.  v. 3  Refuse to intermarry with them

6.  v. 5  Completely destroy every trace of their pagan religions

        The reason they were commanded to do this was because Israel was to be different from all the people around them, Deut 7:6. They, among all the people of the earth, had been chosen by God. He had saved them, blessed them and promised them victory, if they would walk with Him.

        God demanded total separation among His people. He knew that if Israel allowed themselves to be entangled with the Canaanites, they would become corrupt spiritually and be drawn away from God, Deut. 7:4. When that happened, God promised that He would visit them suddenly, in His wrath, Deut. 7:4.

        Israel had their instructions, but they failed to fully carry out the Lord’s command. The record of their failure is chronicled in Judges 1:19-34.

·         Judah failed – 1:19-20

·         Benjamin failed – 1:21

·         Joseph failed – 1:22-26

·         Manasseh failed – 1:27-28

·         Ephraim failed – 1:29

·         Zebulon failed – 1:30

·         Asher failed – 1:31-32

·         Naphtali failed – 1:33

·         Dan failed – 1:34

·         The tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh even refused to enter Canaan, choosing to remain on the other side of Jordan.

        Israel’s failure to defeat their enemies resulted in them living among their enemies. After a while, they became like their enemies, adopting the wicked ways of the various Canaanite tribes around them. Eventually, Israel began to worship the false gods of the Canaanites. When they followed this downward path, God allowed them to know His displeasure and His judgment.

        When judgment came, eventually the people would realize that they were to blame. They would repent and seek the Lord. When they did, God forgave them and raised up a deliverer, called a Judge. These men and women helped Israel throw off the yoke of their oppressors. They also helped them to live for God.

        Israel would follow a Judge until that Judge died, then they would revert to their wicked ways and the cycle would begin again. This continued in Israel for about 400 years, until they got their first king.

        The book of Judges is profitable for us today. Because in its pages, we see that Israel faced many of the same problems that we face in our world today. They faced physical enemies; so do we. They faced problems from the world, the flesh and the devil; so do we.

        I want to take the next few Sunday evenings and bring a series of messages I am entitling Losers, Laymen and Leaders. I want to share with you some Lessons From The Lives Of Israel’s Judges.

        As we look at these men and women God used to deliver His people in those days, I want you to see that He is still looking for men and women He can use in our day. God is no longer looking for judges, but He is looking for leaders. He is looking for men and women He can use to stem the tide of evil that threatens to overtake the church in these dark days. He is looking for people who will rise up, taking their stand with God and the Bible. He is looking for people He can use to change the world for the glory of God. Some of the people He is looking for might just be sitting in these pews today! In that age, God used common, ordinary men and women to accomplish His purpose in Israel, and that is the kind of people He will use in this day as well.